Anglesey

A hoard of Iron Age gold coins have been discovered for the first time in Wales.

More info :

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-66471319

More than 2,000 artefacts possibly dating back as much as 6,000 years have been discovered on the site of a new school in Anglesey .

It is the largest ever Neolithic discovery in Wales after being discovered by archaeologists investigating the site at Llanfaethlu.

The ruins of three buildings have also been uncovered by the CR Archeology team who have been on site since November 2014.

Archeologist Cat Rees told the Daily Post : “Until about 50 years ago all we knew about this period in North Wales came from the megalithic tombs and chance finds but this changed with the discovery at Llandegai, Bangor of a single house.

'Unlike anything else in North Wales'

“To date less than five have been found in the whole of North Wales.

“This settlement (at Llanfaethlu) has the best preserved houses and is the only one which has more than one house.”

Speaking from the site Matt Jones said: “The number and quality of artefacts is unlike anything else in North Wales.

“The main excavation started and we found one building, which we originally thought was it.

“That alone was fantastic but we soon discovered two others, this may have been a village.”

Cat continued: “So far we can tell from the finds that people were using the site for at least 1,000 years and we have found more than 2,000 flint, stone and pottery artefacts.

“We also have burnt hazelnuts, acorns and seeds which will allow us to radiocarbon date the site and reconstruct the Neolithic diet.”

Archaeologist Vicky Hudson and Matt Jones.Archaeologist Vicky Hudson and Matt Jones.

Matt said there was even a chance the site may have been a stone axe factory, with high-quality stone from Penmaenmawr discovered.

But the dig almost never happened when a pit group was initially discovered in a small evaluation trench.

But the group returned to examine a larger area as the houses extended beyond the excavation limit.

'Discoveries have been astonishing'

Cat said Anglesey Council have been "so supportive" of their discoveries.

“The council backed us and the discoveries have been astonishing, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

In April last year a mysterious copper artefact was discovered at a Neolithic tomb near Brynsiencyn.

Neolithic pottery found at the site.Neolithic pottery found at the site.

The find was able to add weight to one of archeology’s burning questions on whether or not there was a British Copper Age.

Anglesey is rich with ancient monuments with approximately 30 Neolithic and Bronze age burial chambers on the island, several ancient settlements and standing stones.

The find at Llanfaethlu however is unlike any other in terms of the number of artefacts which will now be analysed and soil to be carbon dated.

CR Archeology, who will wrap up the site in the next few days have had locals visit the site every week and held public talks on their discoveries.

Pupils from the schools which the Llanfaethlu super school will replace have also been to visit.

walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/largest-ever-neolithic-site-wales-10269341

A photographic exhibition of the standing stones of Anglesey at Llandudno museum which may be interesting and a good coffee stop when returning from said stones. On until 28 Feb 2015.

visitllandudno.org.uk/events/standing-stones-of-anglesey-at-llandudno-museum-p317641

www.dailypost.co.uk/.../iron-age-artefacts-coming-back-to-oriel-ynys-m-n- anglesey-55578-30950076/

Iron Age artefacts unearthed 70yrs ago will finally return to the island to be exhibited.

The spectacular group of 2000 yr old onjects were uncovered at Llyn Cerrig Bach on Anglesey as workmen dredged the lake in preparation for the extension of the runway at RAF Valley in 1942,

Read more at link.

From 'WRAO' on Facebook:

"Six? possible cup-marks on a stone re-used as a gate post. The hole in the centre is for a gate bolt and is distinctly different in character to the standard bowl profile of the cup-marks. This stone is of an unusual geology but does contain fossils which could cast some doubt over its validity as a Neolithic / EBA stone. However there are a number of factors which work in favour of this hypothesis, which we will go into in more detail as we add it to the database."

facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150659020813087&set=a.316542978086.148860.139105033086&type=1

There is a picture on the site.

Apr 29 2009 By Elgan Hearn

ANCIENT artefacts, more than 2,000 years old, should be brought back to Anglesey claims an island politician.

A large hoard of Iron Age materials were discovered in Llyn Cerrig Bach, Llanfair-yn-Neubwll, in 1942.

The items are currently kept in Cardiff, but local councillor Gwilym O Jones believes the treasure troves should brought back and displayed at Llangefni's Oriel Môn.

And the council agrees, explaining they are currently in talks on that very subject.

Cllr Jones said: "Many on Anglesey know the tale of how they were found during the extension of RAF Valley.

"I understand why the treasures were taken down to the National Museum in Cardiff.

"At the time there was nowhere secure enough on Anglesey to keep them.

"But that has changed in recent years.

"Oriel Môn was built under Government Indemnity Scheme conditions which means that it's purpose built to keep precious artefacts secure.

"We've seen programmes on television and recordings made of the island's druidic history in the last couple of years, so I feel that now is the time to campaign to bring the treasures back.

"I'm not talking about bringing them back permanently, but I feel they should here for part of the year, say through the summer months.

"I think many people would be interested in seeing them."

"It would be of benefit to Oriel Môn to have them, as a lot of people aren't fans of art but might like to see part of the island's heritage."

Chariots, weapons, tools and decorated metalwork items were cast from a causeway or island into Llyn Cerrig Bach between 300BC and AD100.

They were discovered in 1942 by William Roberts as the airfield was being extended to accommodate the US air force bomber, The Flying Fortress.

The site was investigated by Sir Cyril Fox, the then keeper of archaeology at the National Museum of Wales in 1946.

Llyn Cerrig Bach is of especial interest in its possible association with the druids.

Roman writer Tacitus chronicled the infamous confrontation between the Roman general Suetonius Paulinus and the druids of Anglesey in the mid first century AD.

Tacitus presents a graphic description of the druidic grove, grisly with the remains of human sacrifices, and the shores of the island guarded by black-clad women who screamed curses at the Romans about to destroy their sanctuary.

It is likely he was writing about Llyn Cerrig Bach.

Anglesey County Council's head of museums, archives and culture, Pat West, said: "We have a good working relationship with the National Museum and are in negotiations with them about holding a short term exhibition of the artefact found at Llyn Cerrig Bach.

"As yet we have no set date for an exhibition but it would be in the next two to three years."

tinyurl.com/dcpxlw

First Tara.. and now the welsh assembley has followed suit by sneaking through the distruction of one of the most sacred sites on anglesey.

2km from Holyhead is Ty Mawr and Trefignath and surrounding tombs and circles.

Excavators are currently ploughing up the area so as to build a buisness park on the site.

Three archioligists are struggling to record the newly unearthed cyst tombs being discovered on a site orientated to the western sunset.

Please write to the welsh assembley and try to get this work halted.

July 19, 2004

form icNorthWales

EXPERTS have been brought in to help turn ancient bronze age copper workings in North Wales into a major tourist attraction.

Focus for the Copper Mountain project, which includes the old port of Amlwch in Anglesey, will be the historic Mynydd Parys mines and open cast sites. These played a major part in launching the industrial revolution in Britain and western Europe.

Now the mountain will be at the centre of a two-pronged bid to get visitors rolling in.

The Amlwch Industrial Heritage Trust has taken on consultants Gifford and Partners to draw up a detailed conservation management plan. The brief is to outline a programme of repair and restoration.

Another company, Parkin Heritage and Tourism, will draw up a development study and business plan.

The two reports will form the basis for future bids for funding.

On July 27 a team from Gifford will be setting up a day-long surgery at Amlwch Town Hall to get local opinions.

Project archaeologist Babita Sharma said: "We hope to speak to people to understand how they feel about their unique heritage."