One of the great things about working in conservation is the sheer variety of objects and materials that we see coming into the labs.

Over the next few months we’ll be conserving a really exciting find from a burial site in Dartmoor National Park. A recent excavation has uncovered a nationally important collection of Early Bronze Age remains from a cist burial which could prove to be one of the most important archaeological finds of the last 100 years.

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The Archaeology team from the History Centre have been involved with excavating two exciting new finds in the last few months.

In October last year a metal detectorist working on farm land in the south west of Wiltshire discovered a bronze spearhead. Realising the significance of what he had a found, and the possibility of more still buried under the surface, he contact Katie Hind, the Finds Liaison Officer for the Portable Antiquities Scheme, who is based at Salisbury Museum. Katie, together with staff from the Archaeology team and the finder went back to the site and carefully excavated the spot where the object has first been discovered. At first it was thought there may be a handful of bronze objects buried as a “hoard” or grouped deposit of  artefacts buried at some point in the past by someone who intended to come back to it (a prehistoric form of banking!). As the day went on we were amazed and delighted to find a deep deposit of bronze objects place one on top of the other, 114 of them in total!  (see photo 1).What was really surprising  and unusual was the great diversity of object types . The hoard consisted of tools (axe heads, chisels, sickles, gouges) and weapons (spearheads, daggers, knives, swords and scabbard fittings). They were all made from copper alloy and came out in good condition.

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 Archaeologists from Thames Valley Archaeological Services (TVAS) unearthed the grave of a warrior in 2008, who died at around the time of the Roman conquest in AD43.

Excavations, led by Andy Taylor of TVAS, have been taking place in advance of a new housing development on behalf of Berkeley Homes (Southern) Limited and Persimmon Homes (South Coast) Limited.  The archaeological work is took place as a requirement of the planning process with the archaeological officer (Mark Taylor) of West Sussex County Council advising the District Council as to what is required.

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Marlborough Mound has for so long been the subject of debate as to its true age. Was it constructed as a medieval motte (castle mound) or is it in fact substantially older, the same age in fact as nearby Silbury Hill, the iconic prehistoric earthwork?

18th Century Drawing of The Marlborough Mound

The Blog can now bring you the definitive answer – and it is reshaping how we understand the ancient Wessex landscape it inhabits. The mound, definitively used as a medieval fortified settlement, was already three-and-a-half thousand years old when the Normans arrived! This makes it the same age as the pyramids in Egypt!

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The Festival of British Archaeology, an annual nationwide event, takes place this year from Saturday 16 until Sunday 31 July.  The Archaeology Service are keen to build on the success of their events last summer and are running two further days for the public this year.  All events in The Festival aim to promote archaeology and are usually very well attended. To book your place or to find out more information, please see the contact details below via 'read more'.
 

Mere Castle and White Sheet Hill – Guided Walk

The first event is an exciting guided walk from Mere Castle, which is located just north of Castle Street in the village of Mere.  Mere lies at the extreme south western tip of Salisbury Plain, close to the borders of Somerset and Dorset.  The walk takes in the medieval castle and it’s adjacent Bronze Age round barrows as well as the prehistoric monuments of the down edge.  Surrounded by an incredibly beautiful landscape, the walk will continue across to the spectacular Neolithic Causewayed Camp of White Sheet Hill.

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Archaeologists from the Wiltshire Archaeology Service, which is based in the History Centre, have been involved with agreeing and monitoring work at Durrington that has revealed important remains from the Ice Age through to the modern period. The site had been home to buildings and staff of the Ministry of Defence (and its predecessors) since the 19^th century. Excavations on the site (which are still going on) have shown, however, that its history goes back even further. The site is still being excavated by Wessex Archaeology on behalf of Persimmon Homes South Coast as part of their planning permission.

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