A human burial as old as the Great Pyramid of Giza has been discovered here in Yorkshire during the construction of a sewer for a new prison.

The individual burial was found in a burial monument which was unearthed by archaeologists who were investigating the site of a sewer for a jail being built at Full Sutton in East Yorkshire. Yorkshire Water has said a small circular monument was discovered.

This contained an individual buried in a foetal or “crouched” position.

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According to the archaeological team, these burial traditions have been seen in similar monuments, called “round barrows” which are found across the UK. They believe the example found in Full Sutton is around 4,500 years old.

Human remains that were at discovered at Yorkshire Water's Full Sutton works
Human remains that were at discovered at Yorkshire Water’s Full Sutton works
(Image: Yorkshire Water/PA Wire)

Gavin Robinson, from Ecus Archaeology, which undertook the investigation, said: “It was disturbed by later ploughing, but, considering the ground conditions, the associated human remains were surprisingly well-preserved. The local sandy geology is usually too acidic for human remains to survive, however, the grave had been backfilled with a mixture of burnt stone and charcoal from the adjacent ‘burnt mound’ spread, which seems to have helped the bones survive.”

He added: “The grave did not contain any artefacts, however, the bones themselves are an important scientific resource as specialist analysis often provides evidence that can provide insights about the life of the individual.”

Mr Robinson went on to say the analysis stage of the project had not yet begun, “but it is clear that the recorded remains and the palaeo-environmental material recovered have the potential to help answer some of the many remaining questions about life some four and a half thousand years ago”.

The archaeologists say the barrow they discovered was built next to a “burnt mound” with a small earth oven, still containing the stone from its last use. A well was also discovered nearby.

At the moment, little is known about what the burnt mounts were used for, but Mr Robinson hopes this discovery will help with the research. One theory states the stones were heated up and placed in troughs to heat water during the process of dyeing cloth, or in cooking.

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They could have also been used as saunas. Now, the team hopes soil samples taken from the well will contain the remains of plants and insects, which could provide “valuable and rare data” about what was happening at the burnt mound site. It may also provide valuable data about the local environment.

During the Full Sutton project, parts of the foundations of a Roman road were also discovered. Yorkshire Water said its alignment suggested it led northwards towards the remains of the Roman town of Derventio at Reckondales.

Investigations carried out by Ecus Archaeology are taking place for Yorkshire Water as part of a £5 million project to build a new 5.2 kilometre sewer.

A Neolithic or bronze age well discovered at Yorkshire Water's Full Sutton works
A Neolithic or bronze age well discovered at Yorkshire Water’s Full Sutton works
(Image: Yorkshire Water/PA Wire)

Adam Ellis, project manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “This has been a fascinating project to be involved with. The archaeology work prior to us starting the new sewer in the area is something we do on projects considered areas of archaeological interest and it was great to see some of the findings from site.

“Our project is now underway and the sewer currently being laid will provide services for the new prison.” The new prison will be called HMP Millsike and is being built next to the existing HMP Full Sutton.


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