A skeleton discovered in 1801 in the village of Upton Lovell, approximately 10 miles west of Stonehenge, has been identified as female through advanced DNA analysis, contradicting previous assumptions about the individual’s identity. The remains, dating to around 1,800BC, were accompanied by an extensive collection of artifacts including metalworking tools, stone axes, and elements of an elaborate ceremonial cloak, making the burial among Britain’s most significant Bronze Age discoveries.
The grave goods suggest the individual was a skilled metalworker during a period when the ability to transform raw materials into metal would have conferred significant status and possibly spiritual importance within society. An earlier analysis detected traces of gold on stone surfaces, indicating the individual may have crafted gold ornaments such as clasps featuring bone, wood, or copper cores covered with thin sheets of gold. Additional items in the grave included a decorated pouch adorned with boar tusks, hollowed fossil sponges fashioned into cups, metalworking scribes, and a touchstone used to assess metal quality.
David Dawson, director of the Wiltshire Museum, which houses the remains, characterized the discovery as evidence that contradicts long-held assumptions about gender and occupational roles in ancient societies. Physical analysis of the bones indicated the individual was notably tall for a Bronze Age woman at 165 centimeters and was robustly built, with evidence of arthritis in the right wrist suggesting extended use of metalworking implements throughout life.
The DNA analysis was conducted by the ancient genomics laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute in London. Testing of multiple samples, including a tooth and toe bone, produced consistent results with no indication of multiple skeletons in the grave. Results suggest the individual possessed Beaker ancestry, typical for Britain during that period. The findings are being presented as part of a new exhibition on ancient DNA opening Thursday at the Francis Crick Institute, which examines how genetic techniques are providing new perspectives on ancient populations and their ways of life.
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