Disc barrow

A disc barrow is a type of tumulus or round barrow, a variety of fancy barrow identified in English Heritage's Monument Class Descriptions.

Section and plan of a generic disc barrow

A disc barrow comprises a circular or oval-shaped flat platform, defined by a continuous earthen bank and inner ditch; sometimes the platform is raised above the surrounding ground level. On the platform there are one or more small mounds covering human burials deposited in cists or grave-pits. It is possible for disc barrows to be confused with a wide-bermed bell barrow; the distinguishing characteristic here is the presence of a platform supporting the small barrow mound and the continuous bank around the outside of the barrow ditch.[1]

Disc barrows are a relatively rare kind of Bronze Age burial mound, generally located in the Wessex area of southern England. In common with other contemporary round barrows they are regarded as being the burial monuments of important people; it has been suggested that the Wessex disc barrows were the burial places of important females, although this is based on the analysis of a very small number of cremation deposits and assumptions about the ownership of the main kinds of grave goods recovered.

The 18th century antiquarian William Stukeley referred to this type of barrow as a druid barrow, a practice that was continued by Richard Colt Hoare in the early 19th century, even though he did not subscribe to the idea that their creation had any connection with druids.[2]