There have been reports for some weeks of strange smells in North Abingdon.

Excavations have been happening in a field between the Wootton Road and Dunmore Road in North Abingdon, which is going to be houses. The archaeological dig is bigger that you would expect for such a site. They could have unearthed the bad smell.

The reason for the smell has not been found, but what has been found is part of a skull. The skull is quite human-like, but not fully human.

Nearby there are some very early forms of clay plates with part of a meal. Early analysis shows that it is bread-like with dried grape bits. These appear to be pre-historic currant buns.

The other thing of interest near the human-like skull are two horns fixed into a mask-like frame.

There is a long way to go but, if this is confirmed as a new sub-species, it could be called Homo abingdonii. It would also mean that bun throwing and morris dancing started much earlier than we thought.