An archaeological excavation in Wales has unearthed magnificent Iron Age artifacts. But it wasn’t archaeologists who found them.
Military personnel and veterans have uncovered 2,000-year-old Celtic artifacts beneath the airfield at Royal Air Force (RAF) Valley station in Wales. The findings, officially declared as treasure, may have been part of a famous archaeological hoard previously excavated in the 1940s. They include horse gear and rare parts of a chariot, as detailed in a statement by the U.K. government from late last month.
“The importance of RAF Valley to UK Defence today is beyond question, but this is a reminder that we are part of a continuum spanning over 2,000 years and we must be responsible stewards of this land,” said Station Commander at RAF Valley Gez Currie in the statement. “We are immensely proud to be part of efforts to discover and conserve these important artefacts from Welsh history and equally delighted that our own service personnel have been so intimately involved in these efforts.”
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) led the excavations ahead of plans to refurbish the airfield. The archaeological work included personnel and veterans from Operation Nightingale, an initiative that supports military personnel and veterans through archaeology.
The findings include a horse bit dating to around 60 CE and a terret ring, used to guide the reins of a horse-drawn Celtic chariot, which is one of only three ever found in Wales featuring a distinctive red inlay.
The decorative red inlay on the terret ring. © Operation Nightingale via Facebook.
“The search for the lost hoard was hard work and we had a huge area to cover. It wasn’t until the final day – with just 10 minutes to go – that I discovered the horse bridle-bit,” said Flt Sgt Graham Moore. “At first the team thought I was joking, but quickly realised I’d found something special. Word