Bronze Age Beaker, Grassington

Description

Bronze Age Beaker, Grassington MYD36697 © The Craven Museum, Skipton, 2004

This early Bronze Age beaker was discovered during the excavation of a stone burial cairn on High Close, Grassington in the late 19th century. It is known as an All Over Corded beaker due to its decoration which was made by pressing a twisted cord into the soft clay body before firing. Beakers such as this appeared all over Europe during the early Bronze Age and it has been suggested that they may have been associated with a new form of religious ceremony. Beaker sherds from elsewhere have been analysed and it seems that the vessels may have been filled with a honey based alcoholic drink. The cord used to impress the decoration may have been made of hemp so it has even been suggested that the drink was laced with cannabis. The High Close example is on display at the Craven Museum apparently incorrectly labelled as being found on the adjacent Lea Green.

Source:

King, Alan et al (1995) Early Grassington. An Archaeological and Historical Trail. Leeds: Yorkshire Archaeological Society

Raistrick, Arthur (1929) ‘The Bronze Age in west Yorkshire’ Yorkshire Archaeological Journal. Vol 29 pp354-365