Guardians of the secret warehouse lost the world of treasures found on the HS2 route

The treasures uncovered by hundreds of archaeologists so far during work on the controversial planned HS2 train line have been revealed exclusively to the BBC.

The 450,000 objects, which are kept in a secret warehouse, include a possible Roman gladiator tag, a hand ax that could be more than 40,000 years old and gold dentures from the 19th century.

It is an “unprecedented” quantity and range of artefacts, which will provide new insights into Britain’s past, says the Center for British Archaeology.

Major construction in the UK requires land to be assessed by archaeologists as part of the planning process to protect heritage sites.

As of 2018, around 1,000 archaeologists have been involved in 60 digs along the HS2 route that is to run between London and Birmingham.

Although the route is not currently scheduled to open until after 2033 due to delays, archaeologists say their fieldwork is largely complete.

The location of the warehouse is a closely guarded secret for security reasons. All we can say is that it’s in Yorkshire. Inside are shelves and pallet racks, loaded with approximately 7,300 boxes of historical items for further research.

The future of many objects, including whether they will remain in storage or go on display, is still undecided, along with their ownership.

Historic England praised the team for uncovering “exciting new sites spanning over 10,000 years of our past”.

But building HS2 has changed the landscape along its route, cutting into fields and communities and dividing opinion.

Critics, such as Greg Smith, MP for Mid Buckinghamshire, say rising costs, delays, derelict villages and damage to the natural and historic environment mean it is not worth building.

“It shouldn’t have cost the taxpayer tens of billions of pounds to build a railway that nobody wants and that brings so much destruction,” says Smith.

HS2 said in response: “Chief executive Mark Wild was clear that the overall delivery of HS2 was unacceptable and committed to ending the project’s cycle of cost overruns and delays.”

“Our specialist archeology team and contractors carefully excavated numerous sites and showed care and respect throughout this work.”

“Whether HS2 is a good thing or a bad thing is debatable, but I tell you what, if they had built the railway and not done the archaeology, it would be more tragic,” said historian Graham Evans, who runs the Northamptonshire Battlefields Society.

The shop holds showpieces such as Roman statue heads and a gold “three lion” pendant from the 13th-14th centuries.

On the ground in one area sits an empty, bubble-wrapped casket dating back to 1799, with a smaller one next to it wrapped in masking tape — reminders that this store is a snapshot of real lives once lived.

Some of the objects discovered have already been shown to the public.

I have chosen six that have never been exhibited. You can see where they were found on the HS2 route map below – then scroll down to see the items and read about their history.

Paleolithic hand axe

Experts believe it is over 40,000 years old and was made by Neanderthals or an earlier species of man.

Found in the Edgcote area of ​​Northamptonshire, it has a sharp edge, probably designed for butchering animals.

Hand axes were held in the palm of the hand rather than attached to a wooden handle.

“There’s something tactile when you hold it,” said Dr Sara Machin, discovery lead for Access+, the consortium of archaeologists responsible for the project. “Even now it fits perfectly in my hand.”

Roman gladiator tag

The small piece of thinly carved bone bears an inscription. Experts would expect it to read if complete: “DOMINE VICTOR VINCAS FELIX” or “Lord Victor, may you win and be lucky.”

Discovered in Northamptonshire, Machin says it could have belonged to an active or former Roman gladiator, or even a spectator’s souvenir, even though there is no evidence of an arena or circus space in that part of the country.

It was recovered from a large pottery vessel containing cremated human remains with an X on the lid.

Dr John Pearce Reader in Archeology at Kings College University said a connection with a gladiator was possible, but added that “with more forensic analysis of the burial, a different story may emerge”.

Anglo-Saxon spindle whorl

Believed to be made from a cattle femur, this decorated Anglo-Saxon spiral, used to provide weight while casting yarn, was unearthed from farmland near Bishopstone, Buckinghamshire.

“It’s very interesting evidence of the textile advances of the Anglo-Saxon period,” said Willow Major, a post-escape assistant.

Its polished surface makes her think it was used a lot and was very dear to someone, she said, adding that interestingly, the ring and dot motif was found on spinning tools from the much earlier Iron Age.

The medieval die

A small polished die recovered from a derelict medieval village in Lower Radbourne, Warwickshire, resembles the modern ones but with a different numbering format.

Its imperfections, with one side longer than the other, contrast it with today’s mass-produced dice.

Pug found in a grave

This complete figurine of a seated pug dog, in plain white porcelain with black details, was found in the grave of an unnamed female in St James’ Gardens, Euston.

It is believed to have been made in the Derby porcelain factory around 1770-1800.

Gold dentures from the 19th century

“Every box has a surprise,” Machin said as he unwrapped perhaps the most bizarre item here, believed to be from the 19th century: a set of gold lower dentures found at St Mary’s Old Church in Stoke Mandeville.

It contains six teeth and has a number stamped on the inside.

“These are objects, but they all relate to people,” Machin said. “It’s all about the people who lived in these areas thousands of years ago, and we can start writing stories about their lives and what they can tell us.”

“Extraordinary” scale.

“The scale is what makes it so extraordinary,” says Neil Redfern of the Council for British Archaeology, comparing HS2 to other large development projects.

“But it is the length of the scheme and the landscapes and places that HS2 has passed through that make the collection of sites and materials so interesting. The research potential from this material is outstanding.”

He believes the findings could help people understand wider landscape change now and in the past.

To dig deeper into these stories, archaeologists are now entering the second phase of work, including further checks on condition, cleaning and preservation.

More plans are underway to show the objects. Artefacts from Wendover Saxon Cemetery, where 122 graves were discovered, will soon be on display for the first time at a Discover Bucks Museum exhibition.

However, the future of other items is less clear.

A spokesman for HS2 explained that in accordance with English property law, archaeological and historical objects found during the work will belong to either the government or the landowners.

“On occasion, landowners may wish to retain ownership of items, in which case they will be returned to their care,” the spokesman said.

Charlotte Self, archives manager for the project, said she and her team are asking landowners to donate them where possible so people around the trail can enjoy them.

“I would like to see most of these items deposited in local museums near where they were found,” she said.