miércoles, 4 de diciembre de 2013

Neolithic tridents found during Carlisle 'bypass' work go on display

Two rare millennia-old wooden tridents unearthed as a new road was about to be built have gone on show.

Councillor Keith Little, left, and Phil Bent, of Balfour Beattie admire the tridents
The three-pronged spears, which date to the Neolithic period, were discovered near Stainton during archaeological excavations before work started on the Carlisle Northern Development Route (CNDR) four years ago.

The two-metre-long artefacts, which are nearly 6,000 years old, are believed to have been expertly crafted from a single plank of oak using stone tools.

Only four other similar examples have ever been found in the UK – two in Ehenside Farm, near Penrith, and two others in a bog in Armagh, Northern Ireland. They were all discovered in the 19th century and feature virtually identical designs.

The fact that they show a proficiency in woodworking suggests they were made for an accepted purpose but experts are unsure what that was. Some theories include fishing, hunting or agricultural use.

The pieces have now gone on show at Tullie House Museum in Carlisle where they will remain permanently. Visitors are being asked to suggest what they think they may have been used for. [...] newsandstar.co.uk

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