This image shows the remains of a horse excavated recently from a trench at Mont-Saint-Jean Farm in Waterloo, Belgium. The farm was the site of a field hospital for the Duke of Wellington’s troops in the aftermath of the battle there on 18 June 1815.
The discovery was made by archaeologists, serving personnel, and veterans as part of the Waterloo Uncovered project, which began digging at the farm in 2022. Archaeologists confirmed that the trench, underneath what is now the farm’s orchard, was dug on purpose to clear the hospital of gore after the battle.
To the south of the trench, archaeologists found a pile of amputated human limbs, many of which still showed evidence of removal by a surgeon’s saw. These were laid alongside a complete human skeleton, which was uncovered at the site during the last dig two years ago.
Past masters