Everyday life at ‘Britain’s Pompei’

Anew exhibition – Introducing Must Farm, a Bronze Age Settlement – will open at Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery later this month. The exhibition opens on April 27, following the eagerly anticipated release of a new publication by the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, which tells the remarkable story of the Must Farm pile-dwelling settlement in Whittlesey.

The exhibition, funded by both Historic England and Peterborough Museum, focuses on an introduction to the story of this significant Bronze Age site, dubbed “Britain’s Pompei”, which gives an extraordinary insight into everyday life almost 3,000 years ago.

The Must Farm settlement is a truly fascinating discovery, with the site being occupied for less than a year before it was destroyed by a catastrophic fire.

The everyday objects found there are even more remarkable. A time capsule containing rarely preserved personal items including textiles – some of the finest produced in Europe at that time. Pots and jars complete with meals and utensils, and exotic glass beads – some of which were manufactured in the Middle East revealing a sophistication not normally associated with the Bronze Age.

For the first time in eight years there will be an opportunity to see some of these preserved and unique objects that were uncovered by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit.

Introducing Must Farm, a Bronze Age Settlement is an insightful, engaging and free to visit exhibition with a chance for visitors to see a snapshot of the largest collection of everyday Bronze Age artefacts ever discovered in the UK.

The exhibition aims to engage with visitors of all ages to learn about the excavation, how and why it took place, and the stories that have emerged from the research.

Sarah Wilson, heritage manager at Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery, in Priestgate, adds: “We are incredibly proud to be the recipient of these remarkable discoveries. We recognise we stand on the shoulders of giants and are committed to working in partnership to engage the public with Must Farm for years to come.”

Peterborough Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm.

Some of the items in the exhibition.