Richard Collins: Recovered 'treasures' teach about ancient sites

An analysis of faeces found at the site of a prehistoric village near Stonehenge has uncovered evidence of the eggs of parasitic worms. This suggests the inhabitants feasted on the internal organs of cattle and fed leftovers to their dogs

Ancient faeces found at a settlement thought to have housed builders of Stonehenge suggests parasites were consumed via badly cooked cow offal during epic winter feasts.

Researchers from Cambridge have examined 19 coprolites — ‘turds’ to you and me — from a site where workers building Stonehenge lived each winter.

Eggs of parasitic worms, inhabiting the liver, were identified in the ‘stools’. Builders ate the half-cooked internal organs of cattle. Dog poo from the site contained parasites found in fish — assuming that fish was on the menu and they gobbled scraps from the table. So was pork — pig bones have been found at Stonehenge.