Pocklington Iron Age burial ground facts for kids
 Location in England
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| Location | Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire, England |
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| Coordinates | 53°55′34″N 0°46′05″W / 53.926110°N 0.767918°W |
| Type | Burial ground |
| History | |
| Founded | c. eighth–third centuries BC |
| Periods | Middle Iron Age |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 2014–present |
The Pocklington Iron Age burial ground is an ancient cemetery found in 2014. It's located near Pocklington in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Since its discovery, archaeologists have found over 160 skeletons. They also found more than 70 square burial mounds, called barrows. These date back to the Iron Age, a time long ago. The site is linked to the Arras culture, an ancient British group from East Yorkshire. Many interesting items, called grave goods, were buried with the people. These include weapons, beads, pots, and even a very rare chariot burial.
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Discovering the Ancient Burial Ground
The Pocklington burial ground has many barrows. These are ancient burial mounds. They are found on the edge of Pocklington, off Burnby Lane. Workers found them while building new houses.
This area was already known for Iron Age discoveries. So, the builders had to pay for archaeologists to check the site. This check happened in 2014.
Archaeologists used special tools to survey the ground. They found at least ten square burial mounds. Each mound was inside a small enclosed area. An aerial survey also showed an old trackway. This trackway was near eight more barrows and another enclosure.
Excavations have been happening ever since. So far, over 160 skeletons have been found. More than 74 square barrows have also been uncovered.
Amazing Finds at Pocklington
Many exciting things have been found at the site. These include weapons, brooches, and pots. Hundreds of amber and glass beads were also found. All these items were buried with human remains.
The Shield Burial
In one barrow, archaeologists found a warrior's remains. He was placed on top of his shield. This was the first time a shield burial like this was found in Britain. It shows how important shields were.
The Warrior with Spears
In 2016, another well-preserved warrior was found. This person was between 17 and 23 years old. A broken sword was placed next to him. The sword was probably broken as part of a funeral ceremony.
Five spears were also buried with the skeleton. These spears had been used in a special way. Four were placed along his spine. Another was placed in his groin. This might have been a ritual to help his spirit move on.
The Unusual Burial
Another skeleton was found buried face-down. It was also buried at an unusual depth. This person had serious injuries from at least two weapons. The strange way this person was buried might have been to keep their spirit from returning.
The Chariot Burial
In 2017, archaeologists made a very rare discovery. They found an Iron Age chariot and two horses. This burial dates back to about 320 to 174 BC. Chariot burials have been found in the UK before. But this was the first one to include horses.
The person buried with the chariot was likely a very important leader. Iron pieces from the chariot's body were found. The wooden parts of the chariot had rotted away. But their shapes were preserved as stains in the ground. One wheel was destroyed, probably by farming.
A bronze shield found in the grave was in excellent condition. The shield's center part looks like another famous shield. This is the Wandsworth shield boss, which is in the British Museum.
The Pocklington shield has a unique scalloped border design. This design is not seen on any other Iron Age finds in Europe. Paula Ware, an archaeologist, said this makes the shield very special. She also said these discoveries help us understand the Arras culture better. They also help us date ancient objects more accurately.
