Burnt journeys towards Stonehenge: uncovering rites, networks and traditions in British Neolithic cremations

Objective

BURNT transforms understanding of the British Neolithic (c.4000-2500 BC), a period marked by profound social change, new funerary rites and monumental construction. While cremation became the dominant funerary practice, research has overwhelmingly focused on inhumations, leaving cremated remains underexplored. Existing insights are dominated by Stonehenge, where pioneering studies revealed evidence of long-distance mobility and complex mortuary traditions, but the broader regional picture remains unknown. BURNT overcomes this gap by conducting the first large-scale, comparative study of Neolithic cremation in Britain. Analysing curated assemblages from 38 sites across southern Britain and Wales, the project integrates osteology, radiocarbon chronologies and strontium isotope data to address four research objectives: (Ro1) establish demographic profiles; (RO2) build chronological frameworks and explore reuse; (RO3) reconstruct mobility and geographic origins; and (RO4) integrate datasets into a regional comparative analysis. Hosted at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel under Professor Christophe Snoeck, Dr. Willis will receive advanced training in isotope geochemistry, complemented by a a secondment with Professor Rick Schulting (University of Oxford) for Bayesian modelling. BURNT embeds two-way knowledge transfer: the fellow contributes osteological expertise from Britain's largest cremation cemeteries, while VUB provides cutting-edge laboratory training. Results will establish new methodological standards for British Neolithic cremations, generate open-access datasets of international relevance and create a transferable model for investigating mobility and memory in prehistoric Europe. Dissemination through open publications, conferences, museum lectures and outreach will ensure wide scientific impact, reframing cremation as a central lens for identity, movement and commemoration in the Neolithic.