Archaeology at Flag Fen enters exciting new phase

A new and exciting opportunity has arisen to participate in proposed archaeological excavations at the internationally significant and iconic Bronze Age site of Flag Fen in Cambridgeshire, southeast England. DigVentures, a newly formed social enterprise is now inviting people to become part of the archaeology team.

Flag Fen was discovered in 1982 by Francis Pryor MBE, during a project to complete a dyke survey for English Heritage. It’s a classic story along the lines of how so many truly amazing sites are found: through chance, a bit of a stumble, and a lot of luck. But from the moment he picked up that first piece of pointed, shaped wood – showing clear tool marks made by an axe roughly 1.5 inches wide – Francis knew that he had found something special.
“

our work will be an essential part of saving the archaeology and giving the site a future life and all we need to do is to raise £25,000 to make this incredible project happen
”
Unfortunately the archaeology at Flag Fen is in serious jeopardy due to land drainage that began as far back as the 17th century. It is estimated that a large part of the site will be lost within the next 20 years unless there is urgent archaeological intervention to help create a more sustainable future.

Managing Director of DigVentures, Lisa Wescott Wilkins explains “our work will be an essential part of saving the archaeology and giving the site a future life and all we need to do is to raise £25,000 to make this incredible project happen. You and your friends can be a part of it – by supporting us through buying benefits, and even joining us on site. The more you contribute, the more involved you can become – from being one of the first to receive the site report, to rolling up your sleeves and actually taking part.”
The site

The Flag Fen basin is an area of low-lying land on the western margin of the Fens, just south-east of Peterborough. To the east and west, the land gently rises and is flood-free. The eastern dry land is known as Fengate and the west as Northey. In the middle lies Flag Fen, where peats began to form in the increasingly wet environment, around 2000 BC.

The future archaeological focus will concentrate on what began to happen at Flag Fen in the Middle Bronze Age (c. 1300 BC), when farmers in the Fengate and Northey area began to experience difficulty in their fields with increasing wetness from rising water levels.

A causeway, built of timber, was driven across Flag Fen, linking the two areas of higher and drier ground. This causeway, or post alignment, was constructed of large posts arranged in five rows. Between the posts, timbers were built up horizontally, which provided the surface for transportation. Closer to the Northey side of the causeway, an artificial timber platform was constructed, the purpose of which is yet to be fully understood.

It is suspected that some part of the purpose of this platform could have been ceremonial as the area around it has produced thousands of finds, including metal, stone, shale, ceramic and other objects, along with cuts of meat, food and perishable items. These items were placed in the water around the platform deliberately, with many showing evidence of having been broken or damaged prior to placement in the water.
“

Many items of leather and wood were kept in nearly pristine condition by the lack of oxygen in the peat, and thus the artefacts are an incredibly important and unique record of Bronze Age life
”
The last timbers of the post alignment and platform were added approximately 900 BC, but the site continued to be visited throughout the Iron Age. One of the most important aspects of the archaeology at Flag Fen is the preservation environment created by the peats. Many items of leather and wood were kept in nearly pristine condition by the lack of oxygen in the peat, and thus the artefacts are an incredibly important and unique record of Bronze Age life.

First archaeology in over a decade

From 23rd July – 12th August 2012, DigVentures will be opening the first trenches in over a decade at Flag Fen and the public will be able to dig alongside the archaeologists. A team of internationally respected archaeologists and scientists have been assembled to head up the 2012 season’s dig, with the results feeding directly into a major five-year research programme. This is designed to make live excavation the beating pulse of Flag Fen visitor’s experience, take the site’s rich legacy in hand and launching it into an exciting and sustainable future.
Funding archaeology at Flag Fen

DigVentures is dedicated to funding sustainable archaeology projects and the team are proposing to host Europe’s first crowdfunded and crowdsourced excavation at Flag Fen and have joined forces with website www.sponsume.com to raise £25,000 in just 60 days.

This money will be used to undertake a specialist excavation and assessment of the waterlogged remains at Flag Fen so that a long-term research design can be worked out. Raising the profile of Flag Fen will also bring the public to the site in greater numbers than ever before – which is essential, if it is to remain open.

Lisa Wescott Wilkins explains “crowdfunding is very well established in the United States and steadily growing in popularity in Europe as traditional funding streams dry up. Simply put, crowdfunding is a system of micro-patronage, using internet payment technology like PayPal to collect small amounts of money from large amounts of people.”
Flag Fen is now managed by Vivacity, an independent, not-for-profit organisation with charitable status that manages many of Peterborough’s most popular culture and leisure facilities on behalf of Peterborough City Council: www.vivacity-peterborough.com/museums-and-heritage/flag-f


http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/03/2012/archaeology-at-flag-fen-enters-exciting-new-phase