| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Carol Dent |
Posted - 17 Apr 2001 : 9:51:16 PM
Hi!
I read recently in the Daily Telegraph about a recent archaeological discovery at Wetwang.. an iron age female charioteer, buried with her chariot and horse trappings ( I gather these have been donated to the British Museum).
I am looking for pictures of this discovery.. any clues where I can get them?
|
| 2 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Michael |
Posted - 17 Apr 2001 : 10:00:37 PM
The East Riding Councils 'Internet for Learning' website also has a story with a photograph.
http://www.eril.net/news/story.asp?story=1330
|
| Michael |
Posted - 17 Apr 2001 : 9:55:53 PM
Hello Carol
The story can be found at :-http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4166971,00.html
Archaeologists uncover 'fabulous' chariot
Martin Wainwright
Guardian
Saturday April 7, 2001
The reputation of prehistoric Britons was notched up another peg yesterday, with the discovery of the oldest iron age chariot to be unearthed by archaeologists.
Apart from the slight hitch that its owner was probably French, the mass of intricate bronze-work, inlaid coral and skilled joinery was described as "fabulous" proof of ancient native expertise by English Heritage and the British Museum.
Both organisations sent emergency teams to the dig at Wetwang, east Yorkshire, when the scale of the discovery emerged from a routine dig of a mediaeval barn.
"The finds are stunning," said Jeremy Hill, curator for the iron age at the museum. "They show just how skillful and unprimitive the prehistoric Britons really were."
The village on the Yorkshire Wolds, much teased since it appointed TV personality Richard Whiteley as its honourary mayor 10 years ago, was an emerging European cultural capital for the period around 350BC. Archaeologists have already unearthed six chariot burials in the village and a further 10 within 20 miles. All of the burials, including the latest, which was described yesterday as "the best yet", are thought to contain the remains of aristocrats from the French-Celtic Parisi tribe.
Responsible for giving Paris its name, the warriors are thought to have expanded from the Champagne region of France in 400BC, a theory which the Wetwang chariot may help to prove.
Apart from well-preserved metal bindings, decorative work and iron "tyres", the trove includes sections of wooden wheels, horse harnesses and an exceptionally detailed "ghost" of the long since rotted yoke.
"A mould has been taken to reconstruct the form of this, the first time this has been done," said David Miles, chief archaeologist for English Heritage, which is also working with the Museum on the grave's intact skeleton, pottery and animal bones found nearby.
"The person in the grave was clearly very important and was buried with a rite clearly linked to the continent," he said.
The museum and English Heritage praised local developer Hogg the Builders, who plan to construct five houses on the site, for model practice over the dig. Apart from financing the initial excavation, the firm was given credit for what Mr Miles called "one of the most significant and exciting middle iron age burials ever found".
Adrian Havercroft, chief excavator at Wetwang, said: "These fabulous things were only discovered because Hogg's decided on a final check after we had found a ditch surrounding a barrow. One of our trenches and had missed the grave pit by a whisker."
The chariot is thought to be very similar to those famously described in Caesar's invasion of Britain, 300 years later, when 4,000 of the twin-horse vehicles massed under the British chieftain Cassivellaunus to defend the Thames crossing. "When the barbarians meet with cavalry in battle, they cast their javelins at the enemy and then, descending from the chariot, join battle with their swords."
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2001
|
|
|
