The 'Peterborough Pompeii' has been discovered in an extraordinary archaeological find in Cambridgeshire.
It has been buried away and has been unearthed at the edge of Must Farm Quarry in Whittlesey.
The dig, run by Cambridge University's Cambridge Archaeological Unit, reveals how people lived in the area thousands of years ago in the Bronze Age.
This house is better preserved than other buildings from the same era dug in the past, as it includes remains of its contents and structure, including parts of the walls and roof.
The dwellings discovered at the brick quarry were built on stilts on a river and were destroyed in a fire 3,000 years ago.
The remains plunged into the water and silt, preserving them so well that archaeologists suggested it felt almost 'rude' to excavate a home that seemed as if its owners were still nearby.
It is now being compared to the Roman city Pompeii in southern Italy, because it provides a time capsule into Bronze Age life just as the era was ending.
A £1.1million project to excavate the site, funded by government heritage agency Historic England and quarry-owners Forterra, has been launched.
Stepping inside the 'Peterborough Pompeii': Archaeologists to explore a Bronze Age home for the first time in an extraordinary dig revealing details of how people lived thousands of years ago
The 'Peterborough Pompeii' has been discovered in an extraordinary archaeological find in Cambridgeshire
It has been buried away and was unearthed at the edge of Must Farm Quarry in the Whittlesey area
The dig reveals how people 'at the top of their society' lived in the area thousands of years ago in the Bronze Age
Already the site has turned up jars with food still inside, wooden bowls, animal bones, textiles and glass beads
By Anthony Joseph for MailOnline and Clemence Michallon For Mailonline
12 January 2016
Daily Mail
The 'Peterborough Pompeii' has been discovered in an extraordinary archaeological find in Cambridgeshire.
It has been buried away and has been unearthed at the edge of Must Farm Quarry in Whittlesey.
The dig, run by Cambridge University's Cambridge Archaeological Unit, reveals how people lived in the area thousands of years ago in the Bronze Age.
This house is better preserved than other buildings from the same era dug in the past, as it includes remains of its contents and structure, including parts of the walls and roof.
The 'Peterborough Pompeii' has been discovered in an extraordinary archaeological find in Cambridgeshire, which experts say could transform our understanding of the Bronze Age. Pictured is an overhead view of the house with a palisade enclosure on the right, upright structural timbers and collapsed roof timbers
The site was buried away and has been unearthed at the edge of Must Farm Quarry in Whittlesey (top). A £1.1million project to excavate finds (bottom), funded by government agency Historic England and quarry-owners Forterra, has been launched
Pots discovered in the archaeological dig at Must Farm Quarry in Cambridgeshire. The find is expected to transform our understanding of the Bronze Age
Archaeologists are set to step inside a Bronze Age home for the first time in an extraordinary dig revealing amazing details of how people lived thousands of years ago. Pictured is Selina Davenport working at the site near one of the upright poles
It took several years for archaeologists to receive permission to excavate the site after a first evaluation in 2006. The house was first preserved and several checks were conducted to monitor the area and its environment. The excavation could begin in 2015. Pictured is the site before it was dug up
The fire that burnt down the ancient house was a blessing for archaeologists as it enabled the site to be exceptionally preserved. Pictured is the settlement before the excavation began
These pots were recovered from the Bronze Age settlement at Must Farm Quarry in Cambridgeshire.The site includes an unusually high amount of artefacts, and their style is similar to what was found at the time in continental Europe
The dwellings discovered at the brick quarry were built on stilts on a river and were destroyed in a fire 3,000 years ago.
The remains plunged into the water and silt, preserving them so well that archaeologists suggested it felt almost 'rude' to excavate a home that seemed as if its owners were still nearby.
It is now being compared to the Roman city Pompeii in southern Italy, because it provides a time capsule into Bronze Age life just as the era was ending.
A £1.1million project to excavate the site, funded by government heritage agency Historic England and quarry-owners Forterra, has been launched.
Already the site has turned up jars with food still inside, wooden bowls, animal bones, textiles and glass beads that suggest people 'at the top of their society'.
The dig, which began in August last year with the removal of two metres of earth, has also exposed a well-preserved palisade fence made of ash trees, wattle walls and the remains of the roof of one of the roundhouses destroyed in the fire that took place between 920BC and 800BC.
More finds are expected when the charred, collapsed roof beams are removed to expose the inside of the dwelling.
The Must Farm Quarry site revealed the internal and external structure of the house during the excavation. Archaeologists encountered upright poles that used to support the building's walls and roof, well-preserved wall panels, collapsed roof beams and a row of poles arranged in an enclosure fence
Archaeologist Selina Davenport works on the site of a Bronze Age settlement destroyed in a fire 3,000 years ago, at Must Farm Quarry in Cambridgeshire. Pictured are some of the shorter, upright poles that are part of the structural timbers, and some of the collapsed poles that came from the roof
A middle to late Bronze Age tanged dagger recovered from the settlement at Must Farm Quarry. Archaeologists believe the people living at the site did not rely on the nearby river channel but instead exploited the dry land, where they could have hunted deer
The dwellings discovered at the brick quarry were built on stilts on a river and were destroyed in the fire 3,000 years ago. Pictured is an upright pole from the settlement
The dig, run by Cambridge University's Cambridge Archaeological Unit, reveals how people lived in the area thousands of years ago in the Bronze Age
An archaeologist holds out an animal bone which they found in the extraordinary dig, among a number of other artefacts. The team found a large amount of remains from terrestrial animals, which would suggest that the settlement's residents relied on dry land to survive
The team hope to discover if the blaze was set deliberately at the end of the dwelling's life, was an accident or was done by hostile forces. They will investigate this with the help of a fire expert. Pictured is a piece of weft-twined fabric that archaeologists described as exceptionally well-preserved in one of their excavation diaries
Mark Knight, site director of the excavation, said: 'We are, effectively, for the first time in British history about to go inside a Bronze Age roundhouse.
'We're going to go inside a Bronze Age home, we're going to see what's in there, what they were wearing, what they were eating on the day of the fire.
'We'll understand what the world they lived in looked like, what it smelt like. It's a world we've dreamed about getting into. Here we have it in that space.'
A human skull has also been found, but Mr Knight said further excavation was needed to discover if there were more remains and whether the person had died in the fire, or was the skull of an enemy or an ancestor being displayed - 'Granny's head' hung up by the door.
The team hope to discover if the blaze was set deliberately at the end of the dwelling's life, was an accident or was done by hostile forces. They will investigate this with the help of a fire expert.
It is now being compared to the Roman city Pompeii in Southern Italy, because it provides a time capsule into Bronze Age life just as the era was ending. Pictured are, clockwise: tools from the late Bronze Age / Early Iron Age, a spindle whorl, a ring handle from a bucket or a cauldron, a gouge and a dagger
Archaeologist Selina Davenport works on the site of the Bronze Age settlement at Must Farm Quarry, next to some of the poles that make up the structure of the site
Mark Knight, site director of the excavation, said: 'We are, effectively, for the first time in British history about to go inside a Bronze Age roundhouse'. Pictured is Selina Davenport working on the site
This piece of charred fabric was recovered at the Must Farm Quarry site. The house was destroyed in a fire and archaeologists now hope to figure out whether that was an accident or if the site was intentionally set ablaze
The Must Farm excavation is the first large-scale investigation of deeply buried sediments in The Fens, and is at a site which has produced a number of prehistoric finds, including nine pristinely-preserved log boats in 2011
Pictured is preparations for the final 'deep clean' of the burnt wood mass for one of the quadrants. The entire area under the scaffold frame has to be painstakingly cleaned and all of the timber present needs to be washed down
Archaeologists work on the excavation site, near some of the upright structural timbers, some of the collapsed roof timbers, and some wattle panels that could have come from the outer walls of the house
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: 'This site is of international significance and its excavation really will transform our understanding of the period.' The site went from wet land to dry and became wet again, meaning it has a rich geological past
This amazing piece of wood is fairly heavily charred, except for a section in its centre where it is virtually untouched. It is very likely that another timber was secured to this one which shielded the original from the main heat of the fire
Mr Knight said the site was unprecedented in both the quantity and quality of the finds.
He said: 'Normally when you dig dry land sites, you're lucky if you find a few shards. Here we're finding complete pots, often with the food inside them.'
Mr Knight added that experts had found a range of different sized pots 'like someone has gone to Habitat and bought the whole set'.
Mr Knight added that experts had found a range of different sized pots 'like someone has gone to Habitat and bought the whole set'. Some of the objects found are similar to ceramics produced in France during the same era
The very dark, thick posts are oak and they usually have prominent tool marks on. The thinner, browner timbers are ash and make up the palisade and some of the interior posts
Archaeologists work on the site of the Bronze Age settlement. The dig started at Must Farm Quarry, Cambridgeshire, in August last year and is expected to last eight months
The Must Farm excavation is the first large-scale investigation of deeply buried sediments in The Fens, and is at a site which has produced a number of prehistoric finds, including nine pristinely-preserved log boats in 2011.
When it is complete, the finds will be taken for further analysis, then displayed at Peterborough Museum and other venues.
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: 'This site is of international significance and its excavation really will transform our understanding of the period.'
It has been buried away and has been unearthed at the edge of Must Farm Quarry in Whittlesey.
The dig, run by Cambridge University's Cambridge Archaeological Unit, reveals how people lived in the area thousands of years ago in the Bronze Age.
This house is better preserved than other buildings from the same era dug in the past, as it includes remains of its contents and structure, including parts of the walls and roof.
The dwellings discovered at the brick quarry were built on stilts on a river and were destroyed in a fire 3,000 years ago.
The remains plunged into the water and silt, preserving them so well that archaeologists suggested it felt almost 'rude' to excavate a home that seemed as if its owners were still nearby.
It is now being compared to the Roman city Pompeii in southern Italy, because it provides a time capsule into Bronze Age life just as the era was ending.
A £1.1million project to excavate the site, funded by government heritage agency Historic England and quarry-owners Forterra, has been launched.
Stepping inside the 'Peterborough Pompeii': Archaeologists to explore a Bronze Age home for the first time in an extraordinary dig revealing details of how people lived thousands of years ago
The 'Peterborough Pompeii' has been discovered in an extraordinary archaeological find in Cambridgeshire
It has been buried away and was unearthed at the edge of Must Farm Quarry in the Whittlesey area
The dig reveals how people 'at the top of their society' lived in the area thousands of years ago in the Bronze Age
Already the site has turned up jars with food still inside, wooden bowls, animal bones, textiles and glass beads
By Anthony Joseph for MailOnline and Clemence Michallon For Mailonline
12 January 2016
Daily Mail
The 'Peterborough Pompeii' has been discovered in an extraordinary archaeological find in Cambridgeshire.
It has been buried away and has been unearthed at the edge of Must Farm Quarry in Whittlesey.
The dig, run by Cambridge University's Cambridge Archaeological Unit, reveals how people lived in the area thousands of years ago in the Bronze Age.
This house is better preserved than other buildings from the same era dug in the past, as it includes remains of its contents and structure, including parts of the walls and roof.
The 'Peterborough Pompeii' has been discovered in an extraordinary archaeological find in Cambridgeshire, which experts say could transform our understanding of the Bronze Age. Pictured is an overhead view of the house with a palisade enclosure on the right, upright structural timbers and collapsed roof timbers
The site was buried away and has been unearthed at the edge of Must Farm Quarry in Whittlesey (top). A £1.1million project to excavate finds (bottom), funded by government agency Historic England and quarry-owners Forterra, has been launched
Pots discovered in the archaeological dig at Must Farm Quarry in Cambridgeshire. The find is expected to transform our understanding of the Bronze Age
Archaeologists are set to step inside a Bronze Age home for the first time in an extraordinary dig revealing amazing details of how people lived thousands of years ago. Pictured is Selina Davenport working at the site near one of the upright poles
The fire that burnt down the ancient house was a blessing for archaeologists as it enabled the site to be exceptionally preserved. Pictured is the settlement before the excavation began
These pots were recovered from the Bronze Age settlement at Must Farm Quarry in Cambridgeshire.The site includes an unusually high amount of artefacts, and their style is similar to what was found at the time in continental Europe
The dwellings discovered at the brick quarry were built on stilts on a river and were destroyed in a fire 3,000 years ago.
The remains plunged into the water and silt, preserving them so well that archaeologists suggested it felt almost 'rude' to excavate a home that seemed as if its owners were still nearby.
It is now being compared to the Roman city Pompeii in southern Italy, because it provides a time capsule into Bronze Age life just as the era was ending.
A £1.1million project to excavate the site, funded by government heritage agency Historic England and quarry-owners Forterra, has been launched.
Already the site has turned up jars with food still inside, wooden bowls, animal bones, textiles and glass beads that suggest people 'at the top of their society'.
The dig, which began in August last year with the removal of two metres of earth, has also exposed a well-preserved palisade fence made of ash trees, wattle walls and the remains of the roof of one of the roundhouses destroyed in the fire that took place between 920BC and 800BC.
More finds are expected when the charred, collapsed roof beams are removed to expose the inside of the dwelling.
The Must Farm Quarry site revealed the internal and external structure of the house during the excavation. Archaeologists encountered upright poles that used to support the building's walls and roof, well-preserved wall panels, collapsed roof beams and a row of poles arranged in an enclosure fence
Archaeologist Selina Davenport works on the site of a Bronze Age settlement destroyed in a fire 3,000 years ago, at Must Farm Quarry in Cambridgeshire. Pictured are some of the shorter, upright poles that are part of the structural timbers, and some of the collapsed poles that came from the roof
A middle to late Bronze Age tanged dagger recovered from the settlement at Must Farm Quarry. Archaeologists believe the people living at the site did not rely on the nearby river channel but instead exploited the dry land, where they could have hunted deer
The dwellings discovered at the brick quarry were built on stilts on a river and were destroyed in the fire 3,000 years ago. Pictured is an upright pole from the settlement
The dig, run by Cambridge University's Cambridge Archaeological Unit, reveals how people lived in the area thousands of years ago in the Bronze Age
An archaeologist holds out an animal bone which they found in the extraordinary dig, among a number of other artefacts. The team found a large amount of remains from terrestrial animals, which would suggest that the settlement's residents relied on dry land to survive
The team hope to discover if the blaze was set deliberately at the end of the dwelling's life, was an accident or was done by hostile forces. They will investigate this with the help of a fire expert. Pictured is a piece of weft-twined fabric that archaeologists described as exceptionally well-preserved in one of their excavation diaries
Mark Knight, site director of the excavation, said: 'We are, effectively, for the first time in British history about to go inside a Bronze Age roundhouse.
'We're going to go inside a Bronze Age home, we're going to see what's in there, what they were wearing, what they were eating on the day of the fire.
'We'll understand what the world they lived in looked like, what it smelt like. It's a world we've dreamed about getting into. Here we have it in that space.'
A human skull has also been found, but Mr Knight said further excavation was needed to discover if there were more remains and whether the person had died in the fire, or was the skull of an enemy or an ancestor being displayed - 'Granny's head' hung up by the door.
The team hope to discover if the blaze was set deliberately at the end of the dwelling's life, was an accident or was done by hostile forces. They will investigate this with the help of a fire expert.
It is now being compared to the Roman city Pompeii in Southern Italy, because it provides a time capsule into Bronze Age life just as the era was ending. Pictured are, clockwise: tools from the late Bronze Age / Early Iron Age, a spindle whorl, a ring handle from a bucket or a cauldron, a gouge and a dagger
Archaeologist Selina Davenport works on the site of the Bronze Age settlement at Must Farm Quarry, next to some of the poles that make up the structure of the site
Mark Knight, site director of the excavation, said: 'We are, effectively, for the first time in British history about to go inside a Bronze Age roundhouse'. Pictured is Selina Davenport working on the site
This piece of charred fabric was recovered at the Must Farm Quarry site. The house was destroyed in a fire and archaeologists now hope to figure out whether that was an accident or if the site was intentionally set ablaze
The Must Farm excavation is the first large-scale investigation of deeply buried sediments in The Fens, and is at a site which has produced a number of prehistoric finds, including nine pristinely-preserved log boats in 2011
Pictured is preparations for the final 'deep clean' of the burnt wood mass for one of the quadrants. The entire area under the scaffold frame has to be painstakingly cleaned and all of the timber present needs to be washed down
Archaeologists work on the excavation site, near some of the upright structural timbers, some of the collapsed roof timbers, and some wattle panels that could have come from the outer walls of the house
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: 'This site is of international significance and its excavation really will transform our understanding of the period.' The site went from wet land to dry and became wet again, meaning it has a rich geological past
This amazing piece of wood is fairly heavily charred, except for a section in its centre where it is virtually untouched. It is very likely that another timber was secured to this one which shielded the original from the main heat of the fire
Mr Knight said the site was unprecedented in both the quantity and quality of the finds.
He said: 'Normally when you dig dry land sites, you're lucky if you find a few shards. Here we're finding complete pots, often with the food inside them.'
Mr Knight added that experts had found a range of different sized pots 'like someone has gone to Habitat and bought the whole set'.
Mr Knight added that experts had found a range of different sized pots 'like someone has gone to Habitat and bought the whole set'. Some of the objects found are similar to ceramics produced in France during the same era
The very dark, thick posts are oak and they usually have prominent tool marks on. The thinner, browner timbers are ash and make up the palisade and some of the interior posts
Archaeologists work on the site of the Bronze Age settlement. The dig started at Must Farm Quarry, Cambridgeshire, in August last year and is expected to last eight months
The Must Farm excavation is the first large-scale investigation of deeply buried sediments in The Fens, and is at a site which has produced a number of prehistoric finds, including nine pristinely-preserved log boats in 2011.
When it is complete, the finds will be taken for further analysis, then displayed at Peterborough Museum and other venues.
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: 'This site is of international significance and its excavation really will transform our understanding of the period.'
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