"Tunnel: The Archaeology of Crossrail"

Posted by Rebecca (Nashville, TN, USA) on 09/01/22 11:35 PM

I just ordered a new book from the Museum of London bookshop, and thought some forum members might be interested in it also.

"Tunnel: The Archaeology of Crossrail"-- discoveries made during the construction of the Elizabeth line.

https://museumoflondonshop.co.uk/collections/book-1/products/tunnel-arch-of-crossrail-d

For years I have been following the dig, seeing stories online in The Guardian or other newspapers about objects they have found.
This book gives all the details about finds of all kinds.
Various items have been found such as more Roman roads (some were already well-known in London), a14th century plague pit, mammoth bones and amber at Canary Wharf, and more.

I'm sure many of you have wondered (as I have) what they were finding as they drilled and dug up more of London's past. This book should be very interesting.

I will post a review when I have read it.

Posted by Pam

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA

09/01/22 11:51 PM

14930 posts

Mammoth bones! Wow!

You'll have to do a book report when you get thru this book!

Thanks for the link.

Posted by Rebecca OP

Nashville, TN, USA

09/02/22 03:33 PM

3923 posts

Pam, You're welcome!
I will definitely do a book report!

Posted by Nigel

Northamptonshire, England

09/02/22 04:36 PM

34174 posts

I hadn't heard about the Mammoths

Posted by Rebecca OP

Nashville, TN, USA

09/02/22 07:59 PM

3923 posts

Excellent website here detailing the finds:
https://www.crossrail.co.uk/benefits/archaeology/mammoths-and-amber

https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/prehistoric-items-unearthed-at-canary-wharf-3533872
"Whilst the piece of amber is an unusual find professor Adrian Lister, a museum palaeobiologist, says it is quite common to find mammoth bones in the capital."
“Although it seems amazing, it is actually quite common to find bones from mammoths underneath London.”

From 2017:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-38919314

Posted by Rebecca OP

Nashville, TN, USA

09/02/22 08:32 PM

3923 posts

Also interesting is this article from 2012, regarding a Bronze Age transport route found during the digging:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-19834203

From this article:
"Wood found during excavation work for Crossrail could be evidence of a 3,500-year-old Bronze Age transport route through London, experts believe.
Archaeologists examining a site in Plumstead have been searching for the pathway, which ran along the same route of the new rail link in east London.
They have unearthed wooden stakes which they say may have been used in the construction of the transport link.
Crossrail archaeologist Jay Carver said it was a "very significant find".

This has been of great interest to me ever since I read about it back in 2012.
Such walkways are wooden poles, driven into the ground at angles, to support a walkway of planks.
Such ancient pathways or roadways are called Sweet Track, or Sweet Tracks.
Very few have been found that remain in England.

I found an article about them on the Megalithic Postal, here:
https://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=504