AN IRON Age artefact discovered during an archaeological dig in Cawston has gone on display at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum’s Archaeology Gallery.
A quern stone, which was used to grind corn into flour, was unearthed six years ago by a team from Cotswold Archaeology on land in Cawston Lane.
The archaeologists discovered pits and ditches which suggest the site was home to an Iron Age settlement between the fifth and first centuries BC.
Elsewhere on the site, the dig unearthed evidence of enclosures likely to date from Medieval times, when the site switched from a settlement to farm land.
Finds included pottery from the Iron Age, Medieval and Roman periods, worked flint, ceramic building material, animal bones and charred plant remains – but the quern stone was the prize discovery.
RAGM’s Archaeology Gallery includes artefacts discovered during excavations at the site of the Roman town of Tripontium on the outskirts of Rugby, together with pieces from the private collection of Matthew Bloxam, the Rugby-born antiquarian and amateur archaeologist.
Rugby Borough Council growth and investment spokeswoman Coun Heather Timms said: “When archaeologists discover the history buried beneath our feet it increases our understanding of Rugby’s rich and varied history.
“The Archaeology Gallery houses a treasure trove of artefacts which give a fascinating glimpse into the borough’s past.”
The quern stone remains on display at the gallery until July 28.
Visit www.ragm.co.uk for more information.
