Archaeologists Discover 'Rare,' Well-Preserved Bronze Age Wooden Structure

An image of the preserved wooden well found in Oxfordshire, England. The structure is thought to date to the late Bronze Age.

Archaeologists have uncovered a “rare” wooden structure that appears to have been preserved for thousands of years.

The wooden well was found during excavations conducted at a site in the county of Oxfordshire, England, as part of a road construction project. The well is thought to date to the latter half of the Bronze Age, which in Britain lasted from around 1200 to 700 B.C.

Finding a preserved wooden structure from so long ago is unusual, given that the material tends to decay relatively quickly. But in certain conditions it can survive for long periods of time.

“Preservation of wooden structures from this period is rare and the remains have survived all this time, due to being buried in waterlogged ground,” said John Boothroyd, senior project manager at heritage practice Oxford Archaeology, which conducted the excavations, in a press release.

The first sign of the well that the archaeology team uncovered was a preserved wooden post that had been driven vertically into the ground. The team subsequently uncovered a larger structure made of wood, which it determined was a well.

“Despite the extremely challenging conditions, the team were able to expose and fully record the well in the ground,” Boothroyd said in the release. “The specialist soil samples that were collected will also help establish what the surrounding landscape would have been like, and the intensity to which it was settled, when the well was actively being used.”

The site, located near the village of Benson, lies in an area that has previously yielded other Bronze Age remains.

“The excavations…help to further our understanding of this rich landscape and demonstrate how widespread the [Bronze Age] activity was,” Judy Roberts, a member of the Oxfordshire County Council, said in the press release.

“This find gives fantastic insight into the area’s past land use,” she continued. “It is thought the well may have been used for agricultural irrigation purposes for settlements nearby. Archaeological surveys like this are an important part of the process of delivering construction schemes. They help us identify and understand past residents of the area and record them for future generations.”

After uncovering the wooden well, the experts gently dismantled the structure by hand for removal from the site. A sample of the preserved wood was sent away for further analysis. This analysis could reveal the type of wood that was used as well as any evidence to indicate that tools were used to shape the material.

Archaeologists also uncovered other artifacts from the site, including pieces of struck flint, animal bones and pottery used for storage and waste.

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