Reprint from The Daily Mail, 17 March 2008
A 4,000-year-old skeleton has been unearthed by experts working on building Britain's biggest ever greenhouse - clutching a pint of beer.The Bronze Age man's body was dug up by archaeologists who were called in after a team of builders working on the construction of the giant Thanet Earth project in Monkton, Kent, uncovered the skeleton last week.
According to experts the skeleton - that of a high status male - was found in shallow grave holding a "type of beer mug".
Marion Green, of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust, said that the find last week was one of the best preserved Bronze Age skeletons she had ever seen.
She added: "It is a beautifully decorated pot which could have been used as a type of beer mug."
Tests on beer mugs from other sites show that Bronze Age man was an ale lover - making the booze from grain.
Thanet Earth spokeswoman Judy Whittaker said: "There have been several interesting finds, but this is the most exciting."The man will eventually go on display at a museum."
The giant Thanet Earth greenhouse - the size of 70 football pitches - will be used to grow peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes for supermarket shoppers.
A team of 30 archaeologists from the Canterbury Archaeological Trust have been working on areas of the 200-acre site.
The first part of the giant project is due to be built in three weeks.
Prosit!
the Bier Kaiser
