POCKLINGTON, ENGLAND—A cemetery in Yorkshire thought to date to between 800 B.C. and A.D. 43 has yielded 75 square barrows containing 150 skeletons; jewelry, such as amber and glass beads and brooches; and weapons, including spears, swords, and a shield. “We are hoping that these findings shed light on the ritual of Iron-Age burial—and, as we can assume from the shield and sword burials, these were significant members of society, so our understanding of culture and key figures of the time could really be enhanced,” site director Paula Ware of MAP Archaeological Practice told The Guardian. Archaeologists will attempt to determine if the population was indigenous to northern England, or if it was made up of migrants from Europe. The scientists will also study the health of the population, causes of death, and see if any of these individuals were related to one another. To read more about the Iron Age in the British Isles, go to “Letter From Wales: Hillforts of the Iron Age.”
