Archaeologists have accused road workers of damaging a 6,000-year-old structure close to Stonehenge, the world-famous prehistoric stone circle monument in the United Kingdom.

Highways England, the body in charge of constructing a controversial new tunnel that will re-route traffic underneath the Stonehenge site, has been accused of digging a hole through a platform made from flint and animal bone around 4,000 BCE. The damage was allegedly done when workers at Blick Mead – an archaeological site 1.5 miles from Stonehenge proper – dug a 10-foot-deep hole through a platform that preserves the hoof prints of aurochs, wild cattle that have been extinct for hundreds of years.

The incident has angered the archaeological team that is working with Highways England to preserve the prehistoric site. David Jacques, the lead archaeologist, told the BBC that engineers did not consult him before starting the work. He described the damage as “a travesty.”

“We took great care to excavate this platform and the aurochs’ hoof-prints,” he said. “We believe hunters considered this area to be a sacred place even before Stonehenge.”

Construction workers had been attempting to ascertain whether the proposed tunnel would cause the water table at Blick Mead to drop, damaging remains preserved in the water-logged ground.

“We are not aware of any damage being caused to archaeological layers,” said a spokesperson for Highways England in a statement. “We notified Professor David Jacques of the locations of our water table monitoring, and have adhered to guidelines in carrying out the work”.

Stonehenge is one of the most famous landmarks in the United Kingdom, and was made a UNESCO World heritage site in 1986. Campaigners argue the tunnel will damage both the archaeology and the local environment.

Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Now Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder.

Contact us at letters@time.com.