Rare Bronze and Iron Age log boats found in Cambridgeshire on public display for the first time.

International Significance

The log boats are of international importance. They reveal fascinating details about prehistoric carpentry and construction techniques and transportation methods.

Analysis has identified the specific tree species used, felling methods, and the tools employed in their creation.

Since their excavation, the log boats have been carefully preserved in climate-controlled conditions using a specialised wax and water solution.

Three log boats are now on permanent display at the Flag Fen Archaeology Park. Visitors can see a Middle Bronze Age 6.3m oak vessel, which has areas of charring inside, alongside a 2.2m fragment of a Middle Bronze Age oak boat featuring an intricate repair within the hull and a 0.8m fragment of an Early Bronze Age boat made of field maple.

Conservation Partnership

The preservation of these nationally significant artefacts was made possible because of expertise and funding from a number of sources, including the landowner and developer Forterra. Funding included a £73,261 grant from Historic England, with match funding of £48,854 from Peterborough City Council.

The recording and analysis of the boats was undertaken by Cambridge Archaeological Unit. A specialist conservation facility was built at Flag Fen Archaeology Park where conservation work was carried out by York Archaeological Trust and Peterborough City Council.

Comments

Jacqueline Mooney, General Manager, Flag Fen Archaeology Park, said: “The Must Farm boats have lain undisturbed for over 3,000 years, preserved in the peaty silence of time. Now, through our new exhibition, they emerge to tell their story. This is more than an archaeological display—it’s a powerful reconnection with the people who once lived, worked, and journeyed through this landscape. At Flag Fen, we are proud to share this extraordinary chapter of our shared human past, brought to life through meticulous excavation, conservation, and storytelling.”

Claudia Kenyatta CBE and Emma Squire CBE, Co-CEOs of Historic England, said: "These rare log boats represent an extraordinary window into our prehistoric past. By investing in their conservation, we've ensured that future generations can appreciate these remarkable examples of prehistoric craftsmanship."

Cllr Shabina Qayyum, Leader of Peterborough City Council, said: “I’m really excited to see this exhibition which will give a fascinating insight into Peterborough’s prehistoric past. I would like to thank those involved at Flag Fen and encourage everyone to come and visit. We are really fortunate to have several wonderful attractions in Peterborough and are fully committed to supporting them so they can continue to be enjoyed.”

Iona Robinson Zeki, Archaeological Researcher, Cambridge Archaeological Unit, said: “The Must Farm log boats are an amazing discovery: they reveal that these simple, yet supremely effective boats were used to navigate a fenland river for almost a millennium. We can see, in their varied construction, how the qualities of different types and sizes of trees were used to make boats ranging from small, manoeuvrable canoes to long, stable punt-like vessels. These vessels were used to lay fish traps but also to transport people potentially alongside animals and materials.”