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Archaeologists uncover rare Iron Age war trumpet and boar standard

According to the archaeologists involved in the excavation, these findings are extremely uncommon.

A groundbreaking excavation has unearthed two exceedingly rare Iron Age artifacts, leaving archaeologists in awe of the discovery.

The head of an Iron Age carnyx emerging out of a block of sandy soil. It is lying on its side and half buried. It has the head of an animal, with a gaping mouth and crest. — The discovery of a carnyx (above) and a boar's head flag standard in the same hoard has been described as "a discovery of a lifetime" by archaeologists

The excavation team from Pre-Construct Archaeology made the find at a building site near Thetford, Norfolk, during their work in the previous year.

The discovery included a remarkably well-preserved battle trumpet, known as a carnyx, which is the most complete example ever found in Europe, as well as a boar's head flag standard, the first of its kind to be discovered in Britain.

According to Gary Trimble, senior project officer, the carnyx is an exceptionally rare find, and the boar standard is even more unusual, making this discovery particularly significant.

Trimble emphasized that while Norfolk has had its share of notable discoveries, this find stands out as particularly unique and special.

The head of an Iron Age carnyx resting on its side on a white pillow. The instrument is in the shape of an animal with a long neck, with a crest along its neck, pierced with a pattern, with a long nose and its mouth gaping open. A black gloved hand can just be seen at the bottom holding a very fine brush, while a much broader brush brushes the snout of the animal. — The carnyx has "a wonderful little eye, which is a remarkable survivor and you can't help but be impressed and charmed by it", said conservator Jonathan Carr

Prior to the excavation, dig leader Peter Crawley had a hunch that the site might yield something extraordinary.

Crawley described the site as one of those rare locations that occasionally produce exceptional discoveries, giving him an instinctive feeling about its potential.

The war trumpet, or carnyx, was a key instrument used by Celtic tribes across Europe to intimidate their enemies and guide their warriors during battles.

A scene in a field showing a group of people during the filming of Digging for Britain. A woman wearing a jumper and jeans is on the left, holding a brass coloured carnyx with a gaping mouth in her right hand. In the middle are straw bales and sitting on them is a man in a paid shirt and blue jeans, a woman in black jacket and black jeans and a man in plaid shit and blue jeans. They are all laughing. — Musician Letty Stott plays a replica of a carnyx to Fraser Hunter, presenter Alice Roberts and Gary Trimble during filming for Digging for Britain

The Iceni tribe, led by Queen Boudica, who launched a rebellion against the Romans in AD60-61, was among the Celtic tribes that utilized such instruments.

The Romans were fascinated by carnyces, often depicting them as symbols of war in their art and literature.

Conservator Jonathan Carr noted that the Thetford discovery was crafted from extremely thin metal sheets that had become brittle over the course of 2,000 years underground.

Jonathan Carr in a lab sitting at a table and looking through a magnifying glass on an arm as he brushed soil out of a bag holding a block of soil and Iron Age hoard items. — Carr said he was aware of the risks as he painstakingly removed the brittle finds from their block of soil

This carnyx is not only one of only three found in Britain but also the most complete example, with its pipe, mouthpiece, and bell all intact, according to Carr.

Dr. Fraser Hunter, curator of Iron Age and Roman artifacts at National Museums Scotland, stated that a thorough examination and conservation of these fragile remains will significantly enhance our understanding of sound and music in the Iron Age.

The boar's head standard, made from sheet bronze, would have been used as a rallying point for troops and held aloft during battles.

A boar's head standard on its side, with its nose facing to the right. Two black-clad hands can just be seen at the bottom holding a thicker brush on the left and a far finer bush in the right hand. — The boar's head standard was also created from thin sheets of metal and is an even rarer find than the musical instrument

Hunter explained that the boar symbolized strength, given its ferocity in the wild, making it an apt emblem for battle.

The hoard, which dates back to around 50BC-AD50, includes five shield bosses and an iron object of unknown origin, in addition to the carnyx and boar standard.

After its discovery, the hoard was carefully extracted from the earth in a block of soil and scanned to determine the positioning of the artifacts before conservation efforts began.

The find has been reported to the coroner, and an inquest will be held to determine whether it qualifies as treasure, with its long-term fate still to be decided.

Hoard of Iron Age finds appearing from a block of sandy soil in a lab. Only the top layer can be seen, showing three shield bosses in the middle and on the right a boar's head, — The hoard included shield bosses, while the boar's head can be seen on the right and the carnyx is behind

Historic England is collaborating with Pre-Construct Archaeology, Norfolk Museums Service, and the National Museum of Scotland to oversee the research and conservation of the finds.

Dr. Tim Pestell, senior curator of archaeology at Norfolk Museums Service, noted that this discovery serves as a powerful reminder of Norfolk's Iron Age heritage, which continues to captivate the public through the story of Boudica and the Iceni people.

Prof Alice Roberts standing in front of the ruined castle keep. She has pink tinted hair and is wearing a red jacket. Her arms are folded and she is smiling broadly. — Anatomist, author and broadcaster Prof Alice Roberts has presented Digging for Britain since it first began

The Norfolk Carnyx Hoard presents archaeologists with a unique opportunity to investigate these rare objects and ultimately shed light on the story of how they came to be buried in the county 2,000 years ago.

Claudia Kenyatta CBE and Emma Squire CBE, co-CEOs of Historic England, described the discovery as "remarkable" and expressed their enthusiasm for uncovering and sharing the story of the community that once owned and used these artifacts.

The co-CEOs of Historic England look forward to exploring and sharing the story of the Norfolk community that owned and utilized these items.

The story of the discovery will be featured on BBC Two's Digging for Britain, airing on 14 January at 21:00 GMT, and will also be available on BBC iPlayer.

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The looks of shock on the faces of Team GB's curlers told the story of a disastrous opening end.

With a stone in play, Mouat attempted a risky shot in an effort to claim two points, but it backfired, resulting in none of Team GB's stones in the house and four Italian stones in position.

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The schedule for Scotland's Nations League campaign begins on 26 September with a match against Slovenia.

The team will then host Switzerland on 29 September, followed by a trip to face North Macedonia on 3 October.

Scotland will then play Slovenia at home on 6 October, before hosting North Macedonia on 11 November.

The final group stage match will see Scotland travel to face Switzerland on 16 November.

The team's home match against North Macedonia is set for 11 November.

The campaign will conclude with an away match against Switzerland on 16 November.

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