stake
- Museum number
- 1986,1201.7
- Title
- Object: The Sweet Track
- Description
-
One wooden stake
- Production date
- 3807BC-3800BC
- Dimensions
-
Length: 560 millimetres
-
Width: 50 millimetres
- Curator's comments
- The Sweet Track was a raised plank walkway in the Somerset Levels that ran across a reed swamp over a distance of two kilometres, joining an island in the swamp to a ridge of high ground to the south. The track was made of three basic components: planks made of oak, ash and lime, and rails and pegs made mainly of hazel and alder. The separate components were prepared on dry land and brought into the wet area. The rails were laid end to end and secured by sharpened pegs driven slantwise into the ground on either side. The planks were then wedged into place between the peg-tops, parallel to the rails beneath, and held firmly in position by vertical pegs. Tree-ring evidence has shown that it was built in 3807/6 BC, and was being repaired and maintained at least until 3800 BC.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1986, London, BM, 'Archaeology in Britain: New Views of the Past'
- Acquisition date
- 1986
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1986,1201.7