An annular ditch is a kind of trench of a round or semi-annular type, which is often cut down in rocks. During excavations, they are often found plowed up, like the remains of a round mound, where the mound itself has disappeared without a trace.
Archaeologists have discovered an ancient ring moat while working on the construction of Dove Valley Park in Derbyshire, England. This was done on the basis of footprints and aerial photographs, suggesting the presence of several ring and linear ditches, writes HeritageDaily.
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Thanks to further excavations, specialists were able to confirm the existence of this special structure, they selectively explored certain areas.
Ring ditches, as a rule, are dug or hewn trenches of a round or pentagonal plan, sometimes of a half-ring type, in bedrock, often rocks. Also, this term is used for a general description when there is no or insufficiently clear evidence about the function of the found place. For example, if it is a devastated area, known only as traces of crops or as a geophysical anomaly.
The results of the excavations indicate that the ring ditch is of prehistoric origin.
Фото: Pre-Construct Archaeology
The results of the excavations indicate that the ring ditch is of prehistoric origin. One of the reasons is the placement nearby of the same object, discovered in the 1990s. It is dated to the Bronze Age.
Archaeologists believe that there was once a fence for pets in its place. In addition, they managed to find a possible entrance to the fence with traces of repeated digging of the ring ditch, which indicates the care of the object and possible long-term use.
It is believed that a long, straight ditch was a long-standing limit for delimiting land. It ran from west to east north of the ring moat.
The researchers note that such discoveries deepen our understanding of the rich history of the region and provide an incredible insight into how our ancestors lived and worked.
Focus has previously written about unearthed evidence of early cheesemaking. Ancient people made cheese and yogurt using the milk of different animals.
We also talked about how researchers restore ancient Bronze Age tools. Some of them are not too far from our modern woodworking tools.
