Expert archaeologists dub ‘UK’s Pompeii’ an ‘amazing time capsule’
Folks only resided in the "UK's Pompeii" for 12 months before it went up in flames, yet the leftover relics are impressively well preserved.
A recent study has shed more light on the lives of people who lived in the area now known as Must Farm in Peterborough around 3,000 years ago.
The village consisted of 10 circular wooden huts on stilts above a river, and it could potentially have housed between 50 and 60 people, the researchers stated.
bin for tools.
They also said the inhabitants lived a life of "cosy domesticity" and had meals of honey-glazed venison and hearty meat porridge.
Researchers from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit dug up the site of Must Farm almost a decade ago and uncovered what life would've been like for the village folk just as the Bronze Age was ending.
Must Farm's thousands of artefacts also include a pottery bowl with the fingerprints of its creator still imprinted in the clay, which was found still holding its final food.
Chemical testing shows the presence of a wheat porridge mixed with animal fat – which the researchers believe might be from a goat or a red deer.
They discovered a broken wooden spoon, used for mixing, that was still leaning against the inside of the bowl.
Project archaeologist Dr Chris Wakefield at the University of Canberra said: ‘The site is giving us clues about recipes for Bronze Age breakfasts and roast dinners.
‘Chemical analyses of the bowls and jars revealed the presence of honey along with meats from ruminant animals like deer, indicating these ingredients were likely combined to make a prehistoric honey-glazed venison.
‘It looks like the people saved their leftover meat juices to use as a topping for their porridge.’
What is Must Farm?
- Must Farm is a late Bronze Age settlement that dates back to around 850 BC, located near Peterborough, in Cambridgeshire, just outside of Whittlesey.
- It's been described as 'Britain's Pompeii' due to its remarkable preservation.
- A variety of goods have been discovered at the farm, including equipment, trinkets and personal belongings
- It was found back in the late 1990s, but it wasn't until 2015 that the Cambridge Archaeological Unit started excavating the site.
- Researchers are stumped about why the village went up in flames, but it's possible the village was deliberately targeted, given that its residents left their possessions behind.
Dr Wakefield said the site was "an amazing time capsule", as it gives a unique snapshot of the villages, homes and domestic life of the people who lived in the area over eight centuries before the Romans arrived in Britain.
The environmental analysis found that the river's vegetation helped absorb and soften the impact of the materials falling from the structures, thereby preventing damage.
The items landed straight down in the same spot where they were stored in the houses, giving archaeologists a direct insight into how the roundhouses were used.
A mix of charring and waterlogging allowed thousands of objects to survive, including nearly 200 wooden items, over 150 bits of fibre and textiles, 128 ceramic containers and about 90 metal pieces.
Some of the items discovered during the dig will be showcased in an exhibition at the Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery from April 27.
, both available online.
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