A grave like no other
In 2017, archaeologists excavating a site for a new housing development in Pocklington, East Yorkshire, uncovered a burial that has no known parallel in Britain. The grave, dated to between 320 and 174 B.C., contained the remains of a high-status man, aged at least 46. He was laid to rest inside his chariot, which was placed fully upright in the grave pit. This is exceptionally rare, as most Iron Age chariot burials in the region, associated with the Arras Culture, feature dismantled vehicles.
The most dramatic feature of the burial is the inclusion of two ponies, positioned as if in motion. Their rear legs were bent and their hooves were just off the bottom of the grave, creating the appearance that they were leaping upwards, pulling the chariot out of the earth. It is the first time a chariot burial in the UK has been discovered with horses also interred, let alone in such a dynamic pose. The man was placed in a crouched position within the chariot's box, accompanied by grave goods including a highly decorated brooch and joints of pork, likely provisions for the afterlife.
The discovery was made by MAP Archaeological Practice at a large Iron Age cemetery. The entire site has yielded more than 160 skeletons from over 75 square barrows, a major concentration of Arras Culture burials. Other significant finds nearby include a warrior buried on top of his shield and another ritually speared after death with nine spears.
Masterpiece of Celtic art
Beneath the warrior's body in the chariot lay a bronze shield, which, after conservation, has been called an significant piece of British Celtic art ever discovered. The 75-centimeter-diameter shield is decorated with a swirling design in the La Tène style, featuring triskele motifs and patterns that resemble organic forms like mollusk shells. Its scalloped border is a unique design feature with no known comparison in Iron Age Europe.
Analysis of the shield challenges the idea that such elaborate objects were purely ceremonial. Conservators found a puncture wound consistent with a sword strike, as well as evidence of repairs. This suggests the shield was well-used in combat before being placed in the grave. The design of the shield's central boss shows similarities to the Wandsworth Shield boss, which is housed in the British Museum. The discovery records the rituals and material culture of the Parisi, the Iron Age people who inhabited this region of Britain two millennia ago.