A significant archaeological discovery made at Lunt Meadows, Sefton during habitat restoration work by the Environment Agency has confirmed the work is restoring the site to its natural habitat.
The discovery was made in summer of this year during excavation work at the 70ha site alongside the River Alt where the Environment Agency has been recreating the wetland habitat to encourage a greater diversity of wildlife, improve water quality and alleviate flood risk in line with its broad remit to improve, create and protect habitats.
The archaeological find is described by Ron Cowell, Environment Agency consultant archaeologist and curator of prehistoric archaeology at Liverpool Museum :
“ This find, in archaeological terms, is quite significant and potentially of national importance. It’s by far way above in importance that I have worked with in more than 30 years of archaeology .
“ We have always thought that Mesolithic man was nomadic, yet this site presents the possibility that several families may have been living together in one place. Other sites in the UK have indicated that we have been looking at the period in an over simplistic way, and Lunt Meadows provides further compelling evidence of how Mesolithic people organised their lives. It is a very significant find and a great coup for the region .”
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Dredging Today Staff, November 22, 2012; Image: archaeology-in-europe