Peat amongst a dredged load is a problem for the aggregate industry - it is a costly contaminant that will be discarded. Don't forget that if you need any advice on how to report finds or which finds should be reported, get in touch with your Nominated Contact or with Wessex Archaeology via You will not need to store this sample for long – if we think we might be able to study it we will arrange to collect it. When it is reported we will give you a unique number to add to the labels on the bag. Label it with a description, the date it was dredged and the name of the finder or Site Champion. If it is found on board a vessel please provide your Nominated Contact with the trackplot as well – your Wessex Archaeology team will be requesting it! If safe to do so, please keep a sample of the peat in a clear plastic sack (no more than half a bag). Fill in all details on the reporting form including the licence area and the date that it was dredged.

If you find peat amongst a dredged load report it in the usual fashion. So by studying peat we can find out what the climate was like, when the plants in the peat grew, whether people were present and what their world was like. Peat deposits can also contain evidence that teaches us about ancient people – such as flint flakes and tools, worked bone or charcoal that may indicate the location of a fire many thousands of years ago.

Dredged it up