Emily Chan
During excavations for a road construction project at a site in Oxfordshire, England, archaeologists uncovered a wooden structure from the Bronze Age.
The structure was a well that appeared to have been preserved for thousands of years. It dates back to the second half of the Bronze Age, which lasted from 1200 to 700 B.C. in Britain.
It is rare to find a wooden structure from so long ago in such pristine condition, as the material tends to decay fairly quickly.
According to John Boothroyd, senior project manager at Oxford Archaeology, the survival of the remains is due to being buried in a waterlogged area.
Archaeologists had first come across a wooden post that was sticking out of the ground at a site located in the village of Benson.
When they explored further, they discovered a larger structure that turned out to be a well. The team was able to fully expose the well in the ground despite the work being carried out in “extremely challenging conditions.”
They also collected soil samples to analyze, which will provide them with more information, such as when the well was being used, what the landscape was like, and the intensity of settlement in the area.
The researchers believe the well may have been used by nearby settlements for “agricultural irrigation purposes.”
“Archaeological surveys like this are an important part of the process of delivering construction schemes. They help us identify and understand past residents of the area and record them for future generations,” said Judy Roberts, a member of the Oxfordshire County Council.
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