Photo credit: www.smithsonianmag.com

Major Iron Age Hoard Discovered in North Yorkshire

Intricately designed horse harnesses, ceremonial spears, exquisite cauldrons, bridle bits, and hundreds of other artifacts dating back over 2,000 years have been discovered in England. This remarkable find is considered one of the largest and most significant Iron Age hoards in the United Kingdom, with implications for our understanding of social hierarchies, trade, and mobility among Britain’s ancient tribes.

The discovery was made public on Tuesday by Historic England, Durham University, and the British Museum, highlighting its potential to transform historical narratives about this period.

“It has been a once-in-a-lifetime find for everyone involved,” stated Keith Emerick, an inspector of ancient monuments at Historic England, in an interview with the Guardian.

The hoard was first uncovered by metal detectorist Peter Heads in December 2021 while scanning a field near Melsonby, a village in North Yorkshire. Upon discovering the artifacts, he contacted Tom Moore, an archaeologist from Durham University, who promptly recognized the find’s importance.

Moore secured £120,000 (approximately $155,000) in funding from Historic England to conduct an excavation of the site in 2022. Since then, researchers have painstakingly analyzed the over 800 items retrieved from the hoard.

Dating back to the time of Roman Emperor Claudius, the artifacts are believed to have belonged to the Brigantes, a powerful tribe that dominated much of northern England during the Iron Age. Among the significant finds are at least 14 horse harnesses, likely used for pulling chariots or wagons, adorned with vibrant glass and Mediterranean coral, indicating their owner’s high status and extensive connections across Europe and the Roman Empire.

Additionally, researchers uncovered iron tires and other components of vehicles, along with a cauldron thought to have been used for mixing wine. Notably, the cache includes the earliest evidence of four-wheeled wagons in Iron Age Britain, prompting scholars to reconsider the design and origins of these ancient vehicles.

“We will need years to explore what these vehicles looked like and where they originated,” Moore remarked to the Guardian.

Some artifacts had corroded together into a dense mass, suggesting they may have been stored together in a bag. Evidence also indicates that many items were burned or intentionally broken, leading researchers to speculate they were part of a ritual, potentially related to a funeral pyre, although no human remains were discovered.

“This symbolism is significant; it’s not merely discarding items,” Moore explained to the London Times. “This practice, familiar in Iron Age culture, appears to reflect a grand-scale ritual destruction.”

The significance of these findings is further emphasized by their challenge to the long-standing belief that northern England was less affluent than its southern counterpart during the Iron Age. “They force us to reevaluate our perspectives and demonstrate that the north was a vibrant, integral part of Iron Age society rather than a mere hinterland,” Moore stated.

Valued at £254,000 (about $330,000), the hoard has sparked efforts by the Yorkshire Museum to launch a fundraising campaign to preserve these items within England. Some artifacts will also be on display at the museum starting this week.

“By acquiring the hoard, we will enhance accessibility for the public,” declared Andrew Woods, senior curator at the museum, as reported by BBC News. “Collaborating with others, we aim to gain deeper insights into this intriguing period, exploring the reasons behind the hoard’s burial and the potential uses of the artifacts as well as the identity of their owners.”

Source
www.smithsonianmag.com