‘Extraordinary’ Iron Age war trumpet uncovered in England

By Lianne Kolirin, CNN

London (CNN) — An almost complete battle trumpet dating back around 2,000 years to the Iron Age has been unearthed by in England.

According to the archaeologists who found it, the carnyx, as it is known, was part of an “internationally significant” hoard of Iron Age objects found during a routine investigation of a privately owned site in Norfolk, eastern England, earmarked for residential properties.

A team of experts from Pre-Construct Archaeology came across the hoard during an excavation in west Norfolk that was part of the standard planning process for such building projects last summer.

Parts of another carnyx were also found at the site, whose location hasn’t been disclosed. Celtic tribes across Europe used these animal-headed bronze instruments to inspire their troops in battle. The recent example is one of the most complete versions ever found in Europe, national heritage body Historic England said in a statement.

Other rare items found at the site included a sheet-bronze boar’s head, originally from a military standard, as well as five shield bosses and an iron object of unknown origin.

“Before this dig began our Project Manager had ‘a feeling’ that this site would be special,” Mark Hinman, chief executive of archaeological services firm Pre-Construct Archaeology, said in the statement from Historic England.

“They discovered something completely unexpected, paused for breath, then followed best excavation practice to recover these rare and fragile objects.”

The team carefully lifted the items, which were encased in a block of soil, from the site. An initial scan revealed the position of the various artifacts, which enabled conservation experts from the Norfolk Museums Service to remove them for preliminary examination.

The ancient items are in a very fragile condition, which means they must be stabilized before more detailed research can be carried out, Historic England said.

Fraser Hunter, the Iron Age and Roman curator at National Museums Scotland, is a leading authority on carnyces. He believes the haul was buried around 2,000 years ago and is linked to the Celtic Iceni tribe which occupied the region. The Iceni famously revolted against Roman rule in 60 or 61 AD under the leadership of their queen, Boudica.

Hunter said in the statement that the discovery “will add enormously to our understanding of the Iron Age world.”

He went on to say: “I’ve looked at carnyces from around Europe, and the full research and conservation of these incredibly fragile remains will reshape our view of sound and music in the Iron Age.”

What did it sound like?

John Kenny, a music archaeologist and professor of trombone at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, told CNN in an email: “The carnyx is a distant ancestor of our modern brass instruments, but sufficiently different to give one a sense of both familiarity and ‘otherness.’

“Immensely powerful when played at full volume, it is also possible to play whisperingly quietly, and to combine it with delicate instruments like flute, harp, string quartet, and the human voice.”

Historic England said it is coordinating further research and conservation work, together with Pre-Construct Archaeology, Norfolk Museums ­Service and National Museums ­Scotland.

Tim Pestell, senior curator of archaeology for Norfolk Museums Service, said in the statement: “The Norfolk Carnyx Hoard will provide archaeologists with an unparalleled opportunity to investigate a number of rare objects and ultimately, to tell the story of how these came to be buried in the county two thousand years ago.”

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