Iron Age bronze helmet found on Canterbury farmland

[Melvadius]

The BBC is carrying this report (with associated video) of a unique find of a helmet dateable material from a sealed archaeological context in Britian which on present evidence appears to date from the first Romano-British period around 55 BC.

 

A rare Iron Age helmet unearthed by a metal detector enthusiast on farmland near Canterbury has been described as a significant find by the British Museum.

 

The bronze helmet was found with bone fragments, and had been used to hold human remains after a cremation, Canterbury Archaeological Trust said.

 

The finder contacted archaeologists because he was confident he had made a significant discovery, the trust said.

 

University of Kent experts have found it dates back to the 1st Century BC.

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