Archaeologists report the discovery of a massive hoard of Iron Age objects, including an ancient Celtic war trumpet, during a routine dig in West Norfolk, United Kingdom.
The fortuitous discovery was made during a dig conducted by Pre-Construct Archaeology, a private heritage services company in the UK, as part of a routine excavation related to residential property planning.
Several objects they discovered at the site were estimated to date as far back as 2,000 years ago, associated with the Iron Age Celts who once inhabited the area.
Preserving Iron Age Artifacts
Excavating the area is a painstaking process. Entire blocks of earth are carefully removed to preserve contextual clues that allow for more thorough study of the objects. During extraction, the blocks are secured and stabilized to ensure all evidence remains intact.
The blocks are then transported to a laboratory, where experts can continue excavating the artifacts under controlled conditions. Before any removal begins, the blocks are scanned using X-rays and CT imaging to identify all items contained within them and determine their precise locations. As excavation proceeds, detailed records are maintained to document both the process and any discoveries.
“Lifting fragile archaeological objects within blocks of soil allows them to be uncovered more slowly and in controlled conditions in a laboratory by trained conservators,” Dr Tim Pestell, Senior Curator of Archaeology for Norfolk Museums Service, told The Debrief. “Before this became standard practice, sometimes rare or fragile objects could become damaged while still subject to the wind and rain outside.”
Discovery of an Iron Age Battle Trumpet
One of the most intriguing finds was a distinctive type of battle trumpet known as a carnyx. Although dating to the Iron Age, these instruments were constructed of bronze. Featuring a characteristic animal head, carnyces were designed to inspire warriors heading into battle. These imposing instruments fascinated the Romans, who encountered them during conflicts with Celtic groups. Surviving Roman depictions of these encounters show the carnyx being taken as a war trophy.
While carnyces appear in Roman art, few survive as physical artifacts. This discovery represents only the third example found in Britain and one of the most complete ever excavated anywhere in Europe.
“Carnyces were clearly of enormous importance to the societies that made and used them,” explained Dr. Pestle. “They were complex musical instruments that required specialist skill to make and play, and their rarity speaks to their cultural and probably financial value.”
“Such items, with their animal heads and open mouths, were likely imbued with special meaning and individual characters, literally having their own unique voice and almost certainly being kept and maintained over a number of generations,” Dr. Pestle added.
Pestle says that contemporary imagery depicts these items in ritual use and as war trophies, which archaeologists say indicates that they played an important role in guiding their owners and followers in both religious and martial contexts.
“As such, they would likely have been central to people’s very identities,” Pestle told The Debrief.
Ritual Deposits, and Lingering Questions
Excavators also uncovered several other notable objects. Among them was a bronze boar’s head, which would have once adorned a battle standard. Further emphasizing the site’s militaristic character, the team discovered five shield bosses—a collection considered exceedingly rare in both Britain and Europe.
More enigmatic was an iron object of unknown purpose found within the hoard. Corrosion has rendered the item unidentifiable at present. Researchers say it is impossible to speculate on its function at this stage, but they hope that further conservation work will eventually reveal more details.
“This would appear to be a ritual deposit made by a Late Iron Age population in the territory of the Iceni tribe,” Dr. Pestle said, noting that excavation operations at the site have concluded, and there are currently no plans to resume work in the area.
“While the burial was probably religious in some way, future analysis of the hoard and wider site will hopefully help to answer this question better,” Pestle concluded.
Ryan Whalen covers science and technology for The Debrief. He holds an MA in History and a Master of Library and Information Science with a certificate in Data Science. He can be contacted at ryan@thedebrief.org, and follow him on Twitter @mdntwvlf.