Burials Through Time And Funeral Directors From The Past - The Iron Age

Burials Through Time And Funeral Directors From The Past - The Iron Age

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Channel 4's Time Team would have been proud of a find in West Yorkshire that brought the Iron Age to life in the sleepy village of Ferry Fryston near Castleford just five years ago.

That's when a rare and nationally significant Iron Age chariot burial site was discovered as work was taking place on the A1(M) link road.

The Iron Age in Britain covers the period circa 700 BC to 43 AD and radiocarbon assay gives dates for the Ferry Fryston burial all lying within the 4th century BC.

It was only the twentieth such burial to be discovered in the UK, all of them unearthed in Yorkshire. Furthermore, it was only the second where the chariot was buried complete, with its wheels upright in the ground, a practice usually associated with burials on the continent. In Britain it was more common practice for the chariot to be disassembled and the wheels then either stood up against the side of the pit or laid flat in the ground.

The chariot at Ferry Fryston had been placed in a large oval pit in the centre of a square ditched-enclosure. Although the wooden and leather parts had all rotted away, the remains still comprised two iron wheels and an axle, alongside a number of well-preserved bronze and iron objects, including a horse harness.

Within the area of the chariot box itself was found the skeleton of an adult male. Forensic analysis has established that he was aged 30-40,around 5ft 9in tall and in apparently good health. Dental analysis not only showed that he had excellent teeth but also established that he originated from Scotland or possibly even Scandinavia. Close to his left shoulder the archaeologists discovered the remains of a brooch for fastening his cloak, demonstrating his importance.

An upper ditch contained thousands of bone fragments from around 250 young cattle, initially thought to be the remains of a huge sacrificial feast that took place soon after the burial, again highlighting the importance of the deceased man. However, subsequent tests showed that the bones dated from the time of the initial Iron Age burial right through to the second century AD, indicating repeated visits to this single site over five centuries. Further analysis showed that the cattle had been specifically brought to Ferry Fryston from different herds across outlying areas.

A unique group of people, centred on the Yorkshire Wolds and known by modern archaeologists as the Arras culture, are thought to have performed chariot burials to represent the final rites of elite individuals of the middle Iron Age. They remain one of the rarest and most intriguing forms of burial rites known in Britain.

Producing weapons, tools and larger objects such as chariots, the Iron Age continued until the Romans arrived in Britain in 43 AD, when once again burial practice began to take on an altogether different form.

About the Author:
With origins dating back to 1853, E.F. Box are one of the oldest funeral directors within the UK. They offer a range of funeral services across a variety of faiths, beliefs and ways of celebrating life.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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