March
16
/ 2026
Charred hazelnut shells discovered at an archaeological site in Cornwall have pushed back the date for the arrival of the Neolithic period in the region by at least a century. New radiocarbon dating evidence from Tregunnel Hill, near Newquay, suggests that farming and settled life began in this part of Britain nearly 6,000 years ago, significantly earlier than previously thought. The discovery, published by Cotswold Archaeology, is reshaping our understanding of a pivotal moment in British prehistory. The excavations uncovered a rich and complex archaeological landscape with evidence of human activity spanning over 10,000 years, from the Mesolithic through to the post-medieval era. Among the most significant finds were several prehistoric pits containing deliberately placed deposits. One particularly large pit
