Iron Age leader and his chariot found in motorway excavation

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 12/03/2003 | Paul Stokes

[Cicero]

Iron Age leader and his chariot found in motorway excavation By Paul Stokes (Filed: 03/12/2003)

Archaeologists working at the site of a £250 million motorway upgrading scheme have discovered the remains of an Iron Age leader buried in his chariot.

The find could provide a valuable insight into customs and social standings in pre-Roman northern England.

Carbon dating suggests the funeral took place between 400 and 500BC with evidence of a huge feast.

Chariot burial was reserved for people of high rank among the Parisii tribe, who lived in what is now east Yorkshire. They originated from northern France and gave the French capital its name.

Only a handful of such graves have been found. The latest discovery is only the second where the chariot was buried intact. It was 12 inches down in a ploughed field by the cooling towers of Ferrybridge power station, close to the intersection of the A1 and M62 in West Yorkshire.

Neil Redfern, English Heritage's inspector of ancient monuments for the county, said: "It has tremendous importance, posing all sorts of questions about what was happening in our country 2,500 years ago."

An archaeologist noticed the tops of the chariot's iron-bound wheels as earth moving machinery was being operated. The bones of its owner, whose age has been determined at between 30 and 40, and metal "tyres" of the 3ft spoked wheels remained in place. They were in a cavity hewn from the limestone.

Although the wooden chariot has rotted away, it has left stains and hollows which perfectly outline its shape.

Iron and bronze harness fittings have been recovered as well as grave goods, including an iron spear head and the bones of pork joints, probably offerings to the gods.

Angela Boyle, who is supervising the dig for the specialist group Oxford Archaeology, said thousands of cattle bones from the feast suggested "a person of great power who was revered by a large number of people".

Her team has carried out an emergency rescue dig before the bulldozers return and the grave disappears under an embankment.

[Cicero]

For all you Archaeology lovers in the forum.

Sounds to me as if this guy was a conservative. In any case, he was not a liberal by any stretch of the imagination.

[GreyFriar]

Sounds like that the bravery and steadfastness DNA left France with the Parissii when they migrated to Britain. Probably why the French have such a wimpish attitude now.

[jimkress]

Iron Age leader and his chariot found in motorway excavation

This guy was way ahead of his time. Imagine, perfectly positioning your conveyance to use a future road. Amazing!

[rface]

I like reading this kind of stuff. Perhaps he was probably a 500 BC version of Gen. Patton. They probably made all the Deanie-Boppers of that day clean the latrines

[PoorMuttly]

Can Muttly have "bones of pork joints" when scientists are finished ?

[somemoreequalthanothers]

I've always enjoyed reading about such discoveries, but it amuses me how anything ever found that can't be explained, such as the pork bones, are always ascribed to religious signifigance. An author pointed this out to me years ago, and if you pay attention it is always the case. Example; in ten thousand years archeologists dig up the golden arches- "This civilization obviously worshipped the great god Ronald McDonald".

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

They have been buried for a long time Muttly. They probably wouldn't taste any good.

Here are some nice fresh ones though.

[Cicero]

thousands of cattle bones from the feast suggested "a person of great power who was revered by a large number of people".

That was my favorite bit. It reminded me of Bush's Thanksgiving visit to the troops in Baghdad. Sounds as if a great time was had by all.

[Cicero]

Will you accept a virtual bone?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Every thing that cannot be identified or who's use is not perfectly clear is put in one of two categories. "Religious object" or "toys". From the number of those objects found it seems our ancestors spent all of their time either praying or playing. I have to wonder when they found the time to get the crops in.

[Last Dakotan]

Its a pretty good bet nobody was making iron and bronze (or even wheels) in this country 2500 years ago.

[Snickersnee]

That there was one hell of a traffic jam, even by Brit standards!

[PoorMuttly]

YUM!

Muttly gratefully accept virtually ANY bones !

[RJL]

Archaeologists working at the site of a £250 million motorway upgrading scheme have discovered the remains of an Iron Age leader buried in his chariot.

Perhaps they should abandon this highway project, obviously people have been dying on this roadway since the Iron Age 2500 years ago!

;-)

[VOA]

bump

[PAR35]

obviously people have been dying on this roadway since the Iron Age

Of course, it appears they haven't repaved it in 2500 years.

[DannyTN]

"Sounds to me as if this guy was a conservative. In any case, he was not a liberal by any stretch of the imagination."

He wasn't a member of PETA either.

[Old Professer]

Seems more like he was a pig thief who was dumb enough to stampede a herd of cattle and got trampled into a crevice in the rock under the ground.

[Mike Darancette]

Sounds to me as if this guy was a conservative.

Certainly not a Metro sexual and in 500 BC Liberalism<>survival.

[WorkingClassFilth]

"...he was not a liberal by any stretch of the imagination."

Correct.

Meat eater. Check.
Weapons user. Check.
Vehicular travel. Check.
Animal husbandry. Check.
Stratified society. Check.

Final proof:

"a person of great power who was revered by a large number of people."

All known lefties with power are corrupt, despised and usually end up with defiled graves.