Danebury, Hampshire: First Interim Report on the Excavation, 1969–70

Abstract

SummaryThe Iron Age hill-fort at Danebury has been subjected to two seasons of excavation concentrating on the defences and the east entrance. The main defences show three phases of construction: (a) a timber-faced rampart of the 4th century B.C. (b) remodelling to a glacis-style rampart in 3rd to 2nd centuries, (c) the re-digging of the ditch in a fiat-bottomed form possibly just before the Roman Conquest. The east gate underwent seven major periods of rebuilding, each showing sub-phases. A development from a simple gate to one defended by massive outworks has been demonstrated.The ‘middle earthwork’ on the south side of the fort, and the ‘outer earthwork’ which surrounds it are dated to the 3rd to 2nd century and the 1st century respectively. They were probably stock enclosures. The sample excavation of the interior of the fort showed that occupation was dense. Among the cultural material discovered was a hoard of currency bars.