Boxford wood carving is 6,000 years old, experts say

A portion of decoratively carved wood recovered during a operation task has been declared the oldest successful Britain.

The 6,000-year-old portion of oak, recovered successful Boxford, Berkshire, is lone the 2nd wood carving to beryllium recovered from the Mesolithic period.

It was discovered preserved successful peat astatine the bottommost of a trench.

The wood is being conserved by Historic England astatine Fort Cumberland, Portsmouth, and volition yet spell connected show astatine West Berkshire Museum successful Newbury.

Landowner Derek Fawcett has been moving with Historic England and the Boxford History Project since uncovering the timber 4 years ago.

He said: "It was intelligibly precise aged and appeared good preserved successful peat. After hosing it down, we saw that it had markings that appeared unnatural and perchance man-made."

The timber has been c dated to betwixt 4640 BC and 4605 BC, making it astir 2,000 years older than Stonehenge, and 500 years older than the lone different known portion of carved Mesolithic timber, which was found adjacent Maerdy successful Rhondda Cynon Taf successful 2012.

Historic England main enforcement Duncan Wilson said: "This breathtaking find has helped to radiance caller airy connected our distant past and we're grateful to the landowner for recognising its significance.

"Amazing discoveries similar these punctual america of the powerfulness of archaeology to uncover the hidden narratives that link america to our roots."

The waterlogged carved oak is 1 metre long, 0.42 metres wide and 0.2 metres thick.

It was recovered astir 1.5 metres (5ft) beneath the aboveground not acold from the contiguous people of the River Lambourn successful a furniture of peat.

Mr Fawcett has donated the timber to the West Berkshire Museum successful Newbury wherever it volition yet spell connected display.

The depository is besides moving with the Boxford History Project to put for the timber to spell connected indebtedness to the Boxford colony practice centre.