Duns Law finally gives up its Beaker burial ground

Human remains and seven earthen vessels dating back to the Bronze Age Beaker settlers were uncovered by Scottish Water at Duns Law.

The find, estimated to date back 4500 years, was probably the most significant made by Scottish Water engineers while working on a £113 million programme of upgrading water pipes from Orkney in the north down to the Scottish Borders.

Explaining the care that is taken when they undertake such work, Simon Brassey, Scottish Water’s specialist engineer on their environment team said: “Before any project begins in an area of known archaeological significance or environmental sensitivity, detailed studies are carried out...

... “The findings included the cremated bones of a woman and other fragments of human bone from at least two other adults and a juvenile. Up to seven earthen vessels from the Beaker era were revealed, each decorated with comb-impressions with different geometric patterns, which are about 4500 years old, plus a stone axe.

“The burial pit itself involved a complex construction process and probably encompasses several different periods, as shown by the radiocarbon dates.[...] Berwickshire News