Archaeologists have uncovered one of the most significant Iron Age metalwork deposits found in Britain on farmland near Melsonby, North Yorkshire.
First identified in 2021 and excavated in 2022, the discovery consists of two closely related hoards dating from around 100 BC to AD 70.
Located less than a kilometre from the major Late Iron Age centre at Stanwick, the finds are reshaping understanding of wealth, technology and ritual practices in ancient Britain. The discovery site was first identified when metal detectorist Peter Heads, working with the landowner’s permission, located unusual artefacts and alerted archaeologists at Durham University.
Subsequent investigations confirmed the site’s importance, prompting a full excavation supported by the British Museum and Portable Antiquities Scheme. Geophysical surveys revealed the hoards lay within a complex landscape of enclosures, trackways and settlement features linked to the nearby Stanwick “royal site,” associated with the Brigantes tribe.
Between them, these two hoards—now called Hoard 1 and Hoard 2—were hidden underground in ditches within this landscape. The larger deposit, Hoard 1, was littered with a dense pile of items such as 28 deliberately bent iron wheel tyres, horse harness fittings, weapons and vessels. Among these were an inverted cauldron, a large lidded container and odd iron brackets believed to connect to vehicles. Several objects had been methodically laid out, and the evidence suggested a single, intentional act of deposition.
Hoard 2, found 25 metres away, was smaller but just as intriguing. Due to severe corrosion, it was removed intact and analysed by CT scan. The scans found tightly bundled artefacts, including spears, harness components and copper-alloy tubes, which were probably wrapped in organic material before burial. And in contrast to Hoard 1, most objects found in this deposit remained intact rather than damaged.
The hoards, in all, comprise about 950 fragments of at least 300 original objects. A roughly three-quarters relate to horse-drawn vehicles, with fittings that indicate the presence of four-wheeled wagons—previously unknown in Iron Age Britain but common in continental Europe. This suggests new technological connections and influences during the period. Radiocarbon dating places both deposits in the late first century BC to early first century AD, around the time of increasing contact with the Roman world.
The scale and composition of the finds suggest they were not simply scrap metal, but part of a highly structured and symbolic event. Archaeologists believe the hoards may represent ritual deposition, possibly linked to elite funerary practices or displays of power and wealth.
The Melsonby discoveries highlight the importance of northern Britain during the Iron Age, revealing a society capable of extraordinary craftsmanship and large-scale ceremonial acts. Ongoing conservation and research are expected to provide further insights into this remarkable find.
Sources : Antiquity – Adams S, Armstrong J, Bayliss A, Moore T, Williams E. Vehicles of change: two exceptional deposits of destroyed chariots or wagons from Late Iron Age Britain. Antiquity. Published online 2026:1-21. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2026.10311
