Archaeologists filming *Sandi Toksvig’s Hidden Wonders*, a new series on Channel 4, have uncovered a 2,000-year-old murder mystery in Dorset, England. The discovery, part of an archaeological excavation led by Bournemouth University, revealed the remains of a teenage girl buried face-down in a pit, suggesting a ritualistic killing linked to human sacrifice in Iron Age Britain. The find has raised more questions than answers, particularly about the violent practices of the Durotriges tribe, who inhabited the region before the Roman conquest.
The excavation site, located in rural Dorset, has yielded a wealth of artifacts from daily life in the pre-Roman era, including bronze brooches, a bone comb, and a bangle made of bronze. However, the teenage girl’s burial stands out as an anomaly. Unlike the typical burials found at the site, which were carefully placed with grave goods such as pots or brooches, this skeleton was buried face-down with no such offerings. This stark contrast has led researchers to speculate about the girl’s status and the circumstances of her death.
Excavation leader Miles Russell noted that the girl’s burial