Rare bronze and iron age log boats reveal details of Cambridgeshire prehistory | Archaeology

After lying undisturbed in mud for more than 3,000 years, three rare bronze and iron age log boats have been uncovered offering new insights into prehistoric life.

The boats were among nine discovered in a Cambridgeshire quarry 13 years ago; this was the largest group of prehistoric boats found in the same area in England. Most were well preserved; One of them was still able to stay in the air despite being imprisoned for a long time.

Following preservation, three of the boats will go on public display for the first time on Friday. Others remain part of a conservation project at a special facility being built at Flag Fen archaeological park, with work carried out by the York Archaeological Trust and Peterborough city council.

The boats were dug from the riverbed of an ancient, silted stream at Must Farm, near Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire.

According to archaeologists, these date to between 2,500 and 3,500 years ago and provide valuable information about prehistoric carpentry, construction techniques and transportation methods.

The analysis identified the specific types of wood used, the cutting methods, and the tools used in their creation. Log boats were simple boats made by carving a single tree trunk.

Since their excavation, the log boats have been preserved in climate-controlled conditions using a special wax and water solution.

The three vessels now on permanent display include a 6.3-metre oak vessel from the middle bronze age with charred areas inside; a 2.2-metre fragment of a mid-bronze age oak boat with complex repairs to the hull; and a 0.8-metre fragment of an early bronze age boat made of maple.

Researcher Iona Robinson Zeki, from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit, said the log boats were “an incredible discovery”. “These simple but highly effective boats have been used to navigate a fenland river for almost a millennium.

“In their various structures, we can see how the qualities of trees of different species and sizes were used to make a variety of boats, from small, maneuverable canoes to long, stable, boat-like boats. These boats were used to set fish traps, but also potentially to transport people as well as animals and supplies.”

During the period, the region became more irrigated as groundwater levels gradually increased. “It turns from seasonal rainfall to rain and swamp for most of the year,” said Robinson Zeki. He added that boats have become the main way of transporting goods.

The condition of some of the boats suggests that the boats were stored in the water to prevent them from cracking or warping, with the intention of retrieving them for use at a later date. However, most of the boats appeared to have reached the end of their functional life.

The conservation project was funded by Forterra, which owns the site where the boats were discovered, Historic England and Peterborough city council.

Jacqueline Mooney, general manager of Flag Fen archaeological park, said: “This is much more than an archaeological exhibition; it is a powerful reconnection with the people who once lived, worked and traveled across this landscape. We are proud to share this remarkable part of our common human past, brought to life through meticulous excavation, conservation and storytelling.”

Bronze Age Boat Discoveries at Must Farm opens as a permanent exhibition Complaints about science archaeological park On Friday, November 14th.