A log coffin dated from the Early Bronze Age was accidentally discovered in a pond on a golf course in Lincolnshire, England. The coffin, which measured 3 meters long and 1 meter wide, was made from a hollowed-out tree trunk and was thought to date from 4,000 years ago.
Inside the log coffin were the remains of a man and a perfectly preserved axe with wooden shaft and stone head. The man’s body was laid on a cushion of yew or juniper leaves. Then, a gravel mound was raised on top of the grave, which suggested that the man had high status. According to archaeologists, the axe was extremely rare as only 12 were known to exist in Britain.
The log coffin itself was also rare, with only 65 of its kind ever discovered. The log coffin was created by carving a large oak tree, whose trunk was split lengthwise to create the hollow cavity.
Image: York Archaeological Trust