In one of the largest and most important Iron Age finds in the history of the UK and Europe, archaeologists have recovered an “exceptional” 800 objects from the Melsonby Hoard.
Since the discovery of the Melsonby Hoard in 2021, Dunham University has been excavating near the village of Melsonby, North Yorkshire.
As the name suggests, they struck archaeological gold, as an unprecedented number of objects had been buried in the ground for either safekeeping or ritualistic purposes.
The United Kingdom boasts plenty of Iron Age hoards. However, according to Dunham University’s release, this collection is one of the “largest and most important” Iron Age hoards.
Unusually, a significant number of the hoard’s contents, they came to discover, had been burnt or broken, which might lead to a “major re-evaluation” of how wealth and status were expressed during the Iron Age.
Got wealth? Burn it
As explained by Dunham University, the deposits at Melsonby included a massive amount of ironwork and copper alloy items. Most of the materials were used in horse harnesses and Iron Age vehicle parts.
Due to the combination of artifacts and the scale of the ensemble, the objects are described as nothing short of “unusual.” Whoever stored these objects left behind seven four-wheeled wagons, vessels for feasting and drinking, and protective gear such as spearheads.
Over 800 items were recovered, making the list exhaustive: bridle bits, yoke fittings, and loops for the reigns. Many were richly decorated with coral and colored glass. The cauldron even exhibited Mediterranean influences, suggesting a greater interconnectivity in Europe than previously understood.
Aside from the objects themselves, archaeologists reported that they had been burned and broken before their burial. According to the press release, they might have been subjected to fire on a funerary pyre elsewhere.
However, as no human remains were found, the treatment suggests a symbolic demonstration of wealth and power. “Whoever owned the material in this hoard was probably part of a network of elites across Britain, into Europe, and even the Roman world,” Professor Tom Moore from Dunham University explains.
“The destruction of so many high-status objects, evident in this hoard, is also of a scale rarely seen in Iron Age Britain and demonstrates that the elites of northern Britain were just as powerful as their southern counterparts.”
A hoard changing what we know about the Iron Age
The “exceptional” size of the Melsonby Hoard makes it unique not only for the UK but also for the continent of Europe, the press release says. The purposeful damage to its contents could change what archaeologists believe about how status was expressed during the Iron Age.
As Dunham explained, several of the copper alloy pieces were found at different locations in this mass. Charcoal had stuck to its surfaces. The iron wheels appear to have been broken before their burial. All signs point to deliberate action. They meant to destroy a huge amount of wealth, perhaps to mark a significant event or to demonstrate just how rich the owner was.
But beyond the theatrical display, the Iron Age hoard “could also be important for our understanding of the nature and use of vehicles at that time, Dunham University concludes.