Extremely rare pottery from the Bronze Age has been unearthed by experts on land near Atherstone (Warwickshire, England) for the first time ever. The pieces of pottery have been dated to between 1200 and 1800 BCE by archaeologists from Warwickshire County Council who say they represent a 'unique' find for the area.
     The fragments, uncovered during a dig in Old Farm Road, Mancetter, were a complete surprise for the team of field experts as very few such pieces have been found in the county before. The find was uncovered by experts during a dig on a site in Mancetter on which planning permission for a residential development is being sought. Many interesting finds were saved as a result of the dig, although none as surprising or unusual as the Bronze Age pottery.
     But the pottery is not enough to suggest Mancetter could be the site of a Bronze Age settlement, Stuart Palmer, Warwickshire archaeological field officer has warned. But they do confirm the village and locality was visited by early Britons. Stuart Palmer explained: "Some Bronze Age pieces have been found sporadically in other areas of the county but not this type of pottery. It's extremely rare," he said. "We knew we would find Roman artifacts but the Bronze Age pieces were a complete surprise."
     The pieces are now to be donated to the Warwickshire Museum although they may not necessarily go on display.

Source: Tamorth Herald (12 August 2004)