HS2 works uncover fascinating archaeology

Written by Various on February 10, 2022. Posted in Current News

This covers information from two articles about recent archaeological discoveries made during excavations along the route of the High Speed 2 rain line.

The first is from Business Insider.

It reads:

About 40 beheaded skeletons were among 425 bodies found in a late Roman cemetery uncovered by archeologists in southern England.

The team of around 50 archeologists made the discovery during an excavation at Fleet Marston, near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, on the route of the multi-billion pound high-speed rail link that is currently under construction, HS2 said.

Around 10 percent of the bodies were decapitated. Many had their heads placed between their legs or next to their feet.

Image: HS2

Archeologists said that one interpretation could be that the decapitated skeletons were criminals or outcasts, although decapitation was a “normal, albeit marginal, burial rite” during the late Roman period. 

Over the next few years, the researchers will study the exhumed skeletons, offering an opportunity to learn more about Roman civilization’s historic lifestyles, diet, and beliefs.

“All human remains uncovered will be treated with dignity, care, and respect and our discoveries will be shared with the community,” Helen Wass, head of heritage at HS2 Ltd said.

The team also uncovered over 1,200 coins at the site, along with several lead weights indicating that this was an area of trade and commerce.

Domestic objects including spoons, pins, and brooches were found, as well as gaming dice and bells which suggest gambling and religious activity took place there too.

Image: HS2

“The excavation is significant in both enabling a clear characterization of this Roman town but also a study of many of its inhabitants,” Richard Brown, Senior Project Manager for COPA said.

Fleet Marston is one of more than 100 archaeological sites that have been unearthed since 2018 as the construction of the HS2 line running from London to Birmingham has been developed.

Archeologists have been able to uncover rich details about life in Roman Britain, nearly two thousand years ago, through their excavation work.

The second article is from Birmingham Live. It reads:

Creepy, bizarre and exciting discoveries have been made across Worcestershire, Birmingham to Staffordshire and Shropshire as a region rich in ancient treasures.

Some have been unearthed during ground preparations for the controversial HS2 railway, while others were discovered while building new roads near the M5 or housing sites.

The most famous of all, the Staffordshire Hoard, is probably the most enchanting with local metal-detectorist Terry Herbert coming across the dream find in 2009. It turned out to be the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver treasure ever found.

The Anglo Saxon artefacts from garnets to weapons and every day items, give an insight into life in the 6th and 7th century AD.

You can see the Staffordshire Hoard at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke on Trent while Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is closed until later this year.

We take a look at some of the other top recent archaeology treasures unearthed in the region below.

Bronze and Iron Age wooden finds near M5

An Iron Age wooden harpoon-style spear was among the highlights found at a site excavated for Worcester Six Business Park, at Junction 6 of the M5. The dig uncovered human activity around an old stream that stretches back over 3000 years.

Waterlogged soil had preserved wooden objects put in the ground at the spot showing signs of life in the Bronze Age and Iron Age.

Archaeologists said in the Explore the Past blog that they unearthed a wooden spear and the first wooden trackway from the Iron Age in Worcestershire, which could have been used to help tread a drier path through wetlands.

There were also wooden stakes in the ground and burnt mounds from the Bronze Age. Researchers even found sweet smelling cherry and apple wood had been added to fires by Bronze Age residents.

Historic finds from English Civil War battle

It was during works on the A4440 Southern Link Road at Powick near Worcester in September 2019 that builders came across fascinating artefacts dating back to the final battle of the English Civil War.

They unearthed 98 items, ranging from lead musket balls to horse harness fittings, a trigger guard on a musket, belt buckles and the top of a flask that held gunpowder (above) from the important Battle of Worcester in 1651.

The road was being built on land near Powick Church where archaeologists had long believed the battle took place over 370 years ago.

There is even shot damage on the church tower said to be caused by civil war fighting.

They helped historians build a picture of the type of soldiers used during the final battle of the Civil War, which led to Charles II fleeing from Oliver Cromwell and the Parliamentarians and hiding in an oak tree in Shropshire to avoid capture when defeated.

Prehistoric daggers, chariot fittings and ‘bulla’ in Shropshire

Seven separate prehistoric hoards discovered in the wetlands of north Shropshire are to form part of a new Prehistory Gallery at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery with help from the British Museum.

Fascinating items, described as “nationally important”, have been found in the county ranging from the famous Shropshire Sun Pendant, or bulla, to jewellery, razors, daggers, chariot fittings and spearheads.

There is even a lead sheet wrapped around two pieces of gold pieces of jewellery known as lock rings which are believed to have been a devotional offering.

The bulla, which was discovered in September 2018 and acquired by the British Museum in 2020, is described as “one of the most significant pieces of Bronze Age gold metalwork” ever discovered in Britain.

Creepy medieval skeletons found under Bullring

During the building of the Bullring between 1997 and 2001, a staggering 857 sets of remains were exhumed by University of Birmingham archaeologists.

Author Simon Buteux revealed this gruesome fact in his book ‘Beneath the Bullring: The archaeology of Life and Death in Early Birmingham’, published in 2017 by Brewin Books.

Two “well-preserved human skeletons” were even discovered laid out on their backs with their arms folded across their stomachs.

As they were outside the expected graveyard next to St Martin’s Church, Mr Buteux came to the conclusion that their deaths could have been due to “murder” or “clandestine burial.”

Hidden Iron Age settlement near M5

This Iron Age settlement dates back to between 300 and 100 BC and may have belonged to the Dobunni tribe. It was discovered while building a new roundabout near the M5 at Upton upon Severn in August last year.

Archaologists realised there could be something special at the site looking at aerial photos of the building site at the A38 and A4104 staggered crossroad junction, shown in the video at the top of this page.

They have found a settlement with an unusually large ditched enclosure at its heart along with a water hole, possible defensive structures, 2,250-year-old pottery and even an infant burial.

Detectorists finding Saxon gems

Staffordshire seems to have a wealth of Anglo Saxon gems as along with the famous Hoard, there have been many other metal detectorist finds reported.

One of the recent finds in 2020 declared by Senior Coroner for South Staffordshire Andrew Haigh during a treasure inquests was the silver hawking vervel, shown above, discovered in Harlaston by a metal detector.

HS2 site of burial ground and world’s oldest train roundhouse

Digging in Birmingham city centre at Curzon Street for the High Speed 2 railway in March 2020 led to a historic find . In an uncanny train link from the site of the future HS2 base to the past, excavations found what is believed to be the world’s ‘oldest’ rail roundhouse, dating back to 1837.

Image: Birmingham Live

Roundhouses were used for servicing and storing trains and archaeologists found evidence of the base of the central turntable, the exterior wall and the 3ft deep radial inspection pits which surrounded the turntable.

A team of 70 archaeologists also worked on Birmingham’s HS2 Curzon Street station site to excavate the 19th-century Park Street burial ground.

They excavated 6,500 sets of human remains, which was opened in 1810 as an overflow cemetery for St Martin-in-the-Bullring and remained open for only 63 years, closing to public burials in 1873.

Along with skeletons, they found name plates, figurines, coins, toys and necklaces.

The Business Insider article can be seen here: businessinsider.com

The Birmingham Live article can be seen here: birminghammail.co.uk

Header image: Captain Mathew Flinders

Thanks to Nancy Ryan

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