5,000-yr-old human skull found at Isle of Man airport

London, June 27 : A prehistoric human skull, dating back to 5,000 years has been found, together with remains relating to a Neolithic house, during works on a runway extension project at the Isle of Man airport.

According to a report in the Isle of Man Today, experts from Oxford Archaeology called in to carry out the excavation have described the finds as being of 'national and possibly European significance'.

The findings include remains of a building, a rubbish dump and funerary and mortuary finds, including stone cairns built over the top of commemoration pyres, as well as flint flakes and tools and fragments of ancient pottery vessels.

Airport director Ann Reynolds said that the discovery of the remains, found within a 60m stretch of a proposed parallel taxiway extension to the north east of the airfield was 'unlikely' to delay the runway project, scheduled for completion in December 2009.

ANI