Ancient Meat Feasts Revealed as Bronze Age Britons Gathered Across the Country

Published: 10 September 2025 | The English Chronicle Online

New research has revealed that the impulse to gather and celebrate with food is far from a modern phenomenon. Archaeologists studying animal remains from prehistoric rubbish mounds, or middens, in Wiltshire and the Thames Valley have found evidence suggesting that, more than 2,000 years ago, people travelled from across southern Britain to congregate for large-scale meat feasts at the end of the Bronze Age.

The findings indicate that these gatherings were not one-off events but habitual occasions, with communities driving hundreds of pigs and cattle over long distances to specific sites for decades. Richard Madgwick, a researcher at Cardiff University’s School of History, Archaeology and Religion, described the period as an “age of feasting,” where communal celebrations served a broader social purpose amid climatic and economic instability.

“At a time of significant uncertainty, people in southern Britain turned to feasting,” Madgwick explained. “These events were likely vital for building and consolidating relationships within and between communities, helping to create a sense of cohesion during difficult times.”

The research highlights that different sites had distinctive characteristics, much like modern festivals that cater to varied audiences. At Potterne, near Devizes in Wiltshire, archaeologists uncovered up to 15 metres of bone fragments, showing a preference for pork. Isotope analysis revealed that pigs were sourced from a wide area, including Wales, Cornwall, Devon, and even central northern or north-west England.

Further east, Runnymede in Surrey emerged as another significant gathering site. Here, cattle dominated the feasting remains, with animals brought from Wales and the southwest, suggesting beef was the preferred meat. In contrast, at East Chisenbury, near Stonehenge, sheep were predominant, with most reared locally, indicating that these communities favoured mutton and relied on resources closer to home.

The late Bronze Age was a challenging period, with wetter climates and the declining status of bronze itself. Madgwick suggested that different communities responded to these pressures in unique ways. Potterne and Runnymede appear to have welcomed outsiders and organised large-scale communal events, while East Chisenbury focused on local resources, reflecting a more inward-looking approach.

The study employed multi-isotope analysis, a cutting-edge archaeological technique that allows scientists to trace the geographic origins of animals centuries later. By examining chemical markers embedded in bones from the water and food consumed during an animal’s life, researchers could determine where livestock were reared and reconstruct ancient trade and movement patterns.

The findings shed new light on Bronze Age social life, revealing that feasting was not merely a display of wealth but a crucial mechanism for social networking, community cohesion, and cultural resilience in times of adversity.