Archaeologists Digging Beneath Britain's Houses of Parliament Discover 6,000-Year-Old Flint Artifacts and a 2,000-Year-Old Roman Altar Fragment

During restorations at the Palace of Westminster in London, excavations have revealed a trove of historic objects, the oldest of which date to around 4300 B.C.E.

At the Palace of Westminster in London, which houses Britain’s Parliament, archaeologists have unearthed an array of artifacts, ranging from a 19th-century beer jug to 6,000-year-old prehistoric flint flakes.

Researchers from the Museum of London Archaeology found the items during excavations commissioned by the Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Program’s Delivery Authority. According to a statement from the program, the digs are part of an ongoing archaeology project that aims to illuminate Westminster’s history and inform restoration work.

“The Palace of Westminster has been a central part of our national story for a thousand years; the location of momentous events that have shaped the U.K.’s history,” says historian Simon Thurley, chair of the Delivery Authority, in the statement. “As we plan for the significant restoration and renewal of Parliament, we must tread softly on the history beneath our feet, to protect it and to learn from it.”

The 60 prehistoric flint fragments date to about 4300 B.C.E. The unevenly broken stones are evidence of tool-making in the late Mesolithic or early Neolithic periods, per the statement. People of those eras made tools from flint, as the chipped stones had sharp edges. The flint pieces, including one tool, were discovered in sand deposits around Westminster. These deposits once formed part of Thorney Island, where prehistoric inhabitants of the region fished, hunted and gathered food.

“While research suggested we might find traces of early human activity on the site, I was surprised to discover direct evidence of flint tool-making dating back to around 6,000 years ago,” Diane Abrams, archaeology lead of the Delivery Authority, tells Fox News Digital’s Andrea Margolis. She adds that finding prehistoric remains in central London is “incredibly rare.”

During the recent excavations, researchers also found “substantial remains” of Lesser Hall, a medieval two-story building also known as the White Hall. Built in 1167, the hall was originally a royal dining area. Later, it housed the Court of Chancery, the Court of Requests, and the House of Commons and House of Lords during certain periods.

Lesser Hall’s remains are one of the “most exciting and unexpected” discoveries of the excavation, Abrams tells Fox News Digital. “It was unclear just how much of it would survive below the present-day courtyard and car park.”

In 1834, when Lesser Hall housed the House of Lords, a fire started in its basement furnace room. The flames grew into an uncontrollable blaze, later called the Great Fire of 1834. The recent excavations revealed that the hall’s medieval stone walls survived the fire, and the building was reroofed and used until its demolition in 1851. Per the statement, the Lesser Hall walls are “the most significant discovery of the current archaeological investigations,” providing “vital insights into the layout and survival of historic structures beneath the modern palace.”

Abrams tells Fox News Digital that the remains of Lesser Hall and other pre-1834 structures at Westminster were carefully documented—some even recreated in 3D models—before being reburied for posterity.

In addition to the flints and structures, researchers found a Roman altar fragment thought to be around 2,000 years old, which was likely repurposed in another structure built later. They also unearthed 800-year-old shoe soles, straps and a leather boot. Additionally, researchers discovered a lead badge shaped like a flowering heart—a romantic symbol from the 14th or 15th century.

The team found several artifacts dating to the 19th century, like fragments of clay tobacco pipes probably smoked by the stonemasons working in the wake of the 1834 fire. They also unearthed a five-pint beer jug marked with the words “Ship and Turtle Tavern” and “Geo Painter”—likely referring to George Painter, owner of the tavern.

The discoveries “reveal a remarkable timeline of human activity on this iconic site,” Abrams tells Fox News Digital. “The findings will also help us to guide the design and planning for Parliament’s future restoration works.”