Cremated animal bone from two ritual/ceremonial sites in Britannia

Burnt or cremated animal bone has been found at ritual sites across the Greek and Roman world, but has rarely been reported in Romano-British contexts. We discuss two examples of this practice from two sites in southeast England, Ashwell (Hertfordshire) and Charlwood (Surrey). While the process of cremation and deposition of animal bone is similar on both sites, specific taxonomic compositions vary, indicating that this was as variable as other Roman ritual practices in Britain. Other examples from across the south and east of Britain indicate that burning animal offerings was a part of accepted orthopraxy in certain ritual contexts.