Bronze Age burial near Stonehenge discovered by badger

[Neil]

Courtesy of BBC Online


A Bronze Age cremation burial has been discovered near Stonehenge after being accidentally dug up by a badger.

Objects found in a burial mound at Netheravon, Wiltshire, include a bronze saw, an archer's wrist guard, a copper chisel and cremated human remains.

Experts believe the burial may have been that of an archer or a person who made archery equipment.

The artefacts date back to 2,200-2,000BC, senior archaeologist Richard Osgood, of the MOD, said.


The burial mound, about five miles north of Stonehenge, lies on MOD land.


Mr Osgood, from the MOD's Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said it was "an exciting find".

"It was utterly unexpected. These are wonderful artefacts from the early Bronze Age, about 2,200-2,000 BC," he said.


Other archaeological finds in Wiltshire:

1. Bronze Age burial discovered by a badger

2. Soldiers uncover 27 ancient bodies at Barrow Clump on Salisbury Plain

3. Researchers find large Neolithic site at Durrington Walls

4. Stonehenge dig finds 6,000-year-old encampment at Blick Mead

5. Bronze Age child's skeleton discovered at Wilsford henge

6. Bronze Age jewellery discovered in a Wiltshire field

7. Iron Age woman's footless body found near West Knoyle

8. Bronze Age hoard found near Tisbury


Also among the finds were shaft straighteners for straightening arrows, and pieces of pottery.

Mr Osgood said the badger had dug out the cremation urn and sherds of pottery were lying on the surface when they were spotted.

A full archaeological dig was then carried out on the site.

Mr Osgood said: "There are badger setts in quite a few scheduled monuments - the actions of burrowing animals is one of the biggest risks to archaeology in Britain - but to bring out items of this quality from one hole is unusual.

[wittsy1]

Fascinating read, thanks for posting. I guess game SET and match to Brock the Badger.

[celticspikey]

Digging up ancient monuments and there's nothing Archies can do because there more protected than the monuments Lol, think I'll come back as a badger......or was it Mike our D/W badger? Great post Neil. 

[dingdong]

Thanks for posting Neil, great reading,well I'm sure we ALL check out the rabbit burrows, Badger sets,on our own respective permissions !!!

[raistlain]

I always look round rabbit holes and mole hills but never found anything often pottery shows up though 

[Resurgam]

I often find WWII .30 & .303 brass cartridge cases near rabbit burrows. Those little bunnies just don't like .303s  in their holes! 

[dingdong]

  !!!!!!