Pocklington Iron Age Burial Ground

The Pocklington Iron Age burial ground is a prehistoric cemetery discovered in 2014 on the outskirts of Pocklington in the East Riding of Yorkshire [1]. Excavations carried out on an ongoing basis since then, have uncovered more than 160 skeletons and more than 70 square barrows thought to date to the Middle Iron Age that are attributed to the Arras culture, an ancient British culture of East Yorkshire [1]. A variety of grave goods have been found along with the human remains, including weapons, beads, pots, and a rare chariot burial [1]. In one barrow the remains of a warrior were found [1]. He had been placed on top of his shield – the first example of a shield burial to have been found in Britain [1]. In 2016, the well-preserved remains of another warrior aged between 17 and 23 years old were discovered [1]. A broken sword had been placed by his side, which had probably been broken as part of a funeral ritual [1]. The skeleton also was interred with five spears that had been used ritually to pierce the warrior's body [1].