Elveden: Tools From 1,500BC Dug Up In A11 Dualling

16 November 2012, 14:01 | Updated: 16 November 2012, 14:31

Tools and settlements dating back to 1,500BC have been dug up as work starts to dual the A11 at Elveden.

The Highways Agency says work to finish the dualling of the A11 at Elveden won't be delayed by the archaeological digs along the route.

There is evidence of settlements dating back to 1,500BC including the remains of timber dwellings, animal bones and pottery from France as well as the Nene Valley, Peterborough.

Highways Agency project manager Robert Gibson said:

“Dualling the last remaining single carriageway section on the A11 is all about boosting the economy, reducing congestion and improving road safety.

“However, in planning for the future, it’s important that we also consider the past which is why archaeological work is an integral part of what we do at the Highways Agency.

“It is important that the area’s history is recorded and preserved to help inform future generations.”

Signs of everyday life are evident from the butchered bones of cows, sheep and horses as well as fragments of tools and millstones which suggest that the area was used for agricultural purposes. Deer bone and worked antler tools also indicate that wild animals were hunted by the residents of the settlements. A small cremation cemetery and a single human burial have also been uncovered.