Excavations reveal a wealth of archaeology

Excavations carried out at Hanson’s Must Farm quarry at Whittlesey, near Peterborough, have shed new light on the daily lives of Bronze Age East Anglians.

Remains uncovered at the quarry date back 3,000 years and have revealed an extensive range of preserved objects not normally found on prehistoric sites in Britain.

Buried up to six metres below today’s ground level, and preserved by the waterlogged conditions of the Fens, the finds include whole pots still holding food, wooden containers and hoards of Bronze Age weapons. Elaborate textiles made from plant fibres and glass beads were also discovered along with a well preserved timber platform and timber-piled buildings.

The survival of these delicate objects was partly caused by an inferno which engulfed the buildings around 800BC, preserving them and their contents in exceptional condition, as rapid charring would have been followed by quenching as they dropped into the fen waters.

The extensive excavations at the clay pit were initiated ahead of further extraction for brick making. Hanson agreed to leave the timber platform out of the mineral extraction area and a protective mound (or bund) was created to shield these remains from the quarry. The bund also acts as a barrier to water flow which ensures that these remains stay wet – which is vital to preserve them.

Excavation in the rest of the quarry, carried out by Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU), also uncovered burial mounds, cobbled tracks and riverside hards, eel traps and fish weirs. David Gibson, project manager for CAU, said: “These wicker-work structures are in such perfect condition they appear as though they were made yesterday.”

The excavation and preservation work has been managed by environmental firm SLR Consulting. Working closely with Hanson, SLR developed a management plan to conserve the remains for future generations. As well as extensive testing of the soil and water levels this included the introduction of a monitoring scheme designed to alert Hanson staff to any changes in the site environment that could damage the remains.

Tim Malim, head of SLR Consulting’s heritage team, said: “The Government introduced new policies for protecting archaeology earlier this year and Hanson’s approach to preserving these remains is an outstanding example of good practice in delivering this new policy on Planning for the Historic Environment.”