A Bronze Age settlement in eastern England, dubbed “Britain’s Pompeii,” has provided unparalleled insights into the lives of prehistoric Britons. Known as Must Farm, this site, located near Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, has been described as an “archaeological nirvana” by experts.

An illustrated reconstruction of the Bronze Age stilt settlement unearthed at Must Farm quarry in Cambridgeshire, England. Credit: Cambridge Archaeological Unit

The settlement, discovered in 1999 and extensively excavated between 2015 and 2016, offers a snapsH๏τ of daily life around 850 BCE, revealing astonishing details about domesticity, diet, and technology of the time.

Must Farm was built on stilts over a slow-moving river in the marshy Fens region. The settlement consisted of four large roundhouses and a square entranceway structure, all raised on wooden stilts and surrounded by a fence of sharpened posts.

Excavations uncovered a wealth of artifacts, including pottery, tools, textiles, and even human and animal remains, remarkably preserved by a catastrophic fire that engulfed the village less than a year after its construction.

An intact hafted axe found under one of the structures at the Must Farm site. This object is among thousands of artifacts uncovered at the site. Credit: Cambridge Archaeological Unit

The fire, which likely occurred in late summer or early autumn, destroyed the settlement, causing the buildings and their contents to collapse into the river below. However, the combination of charring from the fire, waterlogging, and burial in oxygen-depleted silts led to exceptional preservation.

The layout of the roundhouses mirrored modern homes, with distinct activity zones for cooking, sleeping, and textile production. Kitchenware, including pots, bowls, and cups, provided clues about the inhabitants’ diet, which likely included porridge, cereals, honey, and stews made with beef, mutton, and fish.

Tools found at the site, such as axes, sickles, and razors, highlighted the inhabitants’ proficiency in woodworking and textile production. The textiles discovered, made from fine flax linen, showcased advanced craftsmanship and hinted at trade networks extending to Europe and the Middle East.

Among the most intriguing finds were decorative beads made of glᴀss, amber, and other materials, some of which originated from distant regions, suggesting extensive trade connections. Additionally, human and animal remains provided evidence of domestic practices, such as keeping dogs for hunting and possibly as pets.

The settlement’s short lifespan, estimated to be less than a year, challenges previous ᴀssumptions about Bronze Age societies, suggesting a more dynamic and less hierarchical social structure. The inhabitants’ abandonment of the settlement after the fire raises questions about the cause of the blaze, whether accidental or deliberate.

The excavation, funded by Historic England and Forterra, was conducted by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit of the University of Cambridge.