An unexpected discovery
In 2001, archaeologists excavating a site in the village of Wetwang, East Yorkshire, made a discovery challenging long-held beliefs about Iron Age societies. They uncovered a burial within a square-ditched enclosure, known as a square barrow, dating to between 210 and 160 BCE. Inside lay the skeleton of a woman who had been buried with the complete equipment of a warrior: a dismantled two-wheeled chariot, an iron sword in a decorated bronze scabbard, and a shield. This individual is now often referred to as the "Wetwang Woman" or "Wetwang Queen".
The burial was part of the Arras Culture, a group of people who lived in East Yorkshire and had distinctive funeral rites, including chariot burials, that connect to continental Europe. The chariot itself had been carefully taken apart before being placed in the grave. The iron-tired wheels were laid flat, and soil marks indicated the position of the wooden pole. The woman's body was placed on top of the vehicle's components. The grave also contained joints of pork, likely an offering for the afterlife, and a unique bronze box. This careful, ritualistic arrangement shows the high status of the person buried.