A 4,000-year-old wooden trackway thatforms the centrepiece of a Neolithic henge has been unearthed by archaeologists.
Ancient springs that surrounded the circularmonument, whichdates from 2,300BC, have led to theexcellent preservation of organic material like bone and wood.
That includes the skull of a 6,300-year-old species of wild cattle, known as aurochs, as well aswooden posts.
Experts have described the site,near Woodbridge, Suffolk, as having 'international significance'.
A 4,000-year-old wooden trackway that forms the centrepiece of a Neolithic henge (pictured) has been unearthed by archaeologists at asite, near Woodbridge, Suffolk, described by experts as having 'international significance'
The finds were made as part of excavation work fora cable being laid for a £2.5bn ($3.3bn) offshore wind farm in the area.
Energy company ScottishPower Renewables was digging a 23 mile (40km) trench to connect new turbines to the national grid.
Around 70 archaeologists have been working near Woodbridge since February, carefully unearthing the 100 foot (30-metre) long wooden track, which forms the centrepiece of the prehistoric monument.
Initial theories suggest that the area's natural springs, which can still be seen today, may have been part of the reason that the area had special significance to the area's stone age inhabitants.
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Around 70 archaeologists have been working near Woodbridge since February, carefully unearthing the 100 foot (30-metre) long wooden track, which forms the centrepiece of the prehistoric monument
Ancient springs that surrounded the circular monument, which dates from 2,300BC, have led to the excellent preservation of organic material like bone and wood. This image shows a wooden post
The finds were made as part of excavation work for a cable being laid for a £2.5bn ($3.3bn) offshore wind farm in the area. This image shows another wooden post discovered at the site
WHAT ARCHAEOLOGICAL ITEMS WERE FOUND NEAR WOODBRIDGE IN SUFFOLK?
Experts have described the site of an archaeological dig, near Woodbridge, Suffolk, as having 'international significance'.
Among the discoveries unearthed so far have been:
- A 4,000-year-old wooden trackway that forms the centrepiece of a Neolithic henge
- Wooden postsso well preserved that experts can see markings made by an apprentice, before a more experienced tradesman completed the job
- The skull of anextinct species of large wild cattle, known as aurochs, which has been carbon dated to around 4,300 BC
- A variety of artefacts from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and Medieval periods, including a tanged arrowhead
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Richard Newman, associate director at Wardell Armstrong who worked on the dig, said: 'Undoubtedly this is a site of international archaeological significance.
'It is exceptionally rare to find preserved organic materials from the Neolithic period, and we will learn a great deal from this discovery.
'Some of the wood is so well preserved we can clearly see markings made by an apprentice, before a more experienced tradesman has taken over to complete the job.
'Initially some of the wooden posts looked like they were maybe one hundred years old, and it is incredible to think that they are over 4,000 years old.'
Energy company ScottishPower Renewables were digging a 23 mile (40km) trench to connect new turbines to the national grid. This image shows a selection of wooden posts unearthed
Initial theories suggest that the area's natural springs, which can still be seen today, may have been part of the reason that the area had special significance to the area's stone age inhabitants.This image shows a selection of wooden posts found during the dig
Richard Newman, associate director at Wardell Armstrong who worked on the dig, said: 'Undoubtedly this is a site of international archaeological significance.' This image hows a tanged arrow head found at the site
Diggers also found the skull of an auroch, an extinct species of large wild cattle, which has been carbon dated to around 4,300 BC.
The skull has been cut in a way that suggests it had potentially been fixed to a pole as a totem or used as some form of headdress.
At the time the trackway was built, the skull was already 2,000 years old, suggesting it was a significant item.
Substantial numbers of white pebbles, not common in the area, were also found beside the track.
The positions in which the stones were found suggests they were deliberately deposited in a way that had significance to the people at the time.
The finds were made in Woodbridge as part of excavation work for a cable being built by East Anglia One for a wind farm
Diggers also found the skull of an auroch (pictured), an extinct species of large wild cattle, which has been carbon dated to around 4,300 BC
The skull (pictured) has been cut in a way that suggests it had potentially been fixed to a pole as a totem or used as some form of headdress
At the time the trackway was built, the skull (pictured) was already 2,000 years old, suggesting it was a significant item.
Because organic finds of this age are so rare and vulnerable when exposed, they needed to be kept wet during excavation.
The features containing the organic material were flooded every night and the archaeologists continually sprayed the wood to keep the trackway preserved as they worked.
The wood and other artefacts have now been sent for further analysis, and some of the leading experts on the Neolithic period have already visited to help build up a full picture of activities on the site.
Up to 400 archaeologists have been involved over the last two years, with up to 250 people on site at any given time.
Charlie Jordan, East Anglia One project director for ScottishPower Renewables, said: 'In the last two years our project has been responsible for uncovering artefacts from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and Medieval periods, but is seems that the best has been saved to last.'
Started earlier this year, the 102-turbine East Anglia ONE project aims to provide enough energy to power the equivalent of almost 600,000 homes, which is the majority of households in Suffolk and Norfolk.
The project should be fully operational by 2020.
Because organic finds of this age are so rare and vulnerable when exposed, they needed to be kept wet during excavation.The features containing organic material, like this skull, were flooded every night
This painting is thought to depict an aurochs, a cattle/aurochs cross, or simply an aurochs like cattle breed. It is a copy of an original which probably dates from the 16th century
Britain began the move from 'hunter-gatherer' to farming and settlements about 7,000 years ago as part of the 'Neolithic Revolution'
The Neolithic Revolution was the world's first verifiable revolution in agriculture.
It began in Britain between about 5000 BC and 4500 BC but spread across Europe from origins in Syria and Iraq between about 11000 BC and 9000 BC.
The period saw the widespread transition of many disparate human cultures from nomadic hunting and gathering practices to ones of farming and building small settlements.
Stonehenge, the most famous prehistoric structure in Europe, possibly the world, was built by Neolithic people, and later added to during the early Bronze Age
The revolution was responsible for turning small groups of travellers into settled communities who built villages and towns.
Some cultures used irrigation and made forest clearings to better their farming techniques.
Others stored food for times of hunger, and farming eventually created different roles and divisions of labour in societies as well as trading economies.
In the UK, the period was triggered by a huge migration or folk-movement from across the Channel.
The Neolithic Revolution saw humans in Britain move from groups of nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled communities. Some of the earliest monuments in Britain are Neolithic structures, including Silbury Hill in Wiltshire (pictured)
Today, prehistoric monuments in the UK span from the time of the Neolithic farmers to the invasion of the Romans in AD 43.
Many of them are looked after by English Heritage and range from standing stones to massive stone circles, and from burial mounds to hillforts.
Stonehenge, the most famous prehistoric structure in Europe, possibly the world, was built by Neolithic people, and later finished during the Bronze Age.
Neolithic structures were typically used for ceremonies, religious feasts and as centres for trade and social gatherings.
