American Artifacts From WW II Found on Salisbury Plain

News July 6, 2015

(© Wessex Archaeology)
SHARE:
US Artifacts England
(© Wessex Archaeology)

WILTSHIRE, ENGLAND—A team from Wessex Archaeology has found items left by American soldiers who trained for the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe on Salisbury Plain—usually noted for Stonehenge and other prehistoric archaeological sites. The artifacts include spoons and plates, cans of cooking oil, 16 intact containers of sunscreen, packages of bacon and lard, and bottles of sauce. “The state of preservation of the provisions shows how well made they were,” a spokesperson for Wessex Archaeology told BBC News. “It’s evidence of US military presence on Salisbury Plain and the surrounding area. Sadly, there were no contents left in the tins of sliced bacon.” The artifacts will be housed in the Salisbury Museum. To read more, go to "The Archaeology of World War II."

  • Features May/June 2015

    The Minoans of Crete

    More than 100 years after it was first discovered, the town of Gournia is once again redefining the island's past

    Read Article
    (Jarrett A. Lobell)
  • Letter from Hawaii May/June 2015

    Inside Kauai's Past

    Ideal conditions within an ancient cave system are revealing a rich history that reaches back to a time before humans settled the island and extends to the present day

    Read Article
    Courtesy Lida Piggott Burney
  • Artifacts May/June 2015

    Late Roman Amulet

    Read Article
    (Courtesy Joachim Śliwa)
  • Digs & Discoveries May/June 2015

    The Charred Scrolls of Herculaneum

    Read Article
    (Fotonews/Splash News/Corbis)