Traces of a 2,000-year-old feast were uncovered during road works in England, a discovery reported by the BBC. In Cambridgeshire, archaeologists found a mix of pottery shards, animal bones, burnt stones, and grains. These items were placed in a pit at the end of the feast, and their dating spans from 800 BC to 80 AD. A precise date is possible only through radiocarbon analysis, which can narrow the window to specific years within that range.
Researchers hope that chemical analysis of the dishes and grain residues will reveal shifts in diet during this period. The Late Iron Age saw the introduction of new foods to England, including olives and coriander. If these items were part of regular meals, traces should persist on the pottery and in the residues of the grains. Some artifacts appear to have been used in the production of beer, offering clues to evolving brewing technologies and social practices around drinking in that era.
Additionally, a typological study of the ceramics will help identify production centers and potential cultural influences on the craftspeople. This can illuminate ancient trade networks and how goods moved across regions. It is likely that some wares were crafted during Roman rule in Britain, so their origins may point to distant lands and long-distance exchange routes.
The multidisciplinary approach aims to build a fuller picture of daily life in this ancient community. By combining typology, residue analysis, and dating techniques, researchers can piece together how foodways, technology, and commerce interacted during a transformative period in British history, as described by researchers involved in the project and reported by the BBC. The findings will contribute to a broader understanding of how settlements adapted to new crops, culinary practices, and connections with Mediterranean and continental sources as people and goods moved through the region.