Posts by Cate Davies
Seeing the Norfolk Carnyx on Screen
It was fantastic to see the Norfolk Carnyx and Iron Age hoard on Digging for Britain last night! The programme traced the story from first glimpse on site through to the careful work of understanding what exactly the hoard contained, how the artefacts relate to one another, and why they’re so important. As Alice Roberts noted, the hoard includes…
Read MoreThat moment
When the scale of what you’ve uncovered starts to sink in. The Norfolk Carnyx and Iron Age hoard will feature on Digging for Britain tonight, showing how this remarkable discovery was made, from first recognition in the trench to understanding why it matters. đź“ş Digging for Britain, BBC Two, tonight at 9pm Also available on…
Read MoreThe Norfolk Iron Age Hoard in The Guardian
A thoughtful piece in The Guardian this week explores the discovery of the Norfolk Iron Age hoard, including the near-complete carnyx uncovered during PCA’s excavation. Following a week of wide national and international headlines, the article offers useful context around the hoard, its wider significance, and how it fits within what we know of Late…
Read MoreThe Norfolk Carnyx on Digging for Britain
You’ll be able to see more of the Norfolk Carnyx and the wider Iron Age hoard on Digging for Britain this Wednesday on BBC Two. We’re delighted to see the story of this discovery shared on Digging for Britain. It’s been fascinating to watch how things have unfolded over the past week, and the programme…
Read MoreThe Norfolk Carnyx: Finds Friday
For today’s Finds Friday, a closer look at one of the most striking pieces from the Iron Age hoard discovered by PCA: the Norfolk carnyx. The carnyx was a tall, animal-headed war horn, played upright so its sound could carry across the landscape. It wasn’t just a musical instrument, but a tool of psychological warfare,…
Read MoreInternationally Significant Iron Age Hoard Discovered in Norfolk
Pre-Construct Archaeology led the excavation in West Norfolk that revealed an internationally significant Iron Age hoard. The discovery includes rare components of Iron Age carnyces, dramatic animal-headed battle trumpets, alongside a boar-headed standard, shield bosses and other associated metalwork. Finds of this kind are exceptionally rare in Britain and across Europe. Following discovery, the hoard…
Read MoreRARE IRON AGE ITEMS FOUND IN NORFOLK
JOINT PRESS RELEASE: Historic England, Pre-Construct Archaeology, Norfolk Museums Service and National Museums Scotland A remarkable collection of Iron Age objects has been discovered in West Norfolk. The hoard of metal objects was found during a routine archaeological excavation by Pre-Construct Archaeology as part of the standard planning process for residential properties. The discovery includes…
Read MoreLeadership Update at PCA
Following the announcement made on 5 November 2025, Gary and Josephine Brown retired from Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd on 31 December 2025 after many years shaping the company. From 1 January 2026, Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd is owned and led by the existing senior management team: Chris Mayo (Managing Director), Mark Hinman (Chief Executive Officer), Peter Moore…
Read MoreHingham Pupils Explore the Past
Pupils from Hingham Primary School recently joined our team on site to see the archaeology emerging ahead of Abel Homes’ new development in the town. The visit gave them a close look at the archaeology beneath their feet and a chance to handle artefacts uncovered during the excavation. A landscape shaped over centuries Our work…
Read MoreLittle End nominated for Rescue Project of the Year, voting opens 1 December
Following the recent Current Archaeology feature on Little End, written by Isobel Woolhouse, we’re delighted to share that the project has been shortlisted for Rescue Project of the Year in the 2026 Current Archaeology Awards. This nomination recognises the significance of PCA’s work in recovering the story of a small community that had slipped almost…
Read MorePrehistoric Archaeology Helps in the Fight Against Climate Change
PCA has been carrying out ongoing investigations of a multi-period landscape in west Suffolk, discovering important evidence of Neolithic activity on the fringes of the mid-Suffolk clay-land, as well as traces of Bronze Age field systems, Iron Age settlement, and a medieval building. Of particular significance is a natural hollow containing an exceptionally large assemblage…
Read MoreA Middle Anglo-Saxon Landscape Beneath Grantchester’s High Street
This Saturday’s Cambridgeshire Antiquarian Society Autumn Conference will feature new findings from 19 High Street, Grantchester, presented by Judy Mlynarska and Rita Pedro. PCA’s recent work on the site has revealed one of the most informative sequences seen in the Cambridge region for some time. The excavation revealed layers of activity from the Early Iron…
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