14 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Earliest evidence for intestinal parasites in the UK came from Stonehenge

Researchers think they have discovered the earliest evidence for intestinal parasites in the UK.

Ancient poop found at the site of a prehistoric village near Stonehenge revealed that the settlement’s inhabitants may have dined on badly cooked cow offal.

The bizarre find at Durrington Walls, just 2.8km from the ancient stones in Wiltshire, dates from 2,500 BC when much of Stonehenge was constructed and experts think the site housed the people who built Stonehenge.

A team of archaeologists led by the University of Cambridge investigated 19 pieces of ancient faeces, or ‘coprolite’, found at the site and preserved for more than 4,500 years. And an analysis of the feces found has uncovered evidence of the eggs of parasitic worms.

As reported in the journal Parasitology, at least five out of these 19 ancient poops (one from a human and four from dogs) contained parasite eggs. At least four, including the human poop, featured the eggs of a capillariid parasite worm, which likely made their way into the intestines of people after they ate the raw or undercooked organs from an infected animal. Archaeologists suggest the inhabitants feasted on the internal organs of cattle and fed leftovers to their dogs.

The researchers suggest this is the earliest evidence for intestinal parasites in the UK where the host species that produced the faeces has also been identified.

A team of archaeologists led by the University of Cambridge investigated 19 pieces of ancient faeces, or 'coprolite' (pictured), found at the site and preserved for more than 4,500 years.
A team of archaeologists led by the University of Cambridge investigated 19 pieces of ancient faeces, or ‘coprolite’ (pictured), found at the site and preserved for more than 4,500 years.

‘This is the first time intestinal parasites have been recovered from Neolithic Britain, and to find them in the environment of Stonehenge is really something,’ said study lead author Dr. Piers Mitchell, from Cambridge’s Department of Archaeology.

“As capillariid worms can infect cattle and other ruminants, it seems that cows may have been the most likely source of the parasite eggs,” Dr. Piers Mitchell, lead study author from Cambridge’s Department of Archaeology, said in a statement.

However, bones dug up from the trash heap suggested that cattle weren’t the most commonly consumed animal. Some 90% of the 38,000 bones unearthed were from pigs and 10% from cattle.

One piece of the poop belonging to a dog contained the eggs of fish tapeworm, indicating it had become infected by eating raw freshwater fish. However, no other evidence of fish consumption, such as bones, has been found at the site.

The ancient human poop contained microscopic capillariid worm eggs, identified in part by their lemon shape.
The ancient human poop contained microscopic capillariid worm eggs, identified in part by their lemon shape. Photo: Evilena Anastasiou, University of Cambridge

Durrington Walls was most likely not simply a permanent home to the Stonehenge builders. The team argues that it was the site of big winter feasts for the groups of people who trekked down to the south of England seasonally, most likely in winter, to visit and build upon the monument. However, there is little evidence to suggest that people lived or ate at Stonehenge itself.

“Durrington Walls was occupied on a largely seasonal basis, mainly in winter periods. The dog probably arrived already infected with the parasite,” said study co-author Dr. Piers Mitchell, a medical doctor and senior research associate and director of the Ancient Parasites Laboratory at the University of Cambridge’s department of archaeology, in a news release.

Prof Mike Parker Pearson, from UCL’s Institute of Archaeology, who excavated Durrington Walls between 2005 and 2007, added: “This new evidence tells us something new about the people who came here for winter feasts during the construction of Stonehenge.

“Pork and beef were spit-roasted or boiled in clay pots but it looks as if the offal wasn’t always so well cooked.

The findings are published in the journal Parasitology.

Related Articles

A rare Saint George seal was found during excavations near Suzdal

27 June 2023

27 June 2023

The archaeological survey of the Suzdal Opole, initiated by the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences more...

When Stones Speak of Faith: The Most Significant Religious Archaeological Discoveries of the Last Decade

13 July 2025

13 July 2025

In a world where ancient faith still echoes beneath our feet, the most significant religious archaeological discoveries of the last...

The Jinn of Girnavaz Mound

6 February 2021

6 February 2021

Girnavaz mound is in the north of Nusaybin district of Mardin province and Nusaybin 4 km is away. It is...

Sacred Seduction: Kamasutra Feminism and the Legacy of Ancient Erotic Temples

8 April 2025

8 April 2025

For many, the Kamasutra is merely a name linked to condom brands and erotic chocolates, often dismissed as just a...

Tang-e Chogan bas-relief carvings, Majestic treasures of Sassanid art, are under threat of destruction 

9 March 2022

9 March 2022

Treasures of Sassanid art, some of Tang-e Chogan’s bas-reliefs are under threat of complete destruction due to lack of maintenance...

Hidden Royal Trove of rulers of Poland and Lithuania discovered in the underground vaults of Vilnius Cathedral in Lithuania

17 January 2025

17 January 2025

A unique find was made in the dungeons of the Vilnius Cathedral: The royal funerals of the Polish and Lithuanian...

Three Roman Graves Uncovered in Portugal

17 April 2024

17 April 2024

Three burials dating to the 5th or 6th century AD have been unearthed in the ancient Roman city of Ossónoba...

Women buried with thick twisted bronze neck rings and buckets on their feet found in Ukraine

20 January 2024

20 January 2024

Archaeologists discovered the remains of men buried with weapons such as axes, spearheads, and swords, and women buried with thick...

3D virtual reconstruction of the Celtic city gate

2 May 2022

2 May 2022

A new 3D virtual reconstruction of the Celtic gate has been made in Staffelberg, in the German state of Bavaria....

Using Google Earth and aircraft reconnaissance, archaeologists identify unknown sites and Serbia’s hidden Bronze Age megastructures

17 November 2023

17 November 2023

Using Google Earth and aircraft reconnaissance, archaeologists at University College Dublin identified more than 100 previously unknown sites. Satellite remote...

Wasabi Isn’t Just For Sushi: It is an Innovative Solution for Preserving Ancient Papyrus

28 February 2024

28 February 2024

A new natural technique for cleaning and preserving priceless ancient Egyptian papyrus that are in danger from bacteria and fungi...

Fossil of a hominid child who died almost 250,000 years ago discovered in South Africa

8 November 2021

8 November 2021

A team of international and South African researchers uncovered the fossil remains of an early hominid kid who died almost...

‘Incredibly Rare’ Roman Mausoleum Unearthed Near London Bridge Station

13 June 2023

13 June 2023

Archaeologists report discovering an “incredibly rare” and featured preserved floors and walls Roman mausoleum near London Bridge Station, UK. Archaeologists...

Anatolia’s first company was founded 4000 years ago with 15 kilos of gold!

26 May 2024

26 May 2024

A 4,000-year-old tablet found in Kültepe shows that the first company in Anatolia was established by 12 people with 15...

Netherlands’s unique treasure finds of medieval gold jewelry and silver coins

12 March 2023

12 March 2023

The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (the National Museum of Antiquities) in the Netherlands has announced that a unique treasure of 1000-year-old...