'Fossil hunters' discover 3,000-year-old paddle
Hear about the fossil's
discovery and see the paddle itself.
by Mel Ralph
A Bronze Age paddle was discovered on a fossil hunt at Wildwood
Trust, Herne Bay.
There are thought to have been only six other paddles of its
type found in the UK.
Anne Riddell, head of education at Wildwood, and one of the
people that helped with the excavation of the paddle, said: "To
find something like this is fantastic and really exciting."
The Bronze Age discovery was spotted on an annual Fossil Hunt on
June 21. Around 50 people gathered for the hunt to walk from
Swalecliffe to Longcrock.
The paddle was noticed by one of the group when they saw a piece
of wood sticking out of the mud.
Members of the Regionally Important Geological and
Geomorphological Sites (RIGS), who were also on the hunt, confirmed
the find by analysing the Bronze Age sediment it was found in.
In Britain, the Bronze Age is considered to have been the
period from around 2700 to 700 BC.
Tuesday, June 30 2009