A section of a Bronze Age twisted gold torc has been found in a field by a metal detectorist.
More info :
Latest News
July 15, 2023
July 8, 2023
An extremely rare and important stone artefact dating back over 5,000 years has been discovered during a community heritage project in West Dorset.
The natural stone boulder has a dished glossy surface where it was used to polish stone axe heads over 5,000 years ago. It has been discovered in the Valley of Stones National Nature Reserve in the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), near Dorchester.
In addition to being on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the polishing boulder is located within an area protected as a scheduled monument.
The polishing boulder – known as a polissoir – is formed of sarsen stone, a particularly hard form of sandstone known as silcrete (a cemented mass of sand and gravel), that was used during the Neolithic period for building monuments such as Stonehenge.
July 7, 2023
Researchers in Kent have unearthed some of the largest early prehistoric stone tools ever found in Britain.
More info :
July 4, 2023
Menhirs destroyed in Carnac: an investigation opened by the Lorient prosecutor’s office
Sud Ouest published an update on the destruction of 38 menhirs in Montauban by the construction of a Mr. Bricolage on 16/06/23: an investigation into the matter has been opened by the Lorient prosecutor’s office. The mayor of Carnac, Olivier Lepick, has received death threats on social media. His house is under police protection. Sud Ouest article
July 3, 2023
Linmere site has more monumental pits in a single area than anywhere else in England and Wales
More info :
June 30, 2023
Historic England show off the most ancient decoratively carved piece of wood yet found in Britain – recently carbon dated to around 4620BCE, about 500 years older than the oldest previously known example. The Mesolithic timber was found in peat not far from the River Lambourn, by Derek Fawcett, about four years ago. You can spin a 3D model around on the link. (Don’t expect anything too decorative about the markings(!) but you can indulge in some wonder that someone made them 2000 years before Stonehenge was built).
June 24, 2023
From the CASPN website:
On Thursday 1st June, CASPN received a very concerning message from a member of the public that there had been an attack on Mên Scryfa, an inscribed stone that stands below Carn Galva (& probably formerly a Bronze Age menhir). Someone had poured petrol (or similar liquid) over the top of the stone and set it on fire – blackening the top part of the stone’s north side and burning off all the lichen from that part of the stone. In addition, someone had also dug around the base of the stone to a depth of about 20cm (4”).
CASPN immediately contacted the police and other authorities to report this mindless act of vandalism against a scheduled monument. I visited Mên Scryfa on Friday to see the damage for myself – and am just so shocked and disappointed that anyone would want to do such a thing to one of our precious ancient sites.
James Kitto
Chair of CASPN* Postscript: We now know that this dreadful attack took place before the afternoon of Sunday 28th May. Any further information may be shared with CASPN or reported to the police.
June 17, 2023
German archaeologists are thrilled to have dug up a Bronze Age sword more than 3,000 years old which is extraordinarily well preserved.
More info :
June 9, 2023
Discovered this week in Onziebist tomb during UHI visit archaeologyorkney.com/2023/06/08/onziebist-rock-art/?fbclid=IwAR1ovcs1PTrrFKdwMDu_EUrUgoLcXpr-VU783UjpmCjHLzyF4Mca-q3KDBw
June 8, 2023
Around 40 standing stones thought to have been erected by prehistoric humans 7,000 years ago have been destroyed near a famed archaeological site in northwest France to make way for a DIY store, an angry local historian has revealed.
But local archaeologist Obeltz believes local authorities failed to properly investigate.
“There weren’t archaeological excavations in order to know if the stones were menhirs or not,” he said.
“We’re witnessing a series of failings. The state no longer protects our fellow citizens or our heritage. Appalling,” far-right leader Marine Le Pen said on Twitter.
When contacted, the Mr. Bricolage group said it “sincerely regretted the situation” but pointed to authorisations for its store granted last year.
france24.com/en/live-news/20230608-anger-as-pre-historic-stones-destroyed-for-french-diy-store
May 30, 2023
A collaborative exhibition between aerial photographer Hedley Thorne and landscape painter Anna Dillon, exploring aerial landscapes. Their respective art forms offer a complementary and contemporary take on the landscape of Wessex.
wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/?exhibition=wessex-airscapes-of-wiltshire
May 19, 2023
Volunteers are helping to build a replica crannog on Loch Tay after an earlier model burned down two years ago.
More info : theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/may/18/iron-age-roundhouse-rises-from-the-ashes-on-shores-of-scottish-lake
May 11, 2023
“Kents Cavern, described as ‘the most important prehistoric cave complex in Britain’, is up for sale for £2.5m
It is billed by the estate agent as “Britain’s oldest home” and includes a network of caves featuring stalagmites and stalactites, a collection of full-size (replica) ice age animals, and an acre of woodland trails.
Kents Cavern in Devon, which has been open to the public since the 19th century and in the ownership of the same family for 100 years, is up for sale for a very modern-sounding £2m to £2.5m.”
[Continues at theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/may/11/devon-bolt-hole-caves-for-sale-billed-as-britains-oldest-home]
May 6, 2023
The site overlooking Stirling may have been a political centre for a group of people known as the Maiatai.
More info :
April 14, 2023
About a hundred stones, sticking up, jagged and angular, pointing in different directions, earthfast still after more than 2,000 years.’
More info : theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/12/country-diary-iron-age-speed-bumps-to-slow-the-enemy
April 10, 2023
Three iron age settlements in Shetland are in the running to win Unesco World Heritage status.
More info : bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-65231943
March 21, 2023
A collection of Bronze Age finds are returning on loan to the island where they were found
More info :
March 13, 2023
Replicas of Bronze Age artefacts discovered at a site dubbed “Britain’s Pompeii” have been created by experimental archaeologists.
More info :
March 9, 2023
An archaeology project is to make its final excavation of a 5,000-year-old Neolithic site in Orkney next year.
More info :
February 25, 2023
Skeletal remains of six men found under a kitchen floor in the Highlands have been revealed to date back to Scotland’s Iron Age.
More info : bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-64756840
February 22, 2023
‘The objective is to protect, conserve and promote an appreciation of the Hill of Tara’
There are “issues” affecting the Hill of Tara at the moment – traffic management, signage and interpretation, the erosion of visitor numbers through the site and their effect on the “very sensitive” earthworks which are injured by stud marks from people using the area as a training ground, the Chief State Archaeologist told Meath county councillors during a presentation on the Hill of Tara Conservation Plan to them at their February council meeting.
The meeting took place ahead of last week’s act of vandalism on the site in which the Lia Fail was spraypainted with the word ‘Fake‘
Michael McDonagh said he didn’t know what Meath’s ambitions were for the All-Ireland but he DID know that it was an issue that would have to be dealt with. Also, at different times of the year there was difficulty with people camping out on the site.
The Hill of Tara means a lot of different things to many people, he said. To some it’s a very sacred place, to other people it’s a training ground, and to others it’s a place where they can let their dogs go free to do whatever dogs do. These were some of the challenges that must be faced in caring for the long-term future of the site.
February 8, 2023
Gardaí are investigating after graffiti was daubed on the ancient Lia Fail stone on the Hill of Tara earlier this week.
Locals walking the site were appalled to discover the words ‘Fake’ written on all sides of the ‘Stone of Destiny’ or ‘Speaking Stone’ which is believed to be over 5,000 years old.
The incident took place sometime between Monday evening and Tuesday morning. Spray paint was used to damage the stone, said to be a coronation stone for the High Kings of Ireland.
Gardaí in Navan have opened an investigation and are appealing for information. A spokesman said the stone was sprayed with graffiti sometime between Monday evening and Tuesday morning.
More: meathchronicle.ie/2023/02/08/gardai-investigating-after-ancient-hill-of-tara-stone-vandalised/
February 5, 2023
The discovery of a Neolithic era settlement is helping shed new light on how people lived on the shores of Lough Foyle some 5,000 years ago.
More info :
February 4, 2023
What to do with Loughcrew?... Ancient monument in need of protection for future generations
The National Monuments Service and Office of Public Works (OPW) have confirmed that work on developing a Conservation Management Plan for the Loughcrew site is to commence this year.
Loughcrew cairns, also known as the Hills of the Witch, are a group of Neolithic passage tombs near Oldcastle that are believed to be more than 5,000 years-old and could even pre-date the world heritage site at Newgrange.
Cairn T is one of the largest tombs in the complex and is aligned to sunrise at the spring and autumn equinoxes, when the sun lights up the chamber in a similar phenomenon to Newgrange. It has a cruciform chamber and a corbelled roof with some stunning examples of Neolithic art in Ireland.
However, concerns have been raised for some time over deterioration of the cairn and how best to preserve it.
February 3, 2023
Three huge Neolithic monuments in Yorkshire which have been described as “the Stonehenge of the North” have been gifted to the nation.
The Thornborough Henges complex, near Ripon, date back to around 3500BC to 2500BC and consist of three 656ft (200m) wide circular earthworks.
Two construction firms have donated the henges site to Historic England.
They will now be managed by English Heritage and will be opened free of charge to the public.
Historic England chief executive Duncan Wilson said the henges were probably the most important single ancient site between Stonehenge and the Orkney Islands in Scotland......