A huge Hoard, which was discovered in a field in North Yorkshire, is “one of the most important and exciting discoveries in the Iron Age in Great Britain”.
And a fundraising campaign was launched today to bring the collection to a York Museum.
The Melsonby Hort, which had been unaffected in two trenches near the village of North Yorkhire since the middle of the 1st century, comprises more than 800 objects, including partly remains of cars, ceremonial spears and pony belts.
Experts say that the discovery that detectorist Peter Heads made in 2021 could be one of the most important in the UK and must be carefully examined for years.
Previously, some were intended that power and wealth were limited to the south of today's England in the pre-Roman period, but the extent of the Hoard, which was deliberately thrown away in crap, showed that this was not the case.
Professor Tom Moore, head of archeology at Durham University, was called to the website and it quickly became clear to him that this was a “unique discovery”.
Vehicle components, for which it is difficult to find parallels in Great Britain, include the partial remains of more than seven cars with four cars or two -wheelers.
There were elaborate straps for at least 14 ponies, three ceremonial spears and two decorated boilers or vessels – a lid and probably as a mix of wine.
Some pieces of belt were decorated with Mediterranean corals and colored glass and are larger than those that can typically be found here.
While some objects like the objects previously found in Great Britain look, others better correspond to those who have already been discovered on the continent, which indicates that everyone who left them had long -distance connections.
Iron tires that were attached to the outside of wooden wheels were deliberately bent out of the shape, and a large amount of the material was ritually burned or broken – and not just smashed.
Without exception for Great Britain
Prof. Moore, who said research was in a very early stage, believed that this could have been a symbolic process of people who show how wealthy and powerful they were.
Although no human remains were found, it could have been buried after burning a grave pyf.
Melsonby is approximately a mile from Stanwick, the Powerbase of the Brigantes tribe, which controlled a large part of today's Yorkshire in the pre-Roman period.
Prof. Moore said: “The Hort of Melsonby has a scale and size that is exceptional for Great Britain and probably even Europe.
“Unusually, it contains many vehicles and objects such as the wine mixing peel, which is decorated in both the Mediterranean and in the iron age.
“Anyone who originally had the material in this after -school care was probably part of an elite network in the whole of Great Britain, in Europe and even in the Roman world.
“The destruction of so many high status objects that can be seen in this hoard can also be seen in a scale in the Iron Age in Great Britain and shows that the elites of Northern Britain were as powerful as their southern counterparts.”
He added: “Anyone who does this is incredibly rich and it questions the idea that North Gross Britain was a backstate if it was clearly not.
“It has connections to continental Europe and the Roman Empire.
“It shows that you have the same status, if not even more powerful than the elites in the southern Britain.”
Prof. Moore praised Mr. Heads, who rejected public relations for his responsible acts in contacting the authorities after his discovery.
Fundraising campaign
The Yorkshire Museum starts a large fundraising campaign to secure the day care center for the nation.
The value of the hydropower was calculated at 254,000 GBP.
If this campaign is successful, the Hoard will be part of the museum collections and in the future for research and public joy.
A selection of objects from the Hoard will be exhibited in the Yorkhire Museum from today (Tuesday).
Duncan Wilson, managing director of historical England, said: “Quite simply, this is one of the most important and exciting discoveries of the Iron Age in Great Britain.
“It throws a new light on the life of the Iron Age in the north and Great Britain, but it also shows connections to Europe.”
Dr. Sophia Adams, an expert in the era of the British Museum, said: “This is the largest deposit of horse parts and vehicle parts that have been excavated in Great Britain.
“It is important not only for the number of objects tied 2,000 years ago, but also for the quality and reach of the objects.”
The Heritage Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “The Melsonby -Hoard is an exceptional find that is composed of a variety of unique and fascinating objects from Great Britain that will help us better understand the material of the history of our nation.”
A ditch was carefully examined on site, while someone else was extracted as a whole, and this was used with a large scanner at Southampton University X -ray.
It is kept intact as a block to maintain what is in it.
The excavation was supported by a grant of £ 120,000 of historical England.
The Yorkshire Museum starts a fundraising campaign to secure the after -school care center.