Current Archaeology 438 Spotlights 5,000-Year-Old Solstice Site and Britain’s Largest Iron Age Gold Hoard
Updated
Updated · archaeology.co.uk · Aug 6
Current Archaeology 438 Spotlights 5,000-Year-Old Solstice Site and Britain’s Largest Iron Age Gold Hoard
1 articles · Updated · archaeology.co.uk · Aug 6
Summary
Current Archaeology issue 438 is now on sale, led by features on ancient DNA research, Iron Age Essex finds and a prehistoric solstice-aligned monument on Salisbury Plain.
Francis Crick Institute work anchors the cover story, showing how ancient genomics is reshaping understanding of past people, populations and pathogens while also informing modern medical treatments.
Two Essex discoveries drive the Iron Age section: the Great Baddow Hoard—described as Britain’s largest Iron Age gold coin assemblage—and a cemetery with more than 100 cremations, including elite burials.
Research at Bulford identifies a 5,000-year-old structure aligned with the solstices, suggesting ceremonial gatherings near Stonehenge began about 500 years before the famous sarsens were raised.
The issue also ranges from a late Roman Colchester lead-coffin burial to medieval Norwich churches, reflecting a broader focus on how new finds are revising long-held views of Britain’s past.
With 935 gold coins buried in Essex, what ancient crisis or secret ritual drove Iron Age elites to abandon such massive wealth?
A solar structure predates Stonehenge's stones. Were ancient Britons hosting massive ceremonial gatherings centuries before the monument was even built?
Could 4,500-year-old genetic clues unearthed in London hold the key to predicting and fighting our next modern pandemic?