Archaeologists identify 4,000-year-old shaman's toolkit near Stonehenge

Artifacts found in the Upton Lovell G2a Bronze Age burial displayed in the Wiltshire museum in Devizes, England. (Journal of Antiquity)

Melissa Lopez-Martinez
CTVNews.ca Writer

Updated Dec. 16, 2022 9:23 p.m. CST
Published Dec. 16, 2022 5:21 p.m. CST

After being discovered nearly two centuries ago, archaeologists have determined mysterious items found at a burial site are part of the toolkit of a shaman, who is said to have made countless gold treasures 4,000 years ago."

The spiritual leader and goldsmith's toolkit was identified by archaeologists at the University of Leicester after researchers pinpointed residues of gold found on the artifacts.

Found in Upton Lovell, Wiltshire, in 1801, the toolkit included five stone hammer-like tools and polished stones, all of which contained shiny traces of gold. In a study released in the Journal of Antiquity on Friday, the researchers say the artifacts were used to make objects of wood or copper, which were then decorated with a thin gold sheet.

"What our work has revealed is the humble stone toolkit that was used to make gold objects thousands of years ago," said lead author Rachel Crellin in a statement.

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https://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/archaeologists-identify-4-000-year-old-shaman-s-toolkit-near-stonehenge-1.6198588