Cambridge Archaeological Unit

Containing only a handful of small pottery fragments, consistent with Neolithic fragments, it is hoped more accurate dating can be carried out on charcoal recovered from samples.

Excavations at Needingworth Quarry, Cambridgeshire discovered this probable Neolithic house. Measuring roughly 10m by 7m and composed of both narrow beam-slots and postholes, its architecture broadly matches other known structures from the UK.

Happy to share more information once it has been analysed and written up in post-excavation.

We might be able to dig out another interesting discovery tomorrow...

Nothing more satisfying than capturing this on a nice sheet of crisp permatrace!

This photograph of the section from a slot through the archaeology of a Middle Bronze Age enclosure from Needingworth Quarry shows the fascinating sequence that has built up over its lifetime. A sharp 6H pencil was required for its drawing!

The test pit shows the topsoil, medieval/post-medieval flooding in thick alluvial clays, layers deposited when the area was covered by a late prehistoric lake, a thin band of black organic material from rising groundwater levels and preserved buried soils from the prehistoric land surface.

It’s always satisfying to work with good stratigraphy as this section of deposits, representing a sequence where the landscape is dipping into a hollow, from Needingworth Quarry highlights. Understanding this profile provides vital information that helps to unpick the story of a site and landscape.

This cask cant, a part of a multi-board cask head, was discovered at Needingworth Quarry, Cambridgeshire and featured incised merchant’s marks and a burnt/branded probable cooper’s mark. The cant was made from a slow grown local oak that was felled after AD 1606.

Excavations at Needingworth Quarry, Cambridgeshire have revealed areas of prehistoric hoofprints. Identifiable as the hoofprints were pressed through a dark organic silt into the pale deposit underneath they date to between the Late Bronze Age and Late Iron Age and are thought to be bovid.

This corner of a ditch was tied into the Middle Bronze Age field systems at Needingworth Quarry, Cambridgeshire. Bounding a field this ditch marked the edge of the system with unenclosed land, potentially used as pasture during prehistory, opening up beyond.

A Middle Bronze Age dirk/rapier was discovered during test-pitting at Needingworth Quarry, Cambridgeshire. Found at the edge of a field system where the landscape was dropping off into a wet and marshy area, its location is consistent with Bronze Age deposition practices.

This prehistoric watering hole contained a large deposit of animal bone, consisting of 530 pieces weighing over 20kg. Discovered at Needingworth Quarry, Cambridgeshire evidence suggests the feature had been associated with the processing of animal products, a process that required standing water.

This cluster of pits from Needingworth Quarry, Cambridgeshire produced no finds, meaning they couldn’t be easily dated during the excavation. Likely prehistoric, based on the surrounding archaeology, the pits highlight how challenging interpreting sites can be in the field.

Excavations at the Brice Aggregates Needingworth Quarry, Cambridgeshire uncovered this prehistoric pit well that contained a log ladder. At one end of the ladder a length of side branch had been left intact and placed downwards with the branch acting as a strut to support the foot of the ladder.

If you’re interested in archaeology a lot of our publications are available free to download from the University of Cambridge’s Apollo Repository, including the Must Farm pile-dwelling settlement volumes. Volume I has nearly reached 18,000 downloads! doi.org/10.17863/CAM...

One of our most exciting discoveries was the amazing Trumpington Cross. Made from gold and garnets it dates to the late 7th century AD and was found with the skeleton of a female buried on top of a bed. Find out more in the free book Riversides available online: doi.org/10.17863/CAM...

It’s that time of year when archaeological sites are haunted by a terrifying spectre. If you head visit a site, be sure to keep an eye out for a ghostly sheet that can appear to provide shade for photos.

There's been a number of finds over the years that have been very tempting as the basis for a tattoo but I've always resisted... so far!

This complete antler or bone artefact was discovered in a ditch forming part of a Middle to Late Anglo-Saxon enclosure system at Trumpington Meadows. It is decorated on both broad faces and is likely to have been used as a pendant. More in Riversides: buff.ly/cGoGcBf

This Anglo-Saxon sunken-featured building, SFB 4, found at Trumpington Meadows contained several dumps of material after it had been abandoned. These contained almost 17.5kg of animal bone, metal knives, a comb and a loomweight. More info in Riversides buff.ly/cGoGcBf

Excavations at Trumpington Meadows discovered an Anglo-Saxon settlement with several sunken-featured buildings (SFBs). SFB 2 contained fragments from at least three glass vessels and fine copper alloy dress pins. More info in Riversides buff.ly/cGoGcBf

Iron Age features excavated at Trumpington Meadows produced 21 bird bones including ducks, corvids and raptors. This large claw phalanx matches eagle and could have belonged to either a golden or white-tailed eagle. More information in Riversides: buff.ly/cGoGcBf

Several Iron Age features at Trumpington Meadows produced large amounts of daub with the impressions of wattle and split wood/timber. These indicate the daub was structural and may have been used to make walls or ovens. More information in Riversides: buff.ly/cGoGcBf

Four human bones from Iron Age features at Trumpington Meadows had been modified to be used as implements. Two femurs had been adapted as scrapers while another femur and tibia had been modified to serve as pointed blades. More details in Riversides: buff.ly/cGoGcBf

Many of the Iron Age pits in the clusters discovered at Trumpington Meadows were interpreted as having been used for storing grain. Most were more modest in size but this large pit from Cluster 1 had a capacity of 7.1 cubic metres. More information Open Access: buff.ly/cGoGcBf

At Trumpington Meadows over 500 Iron Age pits, like these from Area C, provided evidence of settlement. More information on Trumpington Meadows’ Iron Age settlement can be found in the free book Riversides available here: buff.ly/cGoGcBf

These two Beakers were discovered in a double burial at Trumpington Meadows. The grave contained a female and a male buried toe-to-toe with each having a beaker placed next to their heads. More details can be found in Riversides, an Open Access publication here: buff.ly/cGoGcBf

Monument I at Trumpington Meadows contained a range of animal bone typical of the Neolithic. Three red deer antler fragments were found, though only one appeared to have been used as a pick. Find out more in Riversides, available as a free Open Access download: buff.ly/cGoGcBf

This arrowhead tip was found in near Skeleton 2, an adult male buried in Monument I at Trumpington Meadows. Arrowheads are not normally found as grave goods in this period and it may have been the cause of this individual’s death. More information in Riversides buff.ly/cGoGcBf