Archeological Treasures: UK Storms 2014 Reveal 5,000-year-old Forest on Welsh beach – February 2014

1

This is surreal! The UK storms in 2014 have revealed the remains of these ancient trees on a beach near the village of Borth, Ceredigion, Mid Wales. And this ancient forest is tied to the fable of Cantre’r Gwaelod.

Wow! The latest UK storms that battered southern UK in February 2014 weren’t not only apocalyptic, but also revealed amazing and surreal archeological treasures. One of the most incredible exemple are ancient oaks and pines from 5,000-year-old forest that have been unearthed on a Welsh beach.

5000-year-old forest unearthed by UK storms in February 2014, UK storm archeological treasures, welsch beach ancient forest discovery, archeological treasures: ancient forest unearthed during UK storms in February 2014, UK storms news 2014, new archeological discoveries: ancient forest discovered in Mid Wales, 5000-year-old forest unearthed by UK storms in February 2014. Photo: Keith Morris, These 5,000-year-old trees have emerged on a beach in Mid Wales after peat was washed away during the recent storms, The oak and yew stumps were once part of a forest that covered the whole area before it turned into a peat bog and was eventually overwhelmed by water, The tree stumps are not the only ancient treasure to be unearthed by the bad weather. In January an ichthyosaur skeleton was discovered on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset after part of the cliff fell away and revealed
5000-year-old forest unearthed by UK storms in February 2014. Photo: Keith Morris

The ancient forest was covered in peat before eventually being swallowed by the sea. They were uncovered by the latest set of storms which washed away the peat layer. Conditions inside the peat, devoid of oxygen and slightly alkaline, have meant the stumps survived.

The Folklore behind this forest

Legends say trees and nearby township were flooded after a priestess neglected a magical well.  Folklore has it that Cantre’r Gwaelod, or the Sunken Hundred, a once-fertile land and township, was lost beneath the waves in a mythical age (BTW, did you know tahat saturday is the end of the world according to Vikings?) . The land is said to have extended 20 miles west of the present Cardigan Bay, but disaster struck and Cantre’r Gwaelod was lost to floods when Mererid, the priestess of a fairy well, apparently neglected her duties and allowed the well to overflow.

The tree stumps are not the only ancient treasure to be unearthed by the bad weather. In January an ichthyosaur skeleton was discovered on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset after part of the cliff fell away and revealed it.

You can look at other pictures here.

Follow us: Facebook and Twitter

1 Comment

Leave a reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.