Round barrows and the harmonious landscape: placing Early Bronze Age burial monuments in south-east England

The distribution and siting of barrows within the landscape of south-east England is considered, and it is observed that clustering occurs on certain geological units and in specific topographical positions. A socio-economic explanation for the distribution of those in Sussex is possible, and the concentrations can even be considered in terms of territorial units. However, distribution across the south-east is nodal, and the clusters present on the South Downs are not matched on the North Downs, and it is necessary to consider other explanations. A cosmological approach provides a fresh insight into the siting of barrows and helps explain siting within cemeteries as well as within the wider landscape.