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Most Complete Iron Age Carnyx Ever Found Discovered in Norfolk

Archaeologists in West Norfolk have uncovered the most complete Celtic war trumpet (carnyx) ever found in Europe, along with Britain’s first-ever boar standard and five shield bosses, dating to the first century CE. Meanwhile, Ireland’s largest prehistoric hillfort has been identified at Brusselstown Ring with over 600 house platforms, while the earliest definitive evidence of human-controlled fire—approximately 400,000 years old—was uncovered at Barnham Heath Pit in the UK.

New Excavations & Fieldwork

A stunning consolidated hoard of late Iron Age metalwork has emerged from West Norfolk, yielding the most complete carnyx—a Celtic war trumpet—ever found [1]. Dating to the first century CE, the assemblage also includes parts of a second carnyx, a boar standard (the first ever recovered in Britain), and five shield bosses of varying forms and designs [1]. Prior to this discovery, only 21 carnices were known from across Europe, with just two previously recorded in Britain, both antiquarian finds from the 18th and 19th centuries [1]. Representing the pinnacle of Iron Age ceremonial and martial equipment, the hoard was block-lifted as a consolidated unit for laboratory excavation, with CT scans and X-rays performed at a horse hospital to map its contents [1]. The deliberately selected metalwork sat in a remarkably clean soil context and is now undergoing conservation and the treasure process, with plans for display at Norwich Castle [1].

Most complete Iron Age carnyx and boar standard found in Norfolk, UK

Across the Irish Sea, Brusselstown Ring hillfort in County Wicklow has rewritten the scale of prehistoric settlement in Britain and Ireland. Over 600 suspected house platforms have been identified across the site’s 41.19 hectares, which span two hilltops enclosed by two widely spaced ramparts [2][5]. That figure dwarfs the previous record holder, which had 140–150 roundhouses [2]. Test trenches revealed cobbled floors, hearths, stake holes, and pit features, while radiocarbon dating places primary occupation between 1210 and 790 BCE, with at least one roundhouse dated to the early Iron Age, 750–400 BCE [2]. Intriguingly, houses of all sizes appear to have been occupied contemporaneously, with no material evidence for wealth differentiation or social hierarchy [5]. A boat-shaped structure tentatively identified as a cistern may represent the first water system discovered in an Irish hillfort [2][5]. The site belongs to the Bolton Glass hillfort cluster, which contains up to 13 large hilltop enclosures with evidence of continuous use from the early Neolithic through the Bronze Age [5].

Largest prehistoric Irish hill fort reveals 600 house platforms

Ireland's largest prehistoric hillfort settlement discovered in County Wicklow

At Göbekli Tepe, geophysical survey conducted in October 2025 has revealed what may be the site’s largest communal building, hidden beneath an area formerly planted with olive trees [3]. Dr. Necmi Karul confirmed that excavations will continue in 2026, with some structures potentially rivaling the dimensions of Karahan Tepe’s monumental Building AD [3]. Meanwhile, at Palenque in Mexico, a 1,500-year-old Maya structure dubbed Templo Escondido—the “Hidden Temple”—has been discovered in the La Pakota area west of the main center [4]. Measuring approximately 70 by 150 meters, the building is larger than Palenque’s famous Palace, with its southern approach standing 10 meters high and its northern edge plunging nearly 100 meters down a cliffside [4]. An L-shaped structure on top may have served as a royal residence with a stone roof [4].

Göbeklitepe's largest enclosure to be excavated in 2026

Templo Escondido: 1,500-year-old Maya building discovered at Palenque

Bronze Age discoveries span three continents this week. On the Kazakh steppe, the lost city of Semiyarka—“seven ravines”—has revealed itself as a major organized metallurgical center dating to roughly 3,600 years ago [6]. Covering between 40 and 140 hectares with rectilinear earthworks stretching over a kilometer, the site shows evidence of on-site tin-bronze production, including crucibles and slags, making it the first large steppe center with confirmed tin-bronze manufacturing [6]. This challenges longstanding assumptions about the absence of structured metal economies among semi-nomadic communities [6]. In Poland, a dried lake bed has yielded over 550 bronze artifacts and the remains of at least 33 individuals from the Helmo group, a faction of the larger Lusatian population [7]. Radiocarbon dating places the bones between 1,400 and 780 BCE, while a glass bead of low-magnesium composition points to long-distance trade with the eastern Mediterranean [7]. The scale of metal consumption at the site has been described as extraordinary, upending previous assumptions that the Helmo group did not engage in metal ritualistic practices [7]. Far to the south, on Brazil’s coast, analysis of Sambaqui shell mounds in Babitonga Bay has pushed back the earliest known large baleen whale exploitation by over 1,000 years, to approximately 5,000 years ago [8]. Collagen peptide mass fingerprinting identified southern right whales, humpback whales, blue whales, sei whales, sperm whales, and dolphins among the hunted species, while harpoon shafts crafted from whale bone rank among the largest documented from South American archaeological sites [8].

Lost Bronze Age city Semiyarka in Kazakhstan reveals organized metallurgical center

Bronze Age water burials and metal deposits reveal ritual practices of Lusatian Helmo group

Ancient whale hunting in Brazil dated to 5,000 years ago

Artifact Discoveries

A startling revelation has emerged from Göbekli Tepe, where archaeologists have discovered the oldest painted statue ever found [9]. A wild boar statue at the site was determined to bear white, red, and black color pigments, fundamentally altering our understanding of pre-Pottery Neolithic art [9]. Remarkably, paint pigments have also been detected on standing stones and pillars of the communal buildings—the first time such findings have been reported at the UNESCO World Heritage site [9]. What appears today as beige limestone may once have been a landscape of vivid color, challenging assumptions about the aesthetic sensibilities of humanity’s earliest monumental architecture [9].

Paint pigments found on Göbekli Tepe pillars and statue

In a separate discovery that brings Iron Age Britain vividly to life, Preconstruct Archaeology unearthed what may be the most complete Celtic war trumpet ever found in Europe on a building site near Norwich, Norfolk [10]. The carnyx, dating to approximately 50 BC to AD 50, retained its pipe, mouthpiece, and bell in uniquely intact condition—a remarkable survival given the extremely thin sheets of metal from which it was crafted [10]. Found alongside it was the first boar head flag standard ever discovered in Britain, made from sheet bronze and evidently designed to be held aloft as a rallying point for warriors in battle [10]. The horde additionally included five shield bosses and an iron object of unknown origin, all associated with the Iceni tribe of East Anglia, whose queen Boudica would later become a legend of resistance against Roman occupation [10].

Most complete Iron Age war trumpet and boar standard found together in Norfolk

Several other remarkable finds illuminate the artistic ambitions of ancient civilizations across continents. Europe’s oldest blue pigment has been identified on a 13,000-year-old sandstone artifact from Frankfurt, Germany, previously misidentified in museum collections as an oil lamp [13]. Micro X-ray fluorescence analysis revealed azurite pigment that had been ground into powder on the stone’s concave surface, with lead isotope analysis confirming the material was sourced locally along the River Main roughly ten miles away [13]. Meanwhile, in ancient Amastris on Turkey’s Black Sea coast, restoration work uncovered a uniquely smiling Medusa carved on a Roman stoa ceiling—believed to be the first known depiction of the Gorgon with a pleasant expression in all of antiquity, possibly reflecting the prosperity and happiness of the city founded by Queen Amastris [11]. An equally expressive find emerged from Takshila in Pakistan, where a 2,300-year-old terracotta figurine of a woman mid-dance, wearing earrings and bangles, was recovered from Beher Mound near Islamabad [12]. The joyful dancing posture challenges assumptions about austere early Jain life, with similar figurines linked to early Jain communities and the expressive detail considered rare in early terracotta art [12].

Smiling Medusa carved on Roman stoa ceiling in Amastris, Turkey - unique artistic depiction

3rd century BCE terracotta dancing figurine found at Takshila, Pakistan

Europe's oldest blue pigment discovered in 13,000-year-old German artifact

Dating & Chronology

Archaeologists excavating Barnham Heath Pit in the United Kingdom have uncovered the earliest definitive evidence of human-controlled fire, dating back approximately 400,000 years [14]. The site, located in an old clay pit previously used for brick-making during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, has been under investigation since 1989, with major excavations conducted from 2013 onwards [14]. The discovery includes heated sediment patches, heat-shattered flints, and pyrite fragments—the latter particularly significant as pyrite is naturally rare in the area, suggesting it was intentionally transported to the site for fire-making purposes [14].

The findings represent a revolutionary revision of humanity’s relationship with fire. Multiple dating methods, including electron spin resonance dating and amino acid analysis, confirm the 400,000-year-old date, while geochemical analysis revealed repeated heating in the same location at temperatures exceeding 700 degrees Celsius [14]. The presence of heavy hydrocarbons provides further confirmation that these fires resulted from human activity rather than natural burning [14]. Prior to this discovery, the oldest evidence of fire use dated to approximately 50,000 years ago based on tool wear traces found in France—meaning this Barnham Heath Pit evidence pushes back the timeline of human fire control by roughly 350,000 years [14]. The site appears to have served as a gathering point for two separate human groups around a small pond or watering hole [14].

Earliest evidence of human-controlled fire found at Barnham Heath Pit, UK - 400,000 years old

Bioarchaeology & Ancient DNA

The earliest documented intentional cremation of an adult in Africa has been identified at Mount Hora rock shelter in northern Malawi, where 170 bone fragments from a single female individual, aged between 18 and 60 years, were recovered and radiocarbon dated to 9,540-9,454 years before present [15]. The cremation pyre reached temperatures exceeding 500°C, and analysis revealed cut marks indicating the body had been disarticulated at the joints before burning, while the skull’s absence suggests it was deliberately removed as part of the funeral ritual [15]. This extraordinary discovery not only represents the oldest evidence for intentional cremation on the African continent but also stands as one of the few documented cremations associated with hunter-gatherer populations, challenging assumptions about the origins of cremation practices in human prehistory [15].

Oldest adult cremation in Africa discovered in Malawi rock shelter

Seven thousand years ago, Neolithic communities at Wadi Nafun in present-day Oman were hunting sharks and stingrays, as evidenced by isotope analysis revealing nitrogen signatures from marine apex predators alongside skeletal remains of over 70 men, women, and children interred at the site [16]. The communal monument at this grave site was built and maintained collectively for more than 300 years, while archaeological excavation unearthed shark tooth pendants, tiger shark teeth, stingray barbs, and specialized fishing tools [16]. Perhaps most remarkably, researchers identified specific wear patterns on human teeth indicating these ancient hunters used their own dentition as tools to process their catches, and strontium and oxygen isotope levels demonstrated that some individuals spent their childhoods more than 30 miles inland [16]. This connection between a Neolithic burial community and shark hunting represents a novel finding for prehistoric Arabia and demonstrates the sophisticated relationship between these ancient peoples and their marine environment [16].

Neolithic Omanis hunted sharks and stingrays 7,000 years ago

Underwater Archaeology

A remarkable ancient Egyptian pleasure barge has emerged from the waters off Alexandria, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the luxurious world of the early Roman period [17]. Discovered just 50 meters from the temple of Isis on the submerged island of Antirhodos, the vessel lay hidden beneath 1.5 meters of sediment at a depth of seven meters [17]. The ship’s construction proved so unusual that researchers initially believed they had found two ships stacked atop one another [17]. Subsequent analysis revealed 28 meters of preserved timbers, with the original vessel measuring approximately 35 meters in length and seven meters in width [17]. Its flat bottom hull featured a hard chine at the bow and a rounded turn at the stern—design elements perfectly suited for navigating the shallow canals of Alexandria [17].

The ship’s Greek graffiti has dated its use to the first half of the first century CE, confirming its role as a thalamegos, or ancient super-yacht, used by the royal court for festive excursions [17]. A central pavilion would have accommodated revelers during elaborate celebrations, while the vessel’s proximity to the temple of Isis indicates it likely served a sacred purpose in Isis processions [17]. Representing the solar barge of Isis, mistress of the sea, the vessel would have undertaken the yearly voyage from Alexandria to the sanctuary of Osiris at Canopus [17]. The ship probably met its end when earthquakes and tidal waves destroyed the temple in 50 CE [17]. Research remains in its early stages, but the discovery promises invaluable insights into the intertwining of life, religion, luxury, and pleasure in early Roman Egypt [17].

Egyptian pleasure boat discovered off Alexandria - 1st century CE ritual vessel near temple of Isis

In a separate underwater investigation, researchers have shed new light on the profound transition between maritime hunter-gatherer populations and the first Neolithic settlers in Brittany, France [18]. The key to this transformation appears to lie in a slowdown of sea level rise, which created conditions that allowed these two distinct cultures to intersect [18]. The oldest known fish weir, discovered at a depth of 8.4 meters, has been dated to between 5750 and 5300 BCE, with a median age of approximately 5450 BCE [18]. Late Mesolithic shell middens at Beg en Dorset contain evidence of these hunter-gatherer fishermen, whose deep knowledge of marine biotopes sustained them from 5700 to 5400 BCE [18]. Meanwhile, the first Neolithic habitats at Pluvenon appeared around 5300 to 4700 BCE, as farmers from the east spread into western Brittany [18]. The meeting between these incoming agriculturalists and local hunter-gatherers occurred approximately 8,000 years ago, at the end of the sixth millennium [18]. Notably, no shell middens from the early or middle Neolithic have been found in Brittany, marking a clear cultural break from the preceding maritime lifestyle [18].

Transition between maritime hunter-gatherer Mesolithic populations and first Neolithic sedentary populations occurred during slowdown of sea level rise

Architecture & Monuments

Archaeologists have uncovered the largest circular labyrinth ever found in India, located in the Borammani grasslands of Maharashtra [19]. Measuring approximately 15 by 15 meters with 15 concentric stone circles, the structure is made from small stone blocks with soil layers several centimeters thick between rings [19]. The classical labyrinth, which features a distinctly Indian spiral at its center, resembles designs depicted on Greco-Roman coins from the 1st to 3rd century CE [19]. First noticed by members of the Nature Conservation Circle, the site is now believed to have served as a navigational landmark for Roman traders moving inland from India’s west coast toward major commercial hubs including the ancient city of Ter [19]. This aligns with historical records including the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, a Greco-Roman travel guide, and reinforces the region as a major center of ancient international trade where Roman merchants exchanged gold, wine, glassware, and gemstones for Indian spices, silk, indigo, and textiles [19].

Greco-Roman labyrinth discovered in Maharashtra, India - navigational landmark for traders

In Fano, Italy, researchers have finally confirmed the existence of a basilica designed by the Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius, marking the first building from his treatise De architectura to be verified through archaeology [20]. The 1st-century BCE structure, uncovered during the Piazza Andrea Costa redevelopment, features a rectangular plan surrounded by a peristyle of columns—eight along the long sides and four along the shorter sides [20]. Excavations revealed impressive Roman walls, marble pavements, foundation remains, and column bases, with one corner column unearthed to confirm orientation and footprint [20]. The columns, measuring approximately 5 Roman feet in diameter (147-150 cm), were attached to pilasters and corner supports indicating a second story, with an estimated original height around 15 meters [20]. The discovery represents a near-perfect match to the measurements described in Vitruvius’ ancient text [20].

Vitruvius' basilica confirmed in Fano, Italy after centuries of searching

Turkish archaeologists have discovered the world’s oldest stone stairway at Karahan Tepe, leading down into a semi-subterranean building [21]. The finding challenges the previous assumption that pre-Pottery Neolithic structures relied exclusively on wooden stairs and ladders, which have not survived in the archaeological record [21]. While wooden stairs were likely still used at both Göbekli Tepe and Karahan Tepe, their organic material has perished, making this stone example a remarkable and unprecedented find [21].

World's oldest stone stairway discovered at Karahan Tepe

In Brief

Archaeologists have discovered that Neolithic shell trumpets from Spain possessed remarkable acoustic properties, suggesting they served as powerful signaling instruments for long-distance communication [22]. A study examined 12 shell trumpets from five different Neolithic sites in Catalonia, dating to between 6700 and 5150 years ago—a timespan spanning roughly 1500 years [22]. All trumpets were crafted from pink lady conch with the apex intentionally removed, and eight of the 12 specimens remain capable of producing sound today [22]. Notably, one of the researchers—an archaeologist, musicologist, and professional trumpet player—performed on the original instruments [22]. The sound pressure levels of these trumpets surpass any other known prehistoric tool in acoustic power, with the best preserved specimens producing up to three stable notes and allowing for pitch modulation [22]. The fundamental frequencies between 400 and 470 hertz indicate the shells were carefully selected based on size, while holes found in two shells were determined not to function as tone holes [22]. These findings collectively support the interpretation that such instruments played a role in structuring the prehistoric soundscape [22].

Neolithic shell trumpets from Spain show advanced acoustic properties and long-distance communication

In separate research, thousands of clay tokens discovered across Mesopotamia reveal that symbolic record-keeping predates the invention of writing by thousands of years [23]. The earliest tokens may be as old as 11,000 years, and at the site of Tepe Gawra, they predate writing by several thousand years [23]. These tokens took various geometric forms—spheres, discs, cones, and cylinders—each likely representing different goods, with cones possibly denoting grain and round discs potentially representing flocks of animals [23]. Occasionally, tokens were found enclosed within clay envelopes, though notably they did not follow a consistent weight system [23].

Clay tokens predate writing by thousands of years in Mesopotamia

In Brief

Archaeologists have identified a 13-kilometer stretch of China’s first imperial highway in Shaanxi Province, a 2,200-year-old Qin-era road that served as the ancestor of modern highways [24]. This newly discovered segment formed part of a vast transportation corridor extending nearly 900 kilometers across northern China, running straight north to south from the Qin capital Xianyang to the frontier town of Juian [24]. The road’s engineering was remarkably advanced for its time: averaging 40 meters in width and expanding to 60 meters in certain sections—effectively a four-lane superhighway of the ancient world [24]. Construction techniques included straight-cut trenches, rammed earth slope reinforcements, compacted road beds, and filled valleys, with nine separate trench sections discovered in an unmistakable linear alignment featuring compacted earth layers and hardened traffic surfaces [24].

Historical records attribute the monumental project to Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor, who reportedly completed construction in just five years—though whether this refers to the entire 900-kilometer network or this particular segment remains unclear [24]. The highway was designed with strategic military intent: enabling rapid deployment of forces against the Xiongnu nomads threatening the northern frontier [24]. A small auxiliary postal relay station discovered nearby operated during both the Qin and Han dynasties, facilitating communication across the empire [24]. The road supported not only military logistics but also governance and trade, representing a sophisticated infrastructure network that prefigured modern transportation systems [24]. Researchers identified the route by comparing historical texts with satellite imagery, which revealed linear vegetation features corresponding to the ancient alignment [24].

China's first imperial highway discovered - 2,200-year-old Qin road with advanced construction

In Brief

New research from the Pyrenees region between southern France and northern Spain has revealed that hunter-gatherers maintained remarkably extensive social networks spanning 600 to 700 kilometers across Western Europe during the last glacial maximum, roughly 26,000 to 19,000 years ago [25]. The study, focusing on the Peña Capón site, represents the greatest confirmed distance of lithic raw material movement documented in the European Paleolithic record. Analysis of Solutrian period stone tools has demonstrated that these ancient communities were connected through sustained contact over multiple millennia, with the minimum area covered by these networks reaching approximately 89,000 square kilometers.

The archaeological evidence points to flint sourced from geological outcrops in southwestern France, indicating that raw materials traveled extraordinary distances between regional groups [25]. Seasonal gathering places appear to have been fully integrated into these large social networks, facilitating the exchange of both materials and information across vast territories. Additionally, materials from the Duero and Ebro basins have been identified at the site, further underscoring the extensive reach of these Paleolithic social connections.

Upper Paleolithic social networks spanned 600+ kilometers across Western Europe

Sources

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  5. The Prehistory Guys — “LIVE: Prehistoric Archaeology News From Around the World” (8:04)
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