Mass frog burial baffles experts at iron age site near Cambridge: An unprecedented trove of 8,000 bones presents archaeologists at a road dig with a prehistoric mystery

Guardian (UK) ^ | Sunday, June 12, 2022 | Dalya Alberge

[SunkenCiv]

Archaeologists working near the site of an iron age home near Cambridge were perplexed when they uncovered a vast trove of frog skeletons. Quite why more than 8,000 bones had been piled up and preserved is a prehistoric mystery.

They were all recovered from a single 14-metre-long ditch, right next to the site of an iron age roundhouse at Bar Hill, where there was a settlement during the middle and late iron age (400BC-AD43)...

It is unlikely that these amphibians had been eaten by the people living at the settlement. The archaeologists say that, while there is evidence of amphibian consumption in Britain dating to the stone age, these bones have no cuts or burn marks. If the frogs had been boiled, however, this may not have left traces.

Evidence of charred grain found near the site suggests that its inhabitants were processing crops that would attract pests such as beetles and aphids, which frogs are known to eat. So perhaps the frogs were drawn to the area by the promise of food, the archaeologists suggest.

Other potential explanations include “a prehistoric frog tragedy”. The archaeologists say that frogs are known to move in large numbers in spring in search of breeding waters and these could have fallen into the ditch and become trapped.

According to one hypothesis, the unusual death toll might also have been caused by winter hardship. While hibernating frogs sometimes hide in the mud, extreme cold can kill them and perhaps they fell victim to a particularly severe winter...

[kaktuskid]

A Frogapocolypse?

[csvset]

Site of Ye Olde All You Can Eat Frog Leg Buffet ?

[DPMD]

Mass frog burial site; that’s a lot of Frenchies. Any white flags included?

[Libloather]

Frog vaccination convention gone bad?

[GingisK]

I’m thinking they did this just to have a laugh at the expense of archaeologists.

[M Kehoe]

Dinner.

Have the archeologist send a $20 to FR in my name.

Thanks.

5.56mm

[M Kehoe]

Although, sauteed and fried you can’t beat those legs.

5.56mm

[Cboldt]

Tastes like chicken. Probably a game and they served the fans frog legs.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Amphibian Death Pit….
And some say all the good band names are already taken.

[nomorelurker]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frogs_(film)

Maybe it was a several century ahead of its time dry run for the Ray Milland Sam Elliot 1972 Film “FROGS”.

Cheapo guilty pleasure movie favorite of mine.
One of those it’s so bad it’s fun to watch movies.

[NonValueAdded]

refuse from the first Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival?

[no-to-illegals]

I like your theory. Especially the eating part

[Ezekiel]

If the frogs had been boiled, however, this may not have left traces.

Who could imagine the true number of lost civilizations?

[tet68]

This was obviously what was left after a rain of frogs
that came at a time when they hadn’t learned to fry
them yet. You notice there are no remnants left over
after a rain of hot dogs...

[M Kehoe]

You know that doesn’t rhyme, don’t you?

5.56mm

[SunkenCiv]

Good name for a band.

[Red Badger]

FRENCH?.............................