LONDON, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- One of the largest ever archaeological digs ever carried out in Europe has uncovered a rich tapestry of history about Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval times in the English county of Suffolk, it was revealed Monday..
The archaeological exercise was commissioned by ScottishPower Renewables as part of a project to install underground cables to connect a windfarm off the coast of East Anglia to the national power grid.
Up to 400 archaeologists have worked on a site spanning 60 hectares since February, with a peak on-site workforce of around 250 at any given time, as well as 20 members of the Ipswich and District Metal Detector club.
The dig has revealed new insight into past settlements and land use activities in the region. So far evidence from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman period, Anglo-Saxons and into the medieval period has been found.
As well as evidence of residential dwellings and places of work, a wide range of pottery fragments have been discovered alongside tools and coins and other pieces of interest
Discoveries include fragments of green-glazed face jugs, popular in Medieval homes in 13th century England.
Archaeologists think it is likely the jug was manufactured in Grimston, near King's Lynn, which was a center for the production of medieval pottery at this time.
Household items manufactured at Grimston were exported from King's Lynn all over Europe, while fragments of Bronze Age cooking pots have also been discovered.
The archaeological excavations have been funded by ScottishPower Renewables, prior to the construction of a 37 kilometer underground cable.
Joanna Young, from ScottishPower Renewables, said: "Hundreds of archaeologists and metal detectorists combing over fields in Suffolk is not the first thing you think of when you imagine an offshore windfarm - but it highlights the wide range of efforts needed to build a major energy project."
Richard Newman from Post-Excavation Manager at consultants Wardell Armstrong, said: "It is not often that archaeologists get access to such a vast corridor of land, and the project has been fascinating. The experts on site are often required to act like detectives to understand why buildings and artefacts have been found in certain locations, and then gradually we can build a larger picture. Each find reveals a different clue about the way life used to be in Suffolk."
Councillor Matthew Hicks from Suffolk County Council: "It has been a logistically challenging project, with so many sites and so many people involved. We plan to make the artefacts available to local museums, giving people a chance to interact with important features from Suffolk's past."
Once fully operational the windfarm will provide enough energy to power the equivalent of almost 600,000 homes.
