Archaeologists discover 'nationally significant' Stone Age pits in Bedfordshire

Archaeologists have discovered a series of Stone Age pits in what has been described as a 'nationally significant' prehistoric site.

The 25 monumental pits date from the middle Stone Age - known as the Mesolithic Period which was between 12,000 - 6,000 years ago.

Among the finds unearthed at the pit were a range of animal bones including aurochs - a type of ancient cattle - marten, deer and boar.

It means the discovery is thousands of years older than the UK's most famous Stone Age relic Stonehenge, or the Bronze Age Norfolk site of Seahenge.

Found in Linmere, Bedfordshire, the site was excavated during two separate projects between 2019 and 2021 ahead of development work.

Experts say there may be other pits still to be found outside these excavation areas.

The pits were discovered during both digs, and recent radiocarbon dating revealed their age as between 8,500 – 7,700 years old.

This date makes the site incredibly significant because there are very few Mesolithic sites in the UK that are this substantial.

Professor Joshua Pollard, an expert from Southampton University, said: “The Linmere Mesolithic pits are a very exciting discovery.

"While we know of other large and enigmatic pits dug by hunter-gatherers from elsewhere in Britain, including at Stonehenge, the Linmere pits are striking because of their number and the wide area they cover.”

The Linmere pits were all round with very steep sides, and some flared out at the bottom into a wider base.

Measuring up to 5 metres wide and 1.85 metres deep, it would have taken a lot of effort to dig even a single pit.

The pits appear to be laid out in multiple straight lines, up to 500m long. There are other Mesolithic pits dug in alignments in Britain, but in Linmere these alignments are clustered around former stream channels.

Yvonne Wolframm-Murray, Project Officer at MOLA, said: “It’s been amazing for the whole team to work on such a significant Mesolithic site.

"It really shows how important radiocarbon dating is alongside field work, as without it we wouldn’t have realised the significance of our discovery.”

As people in Mesolithic Britain were nomadic hunter-gatherers, digging 25 large pits would have been a monumental task.

There are several theories about what these pits were for, from being used in hunting to storing food. However, the shape and size of these pits make these theories unlikely.

Alternatively, the amount of effort required to construct the Linmere pits, the fact they’re in alignments, and their location next to water mean they could have some spiritual or special significance.

For example, they could mark an important place in the landscape. Archaeologists are carefully studying whether the pits are aligned on any major celestial events such as the solstice.

Archaeologists are continuing their work on Linmere in the lab, radiocarbon dating more animal bones and analysing environmental samples to learn more about the ancient landscape.

They are hoping to discover whether the pits were all dug and in use at the same time, as well as understanding more about the plants growing nearby.

They have already identified evidence of oak, hazel and pine, and are now studying tiny pieces of pollen.