A Collection Of 19,000 Artifacts Were Unearthed Ahead Of A Development Project In England, Marking A Milestone Moment For The Field Of Archaeology

Microgen - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
Microgen - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only, not the actual person

Around 19,000 artifacts have been unearthed from a site in the United Kingdom. The artifacts date from the prehistory era to the early medieval period.

They were discovered during excavations at the Calthorpe Gardens residential development, which is located just outside of the town of Banbury in southern England.

The dig was conducted in advance of the construction of new homes. The contractor, Orbit Homes, is overseeing the development project.

A collection of flint tools were the oldest artifacts found. They date back to the Mesolithic period, also known as the Middle Stone Age, which lasted from approximately 1000 B.C. to 4000 B.C. in Britain.

Other findings include the remains of a small settlement from the Late Bronze Age to the Late Iron Age and an Anglo-Saxon cemetery from the early medieval period. So far, at least 52 individuals have been accounted for at the cemetery.

At the small settlement, there were artifacts such as handmade pottery and textile tools. The settlement also consisted of the ruins of roundhouses and several large enclosures that were likely used as pens for animals.

In addition, archaeologists dug up numerous grave goods from the Anglo-Saxon cemetery, including pendants, bead necklaces, personal effects, and weapons.

“The grave goods are astounding, just in the volume, their style—there are so many different types of material,” said Janice McLeish, the director of post-excavation services with Border Archaeology, the consulting company leading the excavation. “Within the assemblage, we’ve got glass beads, we’ve got metalwork, we’ve got some pottery. It’s just a really remarkable assemblage to have on one site.”

One of the most notable objects recovered during the excavations at the Anglo-Saxon cemetery was a gold pendant featuring animal imagery from the pre-Christian era. The imagery was of an intertwined serpent.

Microgen – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person

Another fascinating item was an Iron Age weaving comb, which would have helped its user through the loom and weaving process.

According to a field archaeologist with Border Archaeology named Hayley Parsons, the discovery is a “once-in-a-decade site” with “once-in-a-lifetime kinds of finds.” The Calthorpe site is now considered to be of great archaeological importance.

“I think the potential of the site is to show people were here over a very long period of time, doing different things at different times,” said McLeish.

“We’ve been so lucky at Calthorpe Gardens; we’ve been totally spoiled with the finds that have been recovered.”

Overall, discovering 19,000 artifacts is an exhilarating and groundbreaking achievement. Such a substantial find is a landmark moment in the field of archaeology.

Whether it’s the smallest shard of pottery or a large structure, these items can tell us more about past cultures and societies.

It also fosters a deeper appreciation for history and our world among academics and the general public.

Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.

Emily  Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a ... More about Emily Chan
Mentioned In This Article:

More About: