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The archaeological work is being undertaken by Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU), funded by Hanson and monitored by the council’s Historic Environment Team on behalf of the County Council in its role of Minerals Planning Authority.
The excavations are uncovering hugely important Bronze Age and Iron Age activity within and alongside a former channel of the River Nene, contemporary to some of the remains at Flag Fen in Peterborough.
Waterlogged conditions in the channel have enabled the survival of organic materials and artefacts that would normally have rotted away.
To date, discoveries have included complete bronze and iron swords – one still in its scabbard and another with a surviving wooden handle, a bronze spear complete with wooden shaft, other decorative metalwork, the logboats and a wooden wheel. There are also fish traps, weirs, and further downstream an elevated settlement site built on piles driven into the fen ground and surrounded by a palisade.
The quality of the finds and the levels of preservation are exceptional. This site is certainly of international importance and together with all parties we are now starting to look at the issues around publicity and presentation of the site.
As a working quarry, the difficulties of safe access around this slippery, wet clay site prevent tours being possible for the general public. Instead, Hanson and CAU are working hard to develop an archaeology website for Must Farm which will contain superb photographs and explanations of the site supported by short videos of the excavation and will be available soon. We’ll let you know when it will be launched so that you can see the fabulous remains for yourself.
Kasia Gdaniec @ CCC
Senior Archaeologist
Watch a video of Kerry Murrell, CAU, talking about how they first found the log boats.
Watch the full video of Mark Knight, CAU.
Log boat with decorated side courtesy of CAU
Sword image courtesy of CAU
Traps and weirs courtesy of CAU
At start of excavation of a weir
Log boat
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It’ll be worth tuning into the local BBC and ITV news tonight (from 6.30 pm) as I know the film crews were there today along with other members of the local press.
A blogpost about my visit, with some photographs can be found here:
http://whittleseynorth.blogspot.com/2011/12/must-farm-putting-whittlesey-on-map.html
I can’t say enough how impressive this stuff is.
Along with some other Flag Fen volunteers I was so very lucky to be given a tour around Must Farm by Mark Knight. It was AMAZING!! Words cannot describe the feeling of being so close to actual Bronze Age life. It’s fascinating enough seeing artefacts in a museum and telling people about them (I’m a tour guide), but seeing boats, eel traps,weirs, all still in situ and so perfectly preserved after thousands of years, it was….oh it was just… quite beyond anything I could have imagined. If it hadn’t been for the mud sticking to my wellies and keeping my feet (very) firmly on the ground I felt I could have floated around the site ~ I was on such a high. Thanks Mark, and thanks also to Hansons for their foresight in facilitating this project.
What a fantastic site. I was lucky enough to be involved in the initial 2006 excavation when the BA structure within the pallisade was discovered. We knew it was special then but these latest finds surpass even that. I am insanely jealous but wish all involved, especially Mark and Kerry all the best and continued success at Must Farm.
Current Archaeology article about latest finds from Must Farm Pit:
http://www.mcdonald.cam.ac.uk/news/120120/Current_Archaeology_Must_Farm_Feb_2012.pdf
The link to this can be found here:
http://www.mcdonald.cam.ac.uk/news/120120/
Thanks for this. I have tweeted the link. It’s a fascinating article.
If you are in an outlet of WH. Smiths (or similar), try and pick up the current issue of British Archaeology. Special article on the latest finds from Must Farm Pit: March/April issue 2012. £4.50 I’m afraid…
It was nice to read a message from you. Martin.
I am the curator at Whittlesey museum. We have axe heads from Eldernel on permanent display!
We have been sent interpretation panels about Must Farm which are a pleased to exhibit. Well done. Keep up the good work.
Maureen, thank you. Good to hear from you. I expect you might be able to guess who this child is perhaps [?] “local archaeologist swam in the quarry pits as a child”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cambridgeshire/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_9168000/9168497.stm
I’ve just heard that the Must Farm site is going to be on the One Show tonight. It’s worth tuning in!