ARCHAEOLOGISTS have uncovered one of the oldest and most complete wooden tools ever found in Britain during an excavation in Arne.

The wooden spade was discovered during archaeological excavations by Wessex Archaeology for The Moors at Arne project.

Preliminary scientific dating of this find suggests it dates to the Bronze Age and is, therefore, one of the oldest wooden tools ever discovered in Britain.

Ed Treasure, from Wessex Archaeology, who led the environmental analysis of the spade, said: "The moment the spade started to be uncovered, the team on site knew it was a very special object, and now we're able to analyse it here in the laboratory, we're starting to reveal its story.

"It's made of oak, and radiocarbon dating of the wood itself confirms it is c.3500-3400 years old, placing it firmly in the Middle Bronze Age.

"Further scientific dating will shine more light on when the spade was made. This is an incredibly exciting moment, and we're looking forward to hearing more as the process unfolds."

(Image: Wessex Archaeology)

By the Middle Bronze Age, people across the country had settled into rural agricultural lifestyles that we might recognise today, with farmsteads, villages, and extensive field systems.

However, there is little evidence to suggest that there was a permanent domestic settlement where the spade was uncovered. Instead, archaeologists are exploring the idea that people were visiting this site seasonally.

Greg Chuter, the Environment Agency archaeologist leading the programme, said: "We're working across a vast landscape that is dominated by nature with very little to suggest to the naked eye that much human activity has taken place here.

"However, just beneath the surface we've uncovered evidence of the ways humans have cleverly adapted to the challenges presented by this particular environment for over 3000 years. The spade is a fascinating part of the story and as research continues we're looking forward to exploring the relationship between the spade and the ditch, and what else they can tell us about life here 3000 years ago."

(Image: Wessex Archaeology)

The spade was uncovered during archaeological excavations for The Moors at Arne project, which is adapting more than 150 hectares of land into a diverse wetlands habitat. This type of habitat is being lost in other areas of Poole Harbour due to 'coastal squeeze'.

This is a term used to describe the effect of rising sea levels pressing against structures made in the environment, such as flood defences, resulting in a loss of intertidal habitats such as mud flats and salt marshes.