Rare Bronze Age Wooden Spade Unearthed in UK Wetland

Archaeologists discover a 3,500-year-old wooden tool in Poole Harbour, offering insights into ancient seasonal land use.

The wooden spade, dating back to the Bronze Age, was found in a wetland near Poole Harbour, Dorset, by Wessex Archaeology.
Preserved due to waterlogged conditions, the spade is one of the oldest and most complete wooden tools discovered in the UK.
Radiocarbon dating places the spade's origins between 3400-3500 years ago, during a period of significant societal change in prehistoric Britain.
Experts suggest the spade could have been used for cutting peat or digging ring gullies, indicating seasonal use of the landscape.
The find is part of the Moors at Arne project, which aims to create new wetlands to offset habitat loss from climate change.