Post Track facts for kids

The Post Track is a very old wooden path found in the Somerset Levels in England. It was built around 3838 BCE, which means it's nearly 6,000 years old! This makes it even older than another famous ancient path nearby, called the Sweet Track. Parts of the Post Track are now protected as important ancient monuments.

The Ancient Post Track

The Post Track is a fascinating example of early engineering. It shows how people long ago built ways to cross wet and marshy land.

What Was It Made Of?

This ancient wooden path was built using long planks from ash trees. It also had posts made from lime and hazel trees. These posts were placed about three metres apart along the path. Unlike some other ancient paths, the heavy planks of the Post Track were not often held down with pegs.

When Was It Built?

The Post Track dates back to around 3838 BCE. This means it was built about 30 years before the famous Sweet Track, which is also in the same area. Figuring out the exact age was a bit tricky because some of the wood planks from the Post Track were later reused when the Sweet Track was built.

What Was Its Purpose?

The Post Track follows a path very close to the Sweet Track. Before its age was accurately known, some people thought it might have been a platform used to help build the Sweet Track. However, experts now believe the Post Track had its own important purpose. It is thought that this path might have led to places that were special or spiritually important to the people living at that time.

It is likely that the Post Track was meant to be a lasting structure. People would have fixed it and kept it in good condition. As parts of the path wore out from weather and time, they would have been replaced.