An ancient log boat built in the Iron Age is to be put on public display in Poole (Dorset, England) - after spending the last decade buried in sugar. The bizarre treatment preserved the 32ft-long craft that was built by the Durotriges tribe in about 300 BCE. It was fashioned from a single oak trunk and designed specifically for use in Poole harbour, Dorset, where it was found. It was brought to the surface in 1964 by a dredger and was kept under water for 30 years while its fate was decided. The sugar gradually replaced the wood's soft tissue and kept its shape.
     The boat is now being kept in a warm room to drive out the last of the water, after which it will go on display at the Poole museum. The boat was made by splitting an oak trunk, measuring 32 feet by 20 feet and weighing up to 12 tons, and hollowing it out.

Source; Western Daily Press (11 June 2005)