The Story of Flag Fen

The story of Flag Fen begins right back in 1982. The site was discovered when a mechanical digger working on one of the Fen drainage ditches pulled up some timber that appeared to have been split in a very distinctive manner. The team of archaeologists, led by Dr Francis Pryor, sent the timber for radiocarbon dating and it was returned having been dated to 1000 BC. And now, the saga continues! The archaeological excavations at Flag Fen have been concentrated over the years on the areas that are under threat of drying out.The site has survived due to waterlogging and now that the site is gradually drying out, the archaeologists are working to retrieve as much valuable data as possible before it is all lost.

It is estimated that a large part of the site will be lost within the next 20 years if work is not carried out now.

Work at Flag Fen has given a fantastic insight into the type of woodworking technology that existed some 3,000 years ago. The remarkable preservation of the timbers has led to more detailed interpretation of our prehistoric ancestors. Flag Fen is a continuing research project and we frequently make discoveries that cause us to change our interpretations. Regular visitors to the site will notice slight alterations to guided tours run throughout the summer. As our work advances and our research develops, we gain a clearer picture of life at Flag Fen 3,000 years ago. So remember, what you read (or are told) is only the current state of research. One of the most exciting aspects of Flag Fen is seeing it change and develop as more work is undertaken.

The excavations over the years have looked at sections of the timber alignment that stretches across 1 kilometre of open fen. The five rows of posts built up between 1350 and 950 BC form an enormous palisade that contains some 60,000 posts. Around this, we have found a huge timber platform that is equal in size to a large football stadium. The time and effort expended in building up this monument must have been considerable. We are now fortunate enough to be getting a glimpse into their life.

The excavation process at Flag Fen is long and drawn out, but has been successfully adapted to make the work as efficient as possible. Diggers at the site first remove the peat from around the timbers before taking a photographic record shot of the dig and then a full plan. Every piece of wood that is revealed is carefully drawn onto a plan. Once this has been done, a copy is taken of the plan and we can then begin the process of ‘lifting’. This simply refers to the removal of the timbers from their place in the ground before being taken to wood tanks for more detailed analysis.

Once removed, the timbers must be submerged in large water tanks. This helps the timbers to keep stable. They have been waterlogged for 3,000 years and they now need to be kept this way. Every piece of wood that has been numbered and recorded therefore needs to be looked at in more detail. You would be surprised at how many different things can be told about one single piece of wood! Some of these timbers contain remarkable detail. Through careful analysis, the archaeologists can find signatures of the tool blades that were used to cut down and then work the timbers. Over the years, the jigsaw puzzle has had a number of pieces added. There are still a few that are missing, but we now have a much clearer picture about life in the Bronze Age at Flag Fen.

If we have fuelled your interest in archaeology and Flag Fen, please come and visit Flag Fen soon. Work on the excavations are carried out at Easter and throughout the summer. Please browse through the rest of the web site to find out more about Flag Fen and enjoy the Bronze Age experience for yourself!

Seahenge at Flag Fen

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