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Mynydd-y-Glog, Bronze Age Cemetery

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NPRN414686
Map ReferenceSN90NE
Grid ReferenceSN9755008800
Unitary (Local) AuthorityRhondda Cynon Taff
Old CountyBrecknockshire
CommunityHirwaun
Type Of SiteCAIRN CEMETERY
PeriodBronze Age
Description
Mynydd-y-glog is an undulating heather moorland landscape characterised by several rocky Millstone Grit summits and slighter knolls rising to 385m, interspersed with damp, boggy basins. The summits and the drier slopes support an assemblage of funerary and ritual monuments in what appears to be an area set aside for such use during the Bronze Age. Eighteen relevant structures have so far been identified.
Eight round cairns lie in positions locally elevated to a greater or lesser degree. All have been disturbed; in one case evidence of internal structure has been exposed (NPRN 84520). Around these lie a further eight round cairns, likewise disturbed. One of these is the only example displaying a cist (84508). Another is surrounded by massive kerb stones (84523), though examples elsewhere may be obscured by cairn material.
At points on the edge of the cemetery lie two ring monuments. A `simple? ring cairn lies on a terrace on the north-west (84519), and on the south, in a sheltered location, is a low circular mound, only faintly visible, with a gently dished interior suggesting perhaps a more elaborate ring is concealed here (84511). Both are undisturbed.
On the north side of the mountain are cairnfields and traces of settlements and field systems which extend across Pant Sychbant and Cwm Cadlan, areas which also contain sepulchral monuments. Cairnfields can also be found on the west side of the mountain. Around the summit cairns are basin areas containing peat to a depth of at least 1.5m, while on the east side of the mountain (below the trig.point) peat in excess of 2m deep has been detected.
The area occupied by these monuments spans some 3.5 sq. km. but could extend to 7.5 sq.km. if Penmoelallt, adjoining on the immediate east, is included. This is a similarly undulating mountain, rising to 420m. Although long afforested, three sepulchral mounds are already known there along with peripheral groups of small cairns.

The Mynydd-y-glog cemetery bears comparison with the excavated cemetery at Brenig (Denbs) (401203) which incorporates large burial monuments, smaller stone cairns (one with kerb structure) and a ring cairn in addition to more `exotic? types not so far identified here. Whereas the burial and ritual monuments at Brenig cluster around a valley head here they are assembled on and around a mountain summit.

David Leighton, RCAHMW, 2 September 2011