Part of the events programme alongside the Introducing Must Farm, a Bronze Age settlement exhibition.

Following the publication of the final report on the Must Farm settlement (excavated in 2015-16), hear from the archaeologists and specialists involved in the excavations and post-excavation research to discover the most up-to-date research and theories about the site. The first time all these experts have been brought together in one series, these talks are not to be missed!

Wooden artefacts from the Late Bronze Age settlement at Must Farm – specialism, craft and use.Speaker: Michael Bamforth

Nearly 200 wood and bark artefacts were recovered from the Late Bronze Age stilted settlement at Must Farm, Cambridgeshire, during excavations by Cambridge Archaeological Unit between 2006-16. The settlement was destroyed by a catastrophic fire, perhaps as little as a year after construction, with the buildings of the settlement and their contents collapsing into the soft muds of the river below. The combined effects of the fire and the rapid burial in waterlogged muds led to exceptional preservation of organic remains, with many of the wooden artefacts recovered from their original positions in the collapsed buildings. The completeness of the assemblage, which includes a variety of bowls, hafts for axes, gouges and spears, textile tools and a complete tri-partite wheel, gives us a rare chance to see the tools used by people 3000 years ago. The artefacts provide valuable insights into how tools were made, what they were used for and perhaps even who made them.

Michael Bamforth is a field archaeologist with over 20 years’ experience across the commercial and research sectors. He specialises in the excavation, recording and analysis of archaeological wood, with a strong interest in woodland exploitation and management as well as prehistoric woodworking technology. Michael led on the excavation and analysis of the structural and artefactual wood assemblages at Must Farm.