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Museum gets £250k for Bronze Age project

Shariqua Ahmed
News imageDave Webb An archaeologist - a woman in a grey shirt and red and blue headband - holding an object that looks like a pot showing it to a man in a blue shirt and grey beard.Dave Webb
Archaeologists discovered the largest UK collection of everyday Bronze Age artefacts at Must Farm in 2015

A city's museum has received £250,000 of National Lottery funding to celebrate Bronze Age archaeology uncovered 10 years ago.

A settlement at Must Farm quarry in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, was unearthed in 2015, and offered a glimpse into everyday life about 3,000 years ago.

A two-year initiative led by Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery, titled My Must Farm, will explore the discoveries.

Sarah Wilson, heritage manager at the city's museum, said: "[It] will empower people to engage with the settlement archive, creating an inclusive access to Peterborough's rich archaeological heritage."

The museum is the permanent home for finds discovered at Must Farm.

Fleeing villagers left behind what proved to be the largest collection of Bronze Age artefacts ever discovered in the UK, including 200 wooden objects, more than 150 fibre and textile items, 128 pottery vessels and about 90 pieces of metalwork.

The haul included well-preserved weapons, cooking utensils and Britain's earliest known wooden wheel.

News imageMartin Rowe/Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery A woman in a dark top, skirt and tights, looking at the contents of an exhibition case, in front of a large display showing an artist's impression of a Bronze Age settlement going up in flames, with two men and two women looking at other displays at Peterborough MuseumMartin Rowe/Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery
Displays at the museum have told the story of how rapidly a fire took hold of the settlement

Fenland District Council has contributed £10,000 to the new initiative.

A dedicated display on the Must Farm settlement will also be installed at Whittlesey Library and Community Hub.

Volunteers have already played a crucial role in researching and caring for the archives, earning the museum the Society of Museum Archaeologists' Best Volunteer Project 2024 award.

News imageMartin Rowe/Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery View of Bronze Age beads on display, including blue/green glass beads, a faience bead and a photograph of a replica of a necklace at Peterborough MuseumMartin Rowe/Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery
Those fleeing the fire left behind artefacts including striking glass beads in blue, green and turquoise

Zameer Ali, Peterborough City Council's cabinet member for communities, poverty and public health, said: "We are fortunate to have several wonderful attractions in Peterborough and are fully committed to supporting them so they can continue to be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike."

Log boats also uncovered at Must Farm have recently undergone conservation at and are due to go on display later this year.

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