Treasures found on HS2 route stored in secret warehouse

What’s Happening

Alright so Archaeological finds from the planned HS2 train line have been shown exclusively to the BBC.

Treasures found on HS2 route stored in secret warehouse 1 day ago Save Harriet Bradshaw Science reporter Save Tony Jolliffe BBC A Roman coin unearthed during HS2 archaeological digs is now being held in a secret store Treasures unearthed archaeologists during the ongoing construction of the controversial HS2 train line have been shown exclusively to the BBC. The 450,000 objects, which are being held in a secret warehouse, include a possible Roman gladiators tag, a hand axe that may be more than 40,000 years old and 19th Century gold dentures. (shocking, we know)

It is an “unprecedented” amount and array of items, which will yield new insights into Britains past, says the Centre for British Archaeology.

The Details

Major building developments in the UK need land to be assessed part of the planning process, to protect heritage sites. Tony Jolliffe BBC French pipe found at St James Gardens Euston Since 2018 around 1,000 archaeologists have been involved in 60 digs along the route HS2 is set to take between London to Birmingham.

While the route is not rn scheduled to open until after 2033 because of delays, archaeologists say their fieldwork is largely complete. The warehouses location is a closely guarded secret for security purposes.

Why This Matters

All we can say is that it is in Yorkshire. Inside are shelves and shelves of pallets, loaded with around 7,300 boxes of historic items destined for further research. The future of many objects, including whether they will stay in storage or be displayed, is still undecided, along with their ownership.

This could have implications for future research in this area.

The Bottom Line

Tony Jolliffe BBC A pottery head detached from a Roman vessel Historic England commended the team for revealing “new and exciting sites spanning over 10,000 years of our past”. But building HS2 has changed the landscape along its route, cutting into fields and communities, and dividing opinion.

Is this a W or an L? You decide.