A sunken forest composed of hundreds of petrified trees has emerged in a beach in Britain. Low tide and Storm Hannah, which struck Wales on April 27, likely helped uncover the Bronze Age forest, which was buried under water and sand.
Mythical Link
The sunken forest of Borth, which lies between Ynyslas and Borth in Ceredigion county, has been linked to a 17th-century myth of a sunken kingdom called "Cantre'r Gwaelod," or the "Sunken Hundred."
According to folklore, Cantre'r Gwaelod was lost to floods when the fairy well priestess Mererid neglected her duties, causing the well to overflow.
It is believed the area used to be a fertile land, where floodgates protected the people. According to one myth, Cantre'r Gwaelod extended about 20 miles west of the shorelines of what is now the Cardigan Bay.
Some people claim they can still hear the ringing bells of the drowned church.
Sunken Forest
Archaeologists have long been aware that a forest exists on the Welsh beach because small tree stumps are sometimes seen along parts of it at low tide. The submerged forest contains pine, oak, alder and birch, which all stopped growing 4,500 and 6,000 years ago.
Archaeological objects such as fossilized animal and human footprints and tools have also been uncovered from the area.
Taller stumps became visible in 2014, but these were soon mostly reburied in the sand. The forest, however, has again surfaced. Thick trunks and massive roots are now seen for the first time in thousands of years.
Not as good as the pictures that have been doing the rounds, but went to see the petrified forest at Borth this morning pic.twitter.com/jtJ5SPY1Rm — Claire Keevil (@clelke) May 27, 2019
The 5000 year old Scots Pines of Borth’s submerged forest were looking pretty impressive at low tide. It’s always enthralling to stroll amongst the stumps and picture what it might once have looked like... pic.twitter.com/eZIjl0a3BC — Ben Porter (@bardseyben) April 14, 2019
Storm Hannah And Low Tide
Locals think it is the most of the forest ever to be revealed and attribute this to Storm Hannah digging out the roots and the lower-than-usual tide.
"Usually you are only able to see the tips of the tree stumps," said amateur photographer Wayne Lewis, who was walking on the beach when he saw the uncovered underwater forest.
"I don't know for sure, but it is probably due to a combination of 'Storm Hannah' with the 80mph plus winds last month, and the tides have been very low, making more of the forest visible."
