Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 47 minutes ago
The Melsonby Hoard is one of the largest and most significant Iron Age finds ever uncovered in the UK.
The hoard contains over 800 objects from the Iron Age, dating back around 2,000 years. Early analysis suggests the items were buried in the first century AD, around the time of the Roman conquest of southern Britain.
The discovery was made in December 2021 by metal detectorist Peter Heads, who quickly reported it. In 2022, a team from @DurhamUniversity with support from the @britishmuseum and over £120,000 in grant funding from Historic England, excavated the site. Now, the @YorkMuseumsTrust is launching a fundraising campaign to keep this remarkable collection in the UK for public display.
The size and variety of the objects make this hoard highly unusual for Iron Age Britain. Some of the most significant items include parts of more than seven four-wheeled wagons and two-wheeled chariots; elaborate harnesses for at least 14 ponies, some decorated with red Mediterranean coral and coloured glass; three ceremonial spears and two ornate cauldrons or vessels, including a lidded bowl likely used for mixing wine, found buried in a large ditch.
While some objects resemble previous British finds, others have closer links to continental Europe, suggesting long-distance trade and shared technology between Iron Age communities.
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The Melsonby Hoard is one of the largest and most significant Iron Age finds ever uncovered in the UK.
The hoard contains over 800 objects from the Iron Age, dating back around 2,000 years. Early analysis suggests the items were buried in the first century AD, around the time of the Roman conquest of southern Britain.
The discovery was made in December 2021 by metal detectorist Peter Heads, who quickly reported it. In 2022, a team from @DurhamUniversity with support from the @britishmuseum and over £120,000 in grant funding from Historic England, excavated the site. Now, the @YorkMuseumsTrust is launching a fundraising campaign to keep this remarkable collection in the UK for public display.
The size and variety of the objects make this hoard highly unusual for Iron Age Britain. Some of the most significant items include parts of more than seven four-wheeled wagons and two-wheeled chariots; elaborate harnesses for at least 14 ponies, some decorated with red Mediterranean coral and coloured glass; three ceremonial spears and two ornate cauldrons or vessels, including a lidded bowl likely used for mixing wine, found buried in a large ditch.
While some objects resemble previous British finds, others have closer links to continental Europe, suggesting long-distance trade and shared technology between Iron Age communities.
___
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UChsbpRsD0SiZNsvwdZAR4zQ?sub_confirmation=1
Follow us on
Facebook: facebook.com/HistoricEngland
Instagram: instagram.com/historicengland
Twitter/X: twitter.com/HistoricEngland
Visit our website ➡️ historicengland.org.uk
