England certainly deserves recognition as one of the primary centres of great archaeological discoveries in 2012. The site of multiple historical finds in the past few months alone, the British home ground has proven its time-laden legacy by revealing some of the treasures hidden beneath its mysterious soil. Here is a look back at some of the high-profile digs that have occurred this past year and the historical backgrounds linked to them.
Top 3 English Archaeological Discoveries of 2012
- Richard III Bones: A skeleton that was dug up in a parking lot in August is believed to be the bones of Richard III. One of the more miraculous archaeological discoveries of 2012 that could potentially change aspects of British royal history if its authenticity is proved, the bones have historians and a distant relative of the late king anxiously awaiting the results of the autopsy – they are yet to be released.
- Bronze-Age Road: As many who live in the English capital know, new archaeological discoveries are almost dime-a-dozen in London. The city, which is built upon layers of its own history, often resurfaces interesting aspects of its past – most recently a Bronze Age road. An ongoing construction project to create a new tunnel for a crossrail instantly became a media sensation when it became the historical site of a 3,500-year-old Bronze Age trackway. The purpose of the wooden road was explained by historians at the scene to ease travel across rough areas, especially wetlands, back in the day.
- Gold Roman Coins: The latest of the archaeological discoveries that have occurred in England during the past few months was made by a novice treasure hunter, who uncovered a large batch of gold Roman coins that date back to the 4th century. His initial hoard was later revealed to be just a skimming of the collection, which came to a stunning total of 159 coins. The solid gold set has since been valued at £100,000 pounds – a neat sum of money for a first-timer. The treasure has recently been acknowledged as a ‘nationally significant find’ and is sure to be talked about for some time to come.
If these prized old-world objects continue to surface as thick and fast as they have been in the past few months, there might be enough precedent for locals to give up their day jobs and search for treasure! From royal bones, to bronze-age roads and ancient gold coins, the British terrain’s most recent archaeological discoveries have created quite a stir amongst media publications, with the only question on everyone’s mind being: what next?
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