EUROPE, KAZAKHSTAN, WORLD

Rare 2,500-year-old ‘Golden Warrior’ found buried under precious ornaments in Kazakhstan

Rare 2,500-year-old ‘Golden Warrior’ found buried under precious ornaments in Kazakhstan

The fascinating discovery of a golden treasure left by the ancient Saka people in a burial mound in Kazakhstan was reported by Ancient Origins last week.

Rare 2,500-year-old ‘Golden Warrior’ found buried under precious ornaments in Kazakhstan
The man’s remains were removed from the site for analysis.

It was hailed as one of the most important discoveries in helping archaeologists in deciphering the ancient Scythian sub-group. group’s Archaeologists have now discovered the missing component of the Saka burial mound – a ‘golden man.’

The mummy of a Saka man who died in the 8th-7th centuries BC was discovered in the remote Tarbagatai Mountains of eastern Kazakhstan, according to Archaeology News Network.

He died when he was just 17 or 18 years old and it is estimated he was 165-170 centimeters (5.4-5.6 ft.) tall.

There are plans underway to find out more about the man, as lead archaeologist Zeinolla Samashev, stated, “We will do facial reconstruction from the skull of this young man, extract DNA from the bones to find out the environment people lived in back then, to learn about their everyday life and habits”.

Kazakhstan’s ministry of information and communications explained why the human remains received its shining nickname, “When buried, the young man was dressed in gold, with all of his clothes being embroidered with gold beads.

The man was buried with a massive gold torc around his neck (suggesting his noble origin) and a dagger in a golden quiver beside him.”

These gold beads would have been used to decorate his clothing.

That fits in well with the previous discovery of 3000 golden artifacts in the kurgan (burial mound). 

Archaeologists have unearthed plates, necklaces with precious stones, earrings, beautifully crafted figurines of animals, and golden beads which may have been used to embellish Saka clothing.

The find also corresponds with the belief that elite members of the culture were laid to rest in the Saka burial mound.

As Yegor Kitov, an anthropologist at Moscow’s Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, said, “The finds and the size of the mound suggest that the young man buried inside had a high social status.” Kitov also suggests “The body was mummified to allow time for those coming from far away to say farewell to the man,” further exemplifying the man’s social status in his time.

The burial mound which held the man’s remains was created by members of the Saka culture. This was a Scythian nomadic group who spoke an Iranian language and lived on the Eurasian Steppe. The Saka are best remembered as skilled horsemen and metalworkers.

Danial Akhmentov, head of the East Kazakhstan regional administration, notes the craftsmanship of the Saka in the recently revealed treasures from the burial mound, “The finds indicate the high level of technological development in gold jewelry production in the 8th century B.C., which, in turn, suggests the high level of civilization at that time,” he said .

The Saka are known to have buried members of the elite in their kurgans, usually in pairs or as a family unit. That means that there may still be other skeletons inside the Yeleke Sazy burial mound.

One of the gold figurines found in the treasure.

There are still more plans to excavate in the area because estimates suggest that there may be 200 burial sites in varying states of conservation nearby.

Unfortunately, it is believed that looting has been an issue in at least some of the kurgans.

Akhmetov said that the discovery of the burial mound “shows that the people of Kazakhstan are descended from a great culture” and “gives us a completely different view of the history of our people.”

WORLD

Huge Christian Grave Slabs Recovered From 13th-Century Shipwreck

Huge Christian Grave Slabs Recovered From 13th-Century Shipwreck

Maritime archaeologists from Bournemouth University have recovered two medieval grave slabs from the remains of the 13th Century Mortar Wreck, the oldest known shipwreck in British waters.

Located in the Swash Channel on the approach to Poole Harbour off the coast of Dorset, England, the site of the wreck was first noted as far back as 1982, but was assumed to be nothing more than a pile of rubble.

The wreck itself was discovered in 2019 by Trevor Small of Rocket Charters, after his dive boat’s scanner picked up an unusual reading from the sea floor; a subsequent site survey by Bournemouth University divers revealed the wreck’s unique archaeological significance.

A diver examines the grave slab in situ

The ship – a design made from overlapping planks of wood known as a ‘clinker’ – was carrying a large number of grinding mortars – large stone wheels for grinding flour – made from Purbeck marble, a hard form of limestone quarried from the nearby Isle of Purbeck.

The ship’s timbers were dated to between 1242 and 1265, meaning it would have sunk during the reign of Henry III, King of England from 1216 to 1272.

The two large gravestone slabs, also made from Purbeck marble, were found at a depth of around 7m in a remarkable state of preservation. One immaculately preserved slab measures 1.5m in length and weighs an estimated 70kg, while a second, larger slab is broken into two pieces with a combined length of 2m and a weight of around 200kg. 

The recovery was led by Tom Cousins, pictured here with the grave slabs

Divers and archaeologists brought the slabs to the surface on 4 June 2024 in a two-hour operation led by Tom Cousins, a Maritime Archaeologist at Bournemouth University.

The slabs will now be desalinated and conserved by the Bournemouth team until they can be put on public display along with the other recovered artefacts in Poole Museum’s new Shipwreck Gallery, expected to open in Spring 2025 following the museum’s £4.3m redevelopment.

The recovery of the gravestones, together with other artefacts such as the mortars, smaller stone vessels and cauldrons, will enable the researchers to learn more about 13th-century life and the ancient craft of stonemasonry.

Huge Christian Grave Slabs Recovered From 13th-Century Shipwreck
The smaller of the two slabs is amazingly well preserved

‘The wreck went down in the height of the Purbeck stone industry and the grave slabs we have here were a very popular monument for bishops and archbishops across all the cathedrals and monasteries in England at the time,’ said Cousins. ‘Examples have been found in Westminster Abbey, Canterbury Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral.

‘Although Purbeck marble was quarried near Corfe Castle there has always been a debate about how much work was done here and how much was done in London,’ Cousins added. ‘Now we know they were definitely carving them here, but they hadn’t been polished into the usual shiny finish at the time they sank so there is still more we can learn.’ 

The larger of the two slabs is broken in two but the engraving is still clearly visible

The team will continue to explore and protect the wreck over the coming years, and hope to include an operation to record the timber frames of the ship’s hull which are still well preserved in the sand. Cousins says he is also planning to use this as a training opportunity for his students at the university.  

‘The future aim of the project is to train the next generation so that they get the same opportunities I had,’ said Cousins. ‘We’ve already started teaching our second-year students to dive and as they get into the third year we’re going to take them out to sea and teach them their first steps to becoming maritime archaeologists.’

EUROPE, SPAIN, WORLD

Scenes of Warriors from 6th Century BC on a Slate Plaque Discovered at Tartessian Site in Spain

Scenes of Warriors from 6th Century BC on a Slate Plaque Discovered at Tartessian Site in Spain

Scenes of Warriors from 6th Century BC on a Slate Plaque Discovered at Tartessian Site in Spain

Archaeologists representing Spain’s National Research Council (CSIC) excavating at the archaeological site of Casas del Turunuelo have uncovered a slate plaque about 20 centimeters engraved on both sides where various motifs can be identified.

The slate plaque includes drawing exercises, a battle scene involving three characters, and repeated depictions of faces or geometric figures.  According to early indications, this rare find in Guareña (Badajoz, Spain) may have supported the engraver as they carved designs into pieces of wood, ivory, or gold.

Three digitally silhouetted figures on the front face of the plate.

The new campaign has also made it possible to discover the location of the east door that gives access to the Stepped Room, excavated in 2023 and known for the discovery of the first figured reliefs of Tartessos.

The Tartessians, who are thought to have lived in southern Iberia (modern-day Andalusia and Extremadura), are regarded as one of the earliest Western European civilizations.

The Late Bronze Age saw the emergence of the Tartessos culture in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula in Spain.

The culture is characterized by the use of the now-extinct Tartessian language, which is combined with local Phoenician and Paleo-Hispanic characteristics. The Tartessos people were skilled in metallurgy and metalworking, creating ornate objects and decorative items.

The team from the Institute of Archaeology of Mérida (IAM), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Junta de Extremadura, directed by Esther Rodríguez González and Sebastián Celestino Pérez, is responsible for these archaeological excavations.

At a press conference, the team of CSIC experts highlighted the importance of the discovered slate plaque, which shows four individuals identified as warriors, given their decorated clothing and the weapons they carry.

Initial indications, though they require further investigation, point to the piece being a jeweler’s slate, a material that would have supported the artist while they engraved the motifs on pieces of wood, ivory, or gold.

“This discovery is a unique example in peninsular archaeology and brings us closer to understanding the artisanal processes in Tartessos, previously invisible, while also allowing us to complete our knowledge of the clothing, weaponry, or headdresses of the depicted characters, as they proliferate with details,” says Esther Rodríguez.

This documentation complements the finding made in the previous campaign, where the documentation of several faces allowed, for the first time, admiration of how the society of the 6th-5th centuries BC wore their  jewelry.

The researchers also worked on the eastern gate, which they identified in 2023. Based on the nature of the documented architectural remains and the discovery of the building’s east door in the center of a monumental facade more than three meters high, the research team believes that this door confirms the main access to the building on its eastern end, which retains its two constructive floors.

The door links the Stepped Room to a large slate-paved courtyard, which has a cobblestone corridor in front of it. This corridor separates the main body of the building from a set of rooms where interesting material lots have been recovered.

Additionally, the archaeological materials recovered from the adjoining rooms located in front of said access suggest that it is the production or artisanal area of the building.

The finding of the outside rooms devoted to various artisanal activities is also noteworthy since it sheds light on societal issues that were unknown during this time period and strengthens Tartessos’ artisanal identity.

“Our efforts will now focus on studying the recovered remains, both from the face reliefs and the ivories. As for the archaeological work at the site, our goal for the next campaign is to delineate these production areas that seem to extend, at least, along the entire eastern side of the site. In parallel, we will begin to open the rooms flanking the main space, which have an excellent degree of preservation and can help us define the functionality of the building,” said Sebastián Celestino.

ENGLAND, EUROPE, WORLD

Excavation Unearths Traces of 16th-Century Mansion in England

Excavation Unearths Traces of 16th-Century Mansion in England

Excavations undertaken by Warwickshire’s Wessex Archaeology have discovered one of the UK’s best-preserved late 16th century gardens ever discovered.Archaeological investigations have revealed the remains of Coleshill Manor and an octagonal moat, aspects initially spotted by aerial drone images.

As excavations progressed, the remains of a massive garden dating from the very early 17th century were discovered, alongside the manor house.

Experts now believe after marrying an Irish heiress, owner Sir Robert Digby built his home in the modern style, in addition to lavish formal gardens measuring 300m (1km) from end to end, to flaunt his new-acquired wealth and consequent social status.

The hitherto-unknown gardens have been exceptionally well-preserved, and include gravel paths, planting beds, garden pavilion foundations and ornaments organised in an innovative geometric layout.

HS2’s Historic Environment Manager Jon Millward said the site has parallels to the iconic ornamental gardens at Kenilworth Castle and Hampton Court Palace.

Archaeology news: HS2 excavations have unearthed Elizabethan answer to Hampton Court.
Archaeology news: Sir Robert Digby built his home in the modern style

He said in a statement: “It’s fantastic to see HS2’s huge archaeology programme making another major contribution to our understanding of British history.

“This is an incredibly exciting site, and the team has made some important new discoveries that unlock more of Britain’s past.”

Wessex Archaeology’s Project Officer, Stuart Pierson described the discovery as a career-high.

He said: “For the dedicated fieldwork team working on this site, it’s a once in a career opportunity to work on such an extensive garden and manor site, which spans 500 years.

Archaeology news: The hitherto-unknown gardens have been exceptionally well-preserved

“Evidence of expansive formal gardens of national significance and hints of connections to Elizabeth I and the civil war provide us with a fascinating insight into the importance of Coleshill and its surrounding landscape.

“From our original trench evaluation work, we knew there were gardens, but we had no idea how extensive the site would be.

“As work has progressed, it’s been particularly interesting to discover how the gardens have been changed and adapted over time with different styles.

“We’ve also uncovered structures such as pavilions and some exceptional artefacts including smoking pipes, coins and musket balls, giving us an insight into the lives of people who lived here.

“The preservation of the gardens is unparalleled.

“We’ve had a big team of up to 35 archaeologists working on this site over the last two years conducting trench evaluations, geophysical work and drone surveys as well as the archaeological excavations.”

Excavations have also revealed structures believed to date back to the late medieval period.

This includes structural evidence attributed to the large gatehouse in the forecourt of the Hall with its style and size alluding to a possible 14th or 15th century.

Archaeology news: Excavations have discovered one of the UK’s best-preserved late 16th century gardens ever discovered

Dr Paul Stamper, a specialist in English gardens and landscape history, believes that, as a whole, the site is of the utmost archaeological importance.

He said: “This is one of the most exciting Elizabethan gardens that’s ever been discovered in this country.

“The scale of preservation at this site is really exceptional and is adding considerably to our knowledge of English gardens around 1600.

“There have only been three or four investigations of gardens of this scale over the last 30 years, including Hampton Court, Kirby in Northamptonshire and Kenilworth Castle, but this one was entirely unknown.

“The garden doesn’t appear in historical records, there are no plans of it, it’s not mentioned in any letters or visitors’ accounts.

“The form of the gardens suggest they were designed around 1600, which fits in exactly with the documentary evidence we have about the Digby family that lived here.

“Sir Robert Digby married an Irish heiress, raising him to the ranks of the aristocracy.

“We suspect he rebuilt his house and laid out the huge formal gardens measuring 300 metres from end to end, signifying his wealth.”

EUROPE, ITALY, WORLD

A blue painted shrine is the latest discovery in Pompeii ‘treasure chest’

A blue painted shrine is the latest discovery in Pompeii ‘treasure chest’

A blue painted shrine is the latest discovery in Pompeii ‘treasure chest’
The blue room was found during excavations in central Pompeii.

Archaeologists have unearthed an intricately decorated blue room, interpreted as an ancient Roman shrine known as a sacrarium, during recent excavations in central Pompeii in Italy.

The Italian Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano, visited the site on Tuesday, describing the ancient city as “a treasure chest that is still partly unexplored.”

The blue color found in this new discovery is rare, with the culture ministry outlining that it is generally associated with environments of great decorative importance.

An in-depth analysis of the room, according to the ministry, found that the space could be interpreted as a sacrarium or a space dedicated to ritual activities and the conservation of sacred objects.

The walls of the room feature female figures.

The walls of the room feature female figures that are said to depict the four seasons of the year, as well as allegories of agriculture and shepherding.

The new discovery came amid excavations in the Regio IX area of central Pompeii, a residential area that is currently one of the most active excavation sites for new findings.

The excavations are part of a broader project to secure a perimeter between the excavated and non-excavated areas of the archaeological park, which currently has more than 13,000 excavated rooms.

The project aims to improve the structure of the area, making the “protection of the vast Pompeiian heritage… more effective and sustainable,” the culture ministry said.

Other recent findings in the area include furnishings belonging to a house, a bronze kit with two jugs and two lamps, building materials used in renovations, and the shells of oysters that had been consumed.

The intricately decorated room was found in the Regio IX section of the popular tourist site.

Last week, it was reported that archaeologists in Pompeii had uncovered children’s sketches depicting violent scenes of gladiators and hunters battling animals.

The drawings, thought to be made by children between the ages of five and seven sometime before Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, were found on the walls of a back room in the residential sector of the archaeological park.

They showed that even children in ancient times were exposed to extreme violence.

AFRICA, EGYPT, WORLD

Polish archaeologists find graves of monkeys and calves in ancient animal cemetery in Egypt

Polish archaeologists find graves of monkeys and calves in ancient animal cemetery in Egypt

Polish archaeologists have discovered over 200 graves of monkeys, dogs and cats in an animal cemetery from the 1st and 2nd centuries in Berenike, Egypt. They also found burials of calves, which – they assume – were sacrificed at the animal cemetery or a nearby religious building.

An international team led by Dr. Marta Osypińska from the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Wrocław in a consortium with the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw, returned to the unique animal cemetery from the 1st and 2nd centuries in Berenike.

Berenike on the Red Sea is an ancient port built by Emperor Tiberius shortly after the annexation of Egypt by the Roman Empire. For the Empire, it was an intercontinental ‘hub’ through which exclusive goods flowed from India, Asia, Arabia and East Africa.

Archaeologists have long suspected that the Third ‘Cyrenean’ Legion was also stationed in Berenike. The legion was famous for pacifying the uprising in Jerusalem in 70 CE.

The pet cemetery explored by Osypińska’s team was built at a time when representatives of the Roman elites appeared in the port, in the early 1st century CE. Family pets, including cats; dogs and monkeys were buried there. Before the last season, archaeologists had recorded over 500 animal graves in the area, including several graves of monkeys.

Last season, the team started research in a new location. Already on the first day it turned out that such an accumulation of animal burials had never been recorded anywhere before.

‘Over the course of two months, in a 5 by 5 meter trench, we recorded over 200 of them. Interestingly, monkeys, very rare elsewhere, were very numerous in this location’, says Dr. Osypińska.

The fact that their status was special and they were treated almost like people is evidenced by a different way of burying than in the case of dogs and cats. Each of these monkey graves is also a little different. ‘They were placed as if they were sleeping on their sides, with their paws next to their faces, wrapped in fabrics, covered with blankets’, Osypińska says.

Among animal graves, only monkey burials contain additional items. They are most often playthings: opalescent shells, rags, a cow’s tail, but also collars or harnesses.

Monkeys were quite often buried with their pets. In one of the graves from earlier seasons, researchers found a piglet, and very often the monkeys were accompanied by very young cats. In one case, the bodies of a vervet and a kitten were positioned to embrace each other. ‘There are many videos on the Internet showing that, for example, young rhesus monkeys love small cats. They play with them like with children’, Osypińska says.

She explains that in the 1st and 2nd centuries, Berenike was ‘the absolute edge of the world’. Centurions, i.e. officers and commanders of Roman legions, came there for six months, when ships with goods arrived.

‘They probably could not bring their families with them. I think that Roman matrons and children would not be able to live in this climate, it is a pure desert, without drinking water, nothing grew and still does not grow there. Monkeys, because they were so human-like, had a soothing effect and were a substitute for family. There must have been animals with which people established emotional relationships, which our findings confirm’, Osypińska says.

On the last day of this year’s excavations, archaeologists reached the bottoms of two huge pits. They found the burials of two calves. Both were buried with their heads smeared with a thick layer of ocher. The older calf had its head additionally covered with a large fragment of an amphora.

The researchers believe that they were the first ‘residents’ of the animal cemetery. They could have been sacrificial calves for the animal cemetery or a sacred object in the immediate vicinity.

This year’s research at the Berenike cemetery is a continuation of previous excavations. The discovery of monkeys and the identification of two species of macaques among them – the rhesus macaque and the bonnet macaque – was a sensation for archaeologists in 2020. Both live on the Indian subcontinent. Until then, scientists had not suspected that the Romans imported live animals across the ocean. The logistical challenge of such an undertaking seems impressive even today.

‘It was a shock for archaeologists. Previously, there had been reasons to believe that contacts were maintained with India, e.g. pepper was found. However, there was no clear evidence of this. Initially, the head of our Polish-American mission, Professor Steven Sidebotham of Delaware University was sceptical that the monkeys we discovered could have come from India. That was until his team found the second part of a certain sculpture in 2023. Four years ago they found its lower part and everyone thought it was Zeus. Last year, a few meters away from the original find, they discovered the head of Buddha. Later, kitchenware from India was also identified. The pieces of this puzzle began to fit together’, says Osypińska.

Her project ‘Non-humans in Berenike society’ is financed by the Polish National Science Centre. The Polish-American mission in Berenike is led by Dr. Mariusz Gwiazda from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw and Professor Steven Sidebotham from the University of Delaware in the USA. (PAP)

ASIA, CHINA, WORLD

Lost World War II Sub Discovered in South China Sea

Lost World War II Sub Discovered in South China Sea

Lost World War II Sub Discovered in South China Sea
An octopus on the “conning” or command tower of the wreck of the American submarine USS Harder, which sank near the Philippines in 1944 after a battle with a Japanese destroyer.

Shipwreck hunters have discovered the remains of a famous American submarine that sank with 79 crew members on board while fighting a Japanese warship near the Philippines in 1944.

According to the New York-based Lost 52 Project, which made the discovery, the wreck of USS Harder now lies on its keel on the bottom of the South China Sea near the northern Philippine island of Luzon at a depth of around 3,750 feet (1,140 meters).

Naval reports of the sub’s final mission say the Harder — a Gato-class sub named after a type of fish (the harder mullet) and nicknamed the “Hit ‘Em Harder” — sank with all crew on Aug. 24, 1944 after it was heavily damaged by depth charges in a battle with a Japanese destroyer.

The Harder was one of the most famous American submarines of World War II. U.S. Navy records report that it torpedoed and sank five Japanese destroyers and several other enemy ships during six successful patrols in the Pacific war theater.

“This is one of the most celebrated WWII submarines and an historic naval discovery,” Tim Taylor, the founder of the Lost 52 Project, told Live Science in an email.

USS Harder—known as the “Hit ‘Em Harder”—sank several enemy warships and was one of the most famous American submarines during World War II.
The wreck lies upright on the seafloor at a depth of about 3,800 feet. It was found by studying reports of its final battle, and by searching suitable sites with sonar and autonomous underwater vehicles.

The “Lost 52 Project” that found the wreck aims to locate all 52 American submarines that went missing during World War II and four that sank during the Cold War.

War grave

Taylor is the CEO of a company called Tiburon Subsea, which uses autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and other technologies to collect data at underwater sites. He also leads the Lost 52 Project, which aims to locate the wrecks of the 52 American submarines lost at sea during World War II and four lost during the Cold War. 

The group has already located the wrecks of eight vessels, making the wreck of USS Harder their ninth discovery, Taylor said. Each of the underwater wrecks is also a war grave for the crewmembers who died when it sank, and the missing crew of the Harder were remembered for their service when the wreck was found.

“We have a protocol that, when we locate a submarine, we memorialize the crew,” Taylor said. “We observe a minute of silence, ring the bell for every member of the crew and have a prayer service led by a deacon who is part of our expedition team.”

The team located the wreck by studying reports of its final battle and then searching suitable areas with shipboard sonar, which can reveal objects on the seafloor, and AUVs, which can go much deeper than human divers.

But even after they take steps to make the search patterns as efficient as possible, “It is a long and arduous process, like looking for a needle in a haystack,” Taylor said.

Sunken sub

The extreme depth of the wreck meant that AUV searches were essential, although a period of relatively good weather in recent weeks made the search easier. 

The Harder wreck is too deep to be visited by divers, and the U.S. Navy has designated the wreck as a protected site. “The wreck represents the final resting place of sailors that gave their life in defense of the nation and should be respected by all parties as a war grave,” the Navy said in a statement.

Taylor added that the AUV images show that the vessel appears to be in good condition. “The submarine is relatively intact, minus the damage done by the depth charges,” he said. 

And now, after 80 years under the waves, the wreck seems to be a thriving home for sea life, including an octopus that Taylor saw in the AUV images. 

“It is a protected gravesite for 79 US WWII sailors, but there is a lot of life on the submarine,” he said. “It’s quite extraordinary.”

ENGLAND, EUROPE, WORLD

Couple uncover 18th century lime kiln under ‘neglected heap of rubble’ on their land

Couple uncover 18th century lime kiln under ‘neglected heap of rubble’ on their land

Couple uncover 18th century lime kiln under 'neglected heap of rubble' on their land
Dave-Newham

An unsightly heap in the corner of a North York Moors field has revealed a well-preserved historic limestone kiln, thanks to a collaboration between the landowners, the National Park Authority and a local archaeology company.

The find has delighted Elaine and Dave Newham, who had little idea as to what the untidy mound on the edge of their land was hiding. Elaine said: “It was completely neglected, just a heap of earth covered in discarded stones, bushes and nettles.

“It was marked on an old map as a kiln so we knew that’s what had been there, but we had no idea if anything was left of it.”

While researching the types of grants available for farmers and landowners in the National Park, Elaine saw that funding was available through the Farming in Protected Landscapes scheme to help conserve historic structures, as well as to enable more people learn about them.

Through this scheme, the North York Moors National Park was able to provide a grant of just over £12,000 to support the excavation work.

The trees and vegetation were cleared and experts from Staithes-based company Quercus Archaeology set to work carefully investigating the mound, which measured around 300m2.

This revealed a well-preserved section of the kiln’s main firing chamber, lined with handmade bricks, and a stokehole (the mouth of the kiln) from which the fire would be fed with fuel.

The kiln will have once produced lime to improve the local farmland, most likely during the 18th century. After transportation from a nearby limestone quarry, the raw product would be fired in the kiln to produce lump lime (also known as quick lime), before being dispersed over a field.

Located on the Scarborough edge of the North York Moors, the site is now undergoing a more in-depth investigation, with hope the structure can be restored as an educational asset for the benefit of the local community. New trees have also been planted nearby, to replace those removed at the start of the project.

Dave Arnott, Farming in Protected Landscapes Officer, said: “While lime kilns are not an unusual sight in the North York Moors landscape, they remain an important link to our agricultural and industrial past. It’s fantastic that Elaine and Dave want to conserve this heritage for future generations and can see the site’s potential.

Stephen Timms, Director of Quercus Archaeology said: “I’ve been an archaeologist for 30 years and it never ceases to amaze me what is just under your feet. We weren’t expecting to see such a well-preserved kiln under what looked like a big pile of rubble.

“It has been great to be involved in such a positive project which not only adds to our understanding of rural life on the North York Moors but also helps Elaine and David contribute to the local community as part of the Farming in the Protected Landscapes scheme.”

Elaine continued: “It’s been so exciting to see what’s emerged, a very worthwhile process when you think that it could have stayed as it was and been lost. Quite what’s next for our kiln, you’ll have to watch this space!” You can explore the lime kiln for yourself on Sketchfab.

All In One Magazine