Archaeologists have unearth an Iron Age skeletal frame on the last day of a jibe at the Margate Caves in Kent , southeast England . The corpse were found at the bottom of a bell - shaped chalk pit curled up in a foetus position , suggesting it was what archaeologists call a crouch burial .
This is a in particular exciting find because burial like this dating back to Iron Age Britain ( 800 BCE to 43 CE ) are rare , peculiarly those containing skeletal frame that are relatively complete . Researchhas shown that excavate recently buried eubstance for bone part was a fairly common praxis among the Iron Age Brits . Many of the corpse chance upon today are missing bones or limbs .
“ The completion of the archeologic dig out Crowdfunder backers made possible is a large milepost in our project , ” Sarah Vickery , chairman of the Margate Caves , toldKent Online .
The dig has been ongoing throughout February as archeologist and volunteers excavate the expanse before a newfangled visitors ' office is build on the web site . away from the skeletal frame , the team has discovered several Iron Age ditches , a hillfort , and post holes .
" The settlement that our archaeologists and unpaid worker found on our website means the Margate Caves can severalize a story of the Isle of Thanet that start well before the Romans get here , " Vickeryadded .
Though the story of the cave goes back over a thousand old age , it was only rediscover in the late-17th and early-18th centuries when it was turn up as a chalk mine .
This was soon abandon and , accord tolocal story , the caves apparently leave until a nurseryman at the newly built Northumberland House fell down a hole and rediscover them . The House ’s owner , Francis Forster , used the caves as a wine store , an ice well , and a grotto , even commissioning an artist to paint beast and portraits of George III on its walls . The caves were sealed up in 1835 after Forster go bad .
Since then , the caves have served as a safety center during two world wars , a public land site of interest , and a holidaymaker draw keep a fifth - 100 swayer call Vortigern , a human race well - known for tempt the Saxons to Britain .
In 2004 , it had to be closed down because visitor substructure had been ill maintained , but if all goes well , a new visitor plaza will be open next year .
As for the recently discovered systema skeletale , there are plans to expose it with the other discovery at the center after archaeologist have had a opportunity to properly analyze the bones .
