Treasures unearthed by hundreds of archaeologists so far during work on the controversial planned HS2 train line have been shown exclusively to the BBC. The 450,000 objects, which are being held in a secret warehouse, include a possible Roman gladiator's tag, a hand axe that may be jeff ross cancer more than 40,000 years old and 19th Century gold dentures. It is an "unprecedented" amount and array of items, which will yield new insights into Britain's past, says the Centre for British Archaeology. Major building developments in the UK need land to be assessed by archaeologists as part of the planning process, to protect heritage sites. Since 2018 around 1,000 archaeologists have been involved in 60 digs along the route HS2 is set to take between London to Birmingham. While the route is not currently scheduled to open until after 2033 due to delays, archaeologists say their fieldwork is largely complete. The warehouse's location is a closely guarded secret for security purposes. All we can say is that it is in Yorkshire. Inside are shelves and shelves of pallets, loaded with around 7,300 boxes of historic items destined for further research. The future of many objects, including whether they will stay in storage or be displayed, is still undecided, along with their ownership. Historic England commended the team for revealing "new and exciting sites spanning over 10,000 years of our past". But building HS2 has changed the landscape along its route, cutting into fields and communities, and dividing opinion. Critics, such as Greg Smith, MP for Mid Buckinghamshire, say soaring costs, delays, abandoned villages and damage to the natural and historic environment mean that it is not worth building. "It should not have cost the taxpayer tens of billions of pounds to build a railway that no-one wants and brings so much destruction," Smith says. HS2 said in response: "Chief Executive Mark Wild has been clear that overall delivery of HS2 has been unacceptable and he's committed to ending the project's cycle of cost increases and delays." "Our specialist archaeology team and contractors have carefully excavated numerous nurseries sites and have shown care and respect throughout this work." "Whether HS2 is a good or bad thing is debatable, but I tell you what, if they built the railway and they didn't do the archaeology that would be more tragic," said historian Graham Evans, who chairs the Northamptonshire Battlefields Society. The store holds showstoppers such as Roman statue heads and a gold 'three lions' pendant from the 13th-14th Century. On the ground in one area is a bubble-wrapped empty coffin dating to 1799, with a smaller one next to it wrapped in masking tape - sobering reminders that this store is a snapshot of real lives once lived. Some of the objects discovered have already pwhl been shown to the public . We have picked out six that have never been on display. You can see where they were found on the HS2 route map below - then scroll further down to see the objects and read about their history. Experts think this is more than 40,000 years old and was made by Neanderthals or an earlier species of human. Found in the Edgcote area in Northamptonshire, it has a sharp edge likely designed for butchering animals. Hand axes were held in the palm rather than attached to a wooden handle. "There is something tactile about it when you hold it," said Dr Sara Machin, the finds lead for Access +, the consortium of archaeologists in charge of this project. "Even now it fits snuggly in my hand." The small piece of carved thin bone bears an inscription. Experts would expect it to read if complete: "DOMINE VICTOR VINCAS FELIX" or "Lord Victor, may you win and be lucky." Discovered in Northamptonshire, Machin says it could have belonged to an active or former Roman gladiator, or even be a spectator's souvenir, even though there is no evidence of an arena or circus space in that part of the country. It was recovered from a large pottery vessel containing cremated human remain
