Bronze Age boats older than was first thought

Eight Bronze Age boats discovered in a deep Cambridgeshire quarry are much older than it was first thought, carbon-dating research has revealed.

Experts have discovered the boats are made of oak, lime and field maple [Credit: BBC]

The vessels, found by archaeologists at Must Farm near Peterborough in 2011, have now been dated to about 1500 BC, 200 years older than was first thought.

Samples taken during the conservation process have revealed the boats to be made from oak, lime and field maple.

The vessels are undergoing a two-year preservation programme at Flag Fen.

The wooden craft are being sprayed with a special wax to stop the timbers from degrading, the same technique that was applied to the 16th Century Mary Rose warship.

It is hoped the process will reveal more about the Must Farm log boats, one of which is almost 30ft (9m) long.

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