Charlotte Hodgman's blog

A collection of early Bronze Age remains and artefacts discovered in a peat mound on Dartmoor in Devon is being hailed as one of the most important finds in the last 100 years by archaeologists. A burial cist – stone-built chest – found at the site revealed cremated human bone, and burnt textile placed within animal hide or fur. Also unearthed was a woven bag filled with around 100 amber and shale beads.

A red poppy plucked from Flanders Field in July 1916 has come to light during a house move.

The latest issue of BBC History Magazine is now on sale. In our new edition, Helen Rappaport explains how the death of Prince Albert on 14 December 1861 dealt a hammer blow to the monarchy, and examines the extent of Queen Victoria's grief.

Elsewhere in the magazine, BBC History Magazine's Rob Attar speaks to three veterans who endured forced marches as PoWs during the Second World War.

Two baby teeth and a jaw fragment have been confirmed as the earliest known remains of Homo sapiens in Europe, according to research published in the journal Nature.

A 12-metre section of keel thought to belong to a ship that took part in a failed Mongol invasion of Japan in the 13th century has been found in deep sand off Nagasaki prefecture in Japan. The find, which is the largest piece of hull recovered from the Mongol invasion fleets, was painted whitish grey and held together by nails. Other items including bricks and weapons were also found onboard.

The first intact Viking boat burial site ever found on the UK mainland has been unearthed at Ardnamurchan in the west Highlands, according to archaeologists. The remains of what is thought to have been a high-ranking Viking warrior were found with evidence of the boat he was buried in, together with an axe, a sword with a decorated hilt, a spear, a shield boss and a bronze ring pin.

A recent report, commissioned by Transport for London, has revealed that one of London’s most iconic landmarks is on the move. Construction of the current tower, known colloquially as ‘Big Ben’ after the bell it houses, began in 1843 but the monument is now leaning 0.26 degrees to the north-west, putting it out of alignment by about 0.5m at its highest point. Experts are unsure what is making the tower lean but one theory is that the clay on which it is built is drying out.

The latest issue of BBC History Magazine is now on sale. In our new edition, Mark Ormrod explains the central roles played by King Edward III's wife and children in his dreams of empire, as well as in his private life.

Elsewhere in the magazine, Tim Reinke-Williams takes a look at the 17th-century fashion faux pas that sometimes ended with women being driven out of town.

Campaigners have warned the Indian government that the country’s 358-year-old Taj Mahal could collapse within five years unless essential work is carried out to shore up its foundations. Created by Mogul emperor Shah Jahan following the death of his wife, the Taj Mahal is built on mahogany post foundations sunk into wells fed by the nearby Yamuna River.

Five of the Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in 11 caves near the Dead Sea, east of Jerusalem, between 1947 and 1956, have been made available online thanks to the internet search engine Google. The scrolls, which include the Temple Scroll and Great Isaiah Scroll, were photographed using ultraviolet-protected flash tubes, which lit them for 1/4000th of a second to avoid causing light damage.