Archaeologists have unearthed one of the most complete Iron Age battle trumpets ever found in Europe during a routine excavation in west Norfolk. The rare carnyx, buried 2,000 years ago alongside military artifacts, is one of only three known from Britain and offers an unparalleled glimpse into ancient Celtic warfare.
Historic England announced the discovery, which was made during a summer 2025 survey for residential properties on privately owned land. The hoard includes a near-complete carnyx, a sheet-bronze boar's head originally from a military standard, five shield bosses, and one iron object of unknown origin.
Carnyxes were animal-headed bronze instruments used by Celtic tribes across Europe to inspire warriors in battle. The Romans depicted them as war trophies. The Norfolk find stands out for its exceptional state of preservation.
Unexpected Discovery
Mark Hinman, chief executive of Pre-Construct Archaeology, which conducted the excavation, revealed the site had shown early promise. «Before this dig began our project manager had 'a feeling' that this site would be special,» he said.
«We are so impressed with the team responsible for this find,» Hinman added. «They discovered something completely unexpected, paused for breath, then followed best excavation practice to recover these rare and fragile objects.»
Conservation experts from Norfolk Museums Service carefully lifted the objects within a block of soil, scanned them to reveal their positions, and individually removed them for preliminary examination.
Significant Find
Claudia Kenyatta CBE and Emma Squire CBE, co-chief executives of Historic England, called the «remarkable discovery hugely significant for our understanding of ancient British culture».
Dr Fraser Hunter, Iron Age and Roman curator at National Museums Scotland, said the find will «add enormously to our understanding of the Iron Age world». The National Museum of Scotland, a leading authority on carnyxes, is co-ordinating research and conservation efforts alongside Historic England and Norfolk Museums Service.
Dr Tim Pestell, senior curator of archaeology for Norfolk Museums Service, emphasized the regional importance. «This find is a powerful reminder of Norfolk's Iron Age past which, through the story of Boudica and the Iceni people, still retains its capacity to fascinate the British public,» he said.
Next Steps
The objects are currently in fragile condition and require extensive stabilization before detailed research can begin. A coroner is expected to determine the legal status of the hoard in early 2026, which will inform subsequent actions. The long-term housing location remains undetermined.
«The Norfolk Carnyx Hoard will provide archaeologists with an unparalleled opportunity to investigate a number of rare objects, and ultimately to tell the story of how these came to be buried in the county 2,000 years ago,» Pestell said.
The discovery will be featured in the new series of "Digging For Britain" on BBC Two, with an episode broadcast at 9pm on January 14.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
