tumulus

[ too-myuh-luhs, tyoo- ]

noun

, plural tu·mu·lus·es, tu·mu·li [too, -my, uh, -lahy, tyoo, -].

1. Archaeology. an artificial mound, especially over a grave; barrow.
2. Geology. a domelike swelling or mound formed in congealed lava.

tumulus

/ ˈtjuːmjʊləs /

noun

1. archaeol (no longer in technical usage) another word for barrow 2

Word History and Origins

Origin of tumulus¹

1680–90; < Latin: mound, swelling, equivalent to tum ( ēre ) to swell + -ulus -ule

Word History and Origins

Origin of tumulus¹

C17: from Latin: a hillock, from tumēre to swell up

Example Sentences

Last summer, archaeologists and a metal detectorist conducted a small survey of the tumulus on behalf of the Norwegian Directorate for Culture Heritage.

From New York Times

The stones, or menhirs — some as tall as six feet — buttressed a massive capstone set in a tumulus, or a mound of earth and pebbles.

From New York Times

The call sounded from far away, and Wart found himself standing by the side of an ancient tumulus, like an enormous mole hill, with a Mack hole in front of him.

From Literature

Bassett said he was sitting on a pile of boulders when he realized that the rocks were the top layer of a tumulus, an archaeological term for a burial chamber or sepulcher.

From Washington Times

It's possible, he said, that when pyramid building came into fashion at Sedeinga it was combined with a local circle-building tradition called tumulus construction, resulting in pyramids with circles within them.

From Scientific American