An “extraordinary” artefact from the late Roman period has been uncovered in Broadway, Worcestershire.
During excavations at Milestone Ground, which revealed 8,000 years of human activity, archaeologists were particularly excited by a carved bone box found in the grave of a young woman. The find is expected to shed new light on the lives, beliefs, and craftsmanship of people who once lived in the north Cotswolds.
Jamie Wilkins, who led the dig, described the discovery as “extraordinary” and unlike anything he had seen before.
The excavation was carried out by Worcestershire Archaeology, part of Worcestershire County Council, and was commissioned and funded by Wychavon District Council ahead of planned development. Artefacts spanning prehistoric, Roman, and Saxon periods were uncovered.
The bone box and other finds featured in an episode of BBC Two’s Digging for Britain. Emma Kearsey, Wychavon’s executive board member for planning, infrastructure, and urban design, said the excavation is “rewriting what we know about Broadway and Worcestershire’s past” and praised the BBC feature for sharing the discovery with a wider audience.
Digging for Britain, presented by Professor Alice Roberts, airs on BBC Two on Wednesday and is also available on BBC iPlayer.
