CHISELDON, UNITED KINGDOM—Cattle skulls and cauldrons indicate feasting was an important activity in southern England during the Iron Age. The 13 sturdy, decorative cauldrons are the largest group of such vessels ever to have been found in Europe. They had been buried together in a pit in an open area near a castle and a fort, which would have been an excellent meeting place. “Analysis of the interiors of the cauldrons has even revealed traces of animal fats, a tantalizing suggestion that these objects might have been used in cooking and serving meat-rich stews,” said Julia Farley of the British Museum. DNA testing could reveal what kind of meat had been cooked and served.
Iron Age Feasting in England
News December 13, 2012
Recommended Articles
Digs & Discoveries July/August 2024
Bronze Age Beads Go Abroad
Digs & Discoveries July/August 2024
Rubber Ball Recipe
Digs & Discoveries July/August 2024
Black Magic Seeds
Digs & Discoveries July/August 2024
A Friend for Hercules
-
Artifacts November/December 2012
Beaker Vessels
Ceramic beakers were the vessels of choice for the so-called “Black Drink” used at Cahokia by Native Americans in their purification rituals
-
Around the World November/December 2012
IDAHO
-
Digs & Discoveries November/December 2012
The Desert and the Dead
(Courtesy Bernardo Arriaza) -
Features November/December 2012
Zeugma After the Flood
New excavations continue to tell the story of an ancient city at the crossroads between east and west
(Hasan Yelken/Images & Stories)