Bikes have been abandoned since time began...
Unearthed on Whitchurch (Hampshire) Millennium Meadow earlier this year.
Graham Burgess with the stone age bicycle.From the local rag...Wheely interesting find
By Lirpa Loof
HAMPSHIRE is rich in archaeological remains and you must always be prepared for the unexpected.
In the Millennium Green at Whitchurch one of the old sluices that was once used to control the amount of water lying in the old water meadows has been excavated. The intention is to restore the sluices and leave them exposed for educational reasons.
The surprise, however, was the unexpected exposure of what chairman of the trustees Graham Burgess thinks might be the earliest record of a Stone Age bicycle, an early bone-shaker.
Graham said: "Whether this was an actual bicycle or simply an artistic representation or model is difficult to tell."
The local flints, millions of years old, form an obvious frame and one of the wheels appears to be round. Part of another wheel seems to be square.
There seems to be no sign of spokes but if they had been originally wood it is possible they would have rotted a long time ago so one would not expect to find them.
In true archaeological tradition the discovery will be covered over after photographs and measurements have been taken but Graham hopes to expose it on the day on 5 July when the Whitchurch Festival Carnival Procession and many modern day cyclists end up on the meadow.
Local cyclist John Buckley, of Hampshire Cycle Training, said: "It is an interesting find and there are obviously gaps in our knowledge with regard to bicycles but I do wonder if the rear wheel was damaged by Hampshire's notorious pot-holed roads."
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Yes it was published on April 1st
