Hey folks! So, get this. In a rare find that only pops up once every ten years in the United Kingdom, a whopping 19,000 artifacts have been unearthed. These treasures trace back to prehistory and the early medieval period.
Orbit Homes, a housebuilding company, dropped the bombshell in a recent press release. The incredible discovery went down at Calthorpe Gardens, situated on the outskirts of Banbury’s historic town center. This dig was part of prep work for constructing new homes in the area.
The oldest relics found during the excavation are a set of flint tools dating back to the Mesolithic period, also known as the Middle Stone Age. This period in Britain spanned from around 10000 B.C. to 4000 B.C.
In addition to those, researchers also stumbled upon remains from various other periods. Among them are remnants of a late Bronze Age settlement, a Middle/Late Iron Age cemetery, and vestiges of Saxon and Anglo-Saxon burial grounds from the early medieval era. The burial ground has already coughed up 52 sets of remains.
Anglo-Saxons were a cultural group that settled in Britain starting from the late Middle Ages. They migrated from Germanic tribes post-Roman rule around 410 A.D.
The artifacts discovered at the Calthorpe site range from a Late Bronze Age to Middle/Late Iron Age settlement, including handmade pottery, textile tools, and structures like animal enclosures and roundhouses. The site has also yielded a diverse array of grave goods from Anglo-Saxon burials, like bead necklaces, pendants, personal items, and weapons.
Janice McLeish, the director of post-excavation services at Border Archaeology (BA), gushed about the vast collection of grave goods found, citing the variety of materials and styles as truly remarkable.
One of the crown jewels of the excavation is a stunning gold pendant from the Anglo-Saxon cemetery, adorned with intricate pre-Christian animal designs, notably featuring intertwining serpents.
Hayley Parsons, a BA field archaeologist, couldn’t contain her excitement at the finds, labeling the site as a “once-in-a-decade” marvel with exceptional discoveries.
A standout piece at the exhibition is an “amazing” Iron Age weaver’s comb, which likely played a role in the weaving and looming process, according to McLeish.
These incredible finds at Calthorpe are now considered of “significant” regional importance by Orbit Homes. They promise to unveil insights into the lives of individuals spanning millennia in the area’s history.
McLeish highlighted the site’s potential to showcase the lifestyles of the people who inhabited the area across different epochs, portraying various activities over time. She expressed gratitude for the amazing finds at Calthorpe Gardens that have shed light on the past.
It’s a thrilling journey through time to explore multiple eras in one spot. The local archaeology scene is booming, with evidence suggesting the site has been a hotspot since the Mesolithic period, drawing people far and wide. We’re only scratching the surface of what this place holds!