Highways Agency

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A museum's worth of finds has been discovered under our roads. We met some of the archaeologists digging on Agency jobs to get their views on working with us and the inside track on three fascinating digs.

When the archaeologists go into one of our sites, it's not a fight against time in the shadow of menacing bulldozers.

"We're not in a rescue situation where you have a rush to excavate something," said Angela Boyle of Oxford Archaeology. She led the dig on the A1 improvement scheme, which uncovered a rare Iron Age burial.

"With road projects we work to a very tight timetable, but that doesn't mean cutting corners. We plan everything closely with the Agency and our work is always of a high standard - additionally, in this instance, we had specialist advice from the British Museum."

Hidden Surprises

Where they can, road plans will skirt round known archaeology. But if something valuable turns up, it can throw timetables and budgets out of the window.

Assistant route sponsor Andy Butterfield sent the archaeologists in before starting earthworks on junction improvements near Coventry.

"The safety scheme had been on the cards for some time," said Andy. "We suspected there might be a little archaeology, so we gave the archaeologists two weeks to investigate."

They dug through to an Iron Age settlement; finds included a rare clay oven and brooch.

"They asked for some extra time and because the finds were so exciting we agreed. I was amazed by how much material there was, and I don't think it was until they started their analysis that they realised how significant it was."

Good News Story

And, as Angela pointed out, the discovery of artefacts shouldn't have developers and road builders tearing their hair out.

"We had huge public interest at the time of our dig and we had weekly monitoring meetings to keep all parties informed. Oxford Archaeology is also an educational charity and I’ve done about 25 lectures in the local area on our findings.

"We're certainly aware of the publicity opportunities when something like this happens."

Andy agreed.

"Finding such a rich history was worth a slight delay. It was a double win - local people, of which I’m one, will get a safer junction and have learnt so much more about their past."

Iron Age Warrior gives up his secrets

Project: 

A1 improvement scheme, West Yorkshire

Archaeologists: 

Oxford Archaeology

The headlines: 

Iron Age chariot burial from the fourth or fifth century BC.

Excavated:

November to December 2003.

Significance:

Chariot burials are very rare, especially one as well preserved as this. They also suggest links with the continent, the extent of which academics disagree on. This site should add to understanding of the level of crosschannel cultural exchange, as well as of burial rites.

The finds:

Remains included two well-preserved iron wheels; axle, pole and yoke identified by soil stains left where the wood had decayed. The body was that of a 5'9" male of slim build aged between 30 and 40 - cause of death has not been established. The bones of around 250 cattle were found in an upper ditch -
believed to be from a huge feast near the burial site.

Archaeologist's view: 

"It came as a complete surprise. Although this is the 21st chariot burial found in this country, the majority were excavated some time ago and have been confined to East Yorkshire. They're usually dismantled, but this one was intact.

"Intact burial does occur on the continent and we now think it may have been an earlier practice that was later replaced.

"The preservation at this site was good, so we were able to identify organic matter, such as the wood - which was Ash. There was also a brooch at his shoulder, which would've fastened a cloak.

"It was exciting because the chariot was so recognisably a vehicle in the ground. Sometimes you see archaeologists pointing to marks and holes trying to recreate something, but anyone could see that this was a vehicle."

Angela Boyle, Oxford Archaeology.

Iron Age treasures found at dig

Project:

A45/A445 Ryton-on-Dunsmore junction improvement, Warwickshire

Archaeologists:

Warwickshire Museum Archaeology Projects Group

The headlines:

High status Iron Age settlement, including a unique clay 'oven'.

Excavated:

January 2004.

Significance:

The oven is unlike anything else previously found in the area. A brooch associated with the oven is the first of its kind found in Warwickshire.

The finds:

Settlement of houses, storage pits and an unusual C-shaped ditch, thought to be a shrine. A mysterious clay oven and associated iron brooch. Among other Iron Age finds were quern stones used for grinding seeds for flour. Pottery and flint were also found from the Neolithic and Bronze ages.

Archaeologist's view:

"The finds are unusual and suggest that though the area was covered by agricultural settlements during the Iron Age, this one may be of a different status.

"The settlement was late Iron Age, between 400 and 100BC, but a field system that we can date to Romano-British period was constructed above it - the land has probably been in agricultural use ever since.

"The oven is the most complete version of what appears to be an unusual structure, but it’s too early to establish its actual use.

"They're not often found in the condition we’ve found this one in; they are usually smashed up or damaged after use. It might have had quite a mundane function, although we now know it wasn’t subjected to the kind of heat associated with a kiln, so oven is a better description.

"It will be the best part of a year before we can publish a report - the radiocarbon dating alone takes months and months."

Stuart Palmer, Warwickshire Museum Archaeology Projects Group

The Making of the Moors

Project:

A30 Bodmin to Indian Queens improvement, Cornwall

Archaeologists:

Oxford Archaeology

The headlines:

Archaeological fieldwork started in June 2005.

Significance:

Aim to establish context of prehistoric burial mounds and look for evidence of prehistoric or Roman period tin working, long suspected to have happened in the area, but never proven.

The finds:

Read about the finds made on the scheme website.

Archaeologist’s view:

"Archaeological work is a feature of most modern road schemes in the UK, but rarely hits the headlines because the results usually tell a rather ordinary story - the cumulative impact on the landscape of thousands of years of human inhabitation.

"The accumulation of many such 'ordinary stories' is arguably more important for advancing archaeological knowledge than the occasional spectacular discovery. Exceptional monuments can be highly revealing, but tell us relatively little about everyday life for the majority of people at the time.

"On the A30, one of our key lines of enquiry is establishing the settlement context of the prehistoric burial mounds which lie close to the route at two locations.

"Another key objective is to establish the date at which this landscape was first permanently settled, at present thought to be at some point in the early medieval period. The project will also attempt to record evidence for environmental changes that have occurred in the last ten thousand years."

Stuart Foreman, Oxford Archaeology

(First published in Network issue 106, April 2005)