Climate change is threat to ancient artifacts in Britain

According to researchers, the ancient monuments in Britain are in danger of being destroyed. The reason is climate change, and more precisely, the progressive increase in temperature, and with it, the drying out of the wet earth, which for centuries was able to keep Roman remains in excellent condition.

Since peat contains very little oxygen, organic materials such as wood, leather and textiles do not deteriorate. They can survive for thousands of years, preserved through anaerobic conditions. As the soil dries up, the air reaches the ancient artefacts and the organic material rots.

Wet soils in Great Britain account for as much as 10% of the total area; as a result, as many as 22,500 places are at risk. Scientists believe that further research and archaeological work at these sites requires hundreds of millions of pounds of funding and decades of excavation.

To emphasize the phenomenon of excavations in Britain, it should be mentioned that archaeologists managed to find here the remains of the Roman, among others toilet seats, leather boots, legion tent cover or legionary gloves.