Utility Workers
When utility workers are given the job to dig up the ground to install something, they never know what they will find. Most days, it is business as usual. Others, strange things are discovered. This is what happened to a group of diggers when they uncovered skeletons. As soon as they found the first one, they called in the experts. The call had to be made right away because these British workmen unearthed dozens of skeletons that show eerie signs of human sacrifice. They were supposed to be trying to preserve an essential waterway, and they ended up finding something much more morbid.
The Iron Age
The remains came from an ancient civilization who lived on the British islands during the Iron Age. Back then, the people worked with metal, and they created their own tribes. Each group had their own distinct way of life. They crafted their pottery differently, and they used iron in their own ways.
Oxfordshire
There is a lot of history in the English county of Oxfordshire. The areas are close to what we know as London, and it is also the home of the famous University of Oxford. During the Iron Age, there was plenty of activity in this area. Over the years, there have been over 60 archaeological digs.
The 2019 Find
While many digs took place in the area over the years hoping to find artifacts, the 2019 incident didn’t start that way. Thames Water had no intention of uncovering any ancient artifacts during their dig. Instead, the firm was hoping to bring 500 million gallons of freshwater to its customers. In Oxfordshire, there is a source of freshwater that is really rare. It occurs when the rain falls; then the water flows through a porous layer of chalk, where it eventually ends up in the springs. The water is crystal-clear, full of minerals, and the temperature doesn’t go any higher or lower than 50 degrees.
A Plethora Of Artifacts
As the team of workmen was working on the Thames Water job, they found many artifacts. There were pieces of pottery, the remnants of human shelters, tool, and the ancient remains of dead animals. All of these things had been hidden underground for centuries. When they realized that they had stumbled on something unusual, they decided to call in the experts.
Cotswold Archaeology
The team that the workmen called in was from Cotswold Archaeology. The company first opened its doors in 1989. In the beginnings, the experts struggled to make ends meet. They were so passionate about their jobs that they stayed in business, and over time, they managed to turn the little business into a large-scale operation with over 200 employees. The chief executive company, Neil Holbrook, says that what kept the company going for so many years was their love of the past.
Uncovering a Tomb
When the company brought in the team from Costwold, they didn’t know what to expect. Paolo Guarino was the person in charge of the dig. When they got to work, they found ancient remains such an as an ornamental comb. The more they dug, the more incredibly amazing things were discovered. During the group’s exploration, they found artifacts that were around 3,000-years-old, which told them that these things were left behind from the Iron Age. This was pretty amazing because historians have limited knowledge regarding this era.
Dozens Of Skeletons
The most morbid finds were dozens of skeletons. The experts believed that they belonged to the Iron Age. The team found 26 bodies in all. After inspecting the bodies for just a few moments, the team started to believe that the skeletons were the results of human sacrifice. The reason that they thought this was that all of the people were placed in pits. During the Iron Age, this signifies human sacrifice.
Not In a Traditional Way
Another thing that caught the eyes of the experts was the way that some of the dozens of skeletons had been laid to rest. They weren’t lied down on their backs with their arms and hands at their side, which is the traditional way. They found one female who had been placed in a pit with her arms draped over her head, her hands together, her legs bent, and her knees wide apart. It also appeared that one foot had been detached and placed by the right arm. This was not the way the people from the Iron Age laid their fellow men to rest.
A New Born Baby
During the dig, the experts found the remains of a newborn baby close to an adult. They are going to perform a DNA test to see if the two had been related, but so far, there is no word regarding the results.
The experts have so much evidence and data to sift through from the area; it is going to be a while before all of their questions are answered.
