United Kingdom

Flag Fen

Bronze Age timber causeway and ritual site, eastern England

Location

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Historical Context

About

Flag Fen, east of Peterborough, England, is a Bronze Age site which was constructed about 3500 years ago and consists of more than 60,000 timbers arranged in five very long rows, creating a wooden causeway (around 1 km long) across the wet fenland. Part-way across the structure a small island was formed. Items associated with it have led scholars to conclude that the island was of religious significance. Archaeological work began in 1982 at the site, which is located 800 m (0.5 miles) east of Fengate. Flag Fen is now part of the Greater Fens Museum Partnership. A visitor centre has been constructed on site and some areas have been reconstructed, including a typical Iron Age roundhouse dwelling.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

Journey through time and discover key events in this site's history

Peat accumulation begins

c. 2000 BCE

Bronze Age BioBlitz event

2 August 2014

Ground-level change noted

10th century BC

Dendrochronological dating of construction

1365–967 BC

Site discovery

1982

Major excavations commence

Summer 1984

End of large-scale English Heritage excavations

1995

Crowdfunded excavation by DigVentures

2012

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Animal Husbandry Features

Livestock Enclosures
category

Burial and Funerary Structures

Burial Mounds
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Religious and Ritual Structures

Ceremonial Platforms
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Domestic and Habitation Structures

HousesVillages
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Environmental and Natural Features

Artificial IslandsSoil Layers
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Transportation and Communication Structures

TrackwaysBridgesRoads
Knowledge Base

Frequently Asked Questions

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Plan Your Visit

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Reference

Details

Country

United Kingdom

Coordinates

52.57° N, -0.19° E