Danes Graves is an
archaeological site in the
East Riding of Yorkshire. It forms part of the
Arras Culture of inhumation and
chariot burial
Chariot burials are tombs in which the deceased was buried together with their chariot, usually including their horses and other possessions. An instance of a person being buried with their horse (without the chariot) is called horse burial.
Fin ...
prevalent in the region during the
British Iron Age
The British Iron Age is a conventional name used in the archaeology of Great Britain, referring to the prehistoric and protohistoric phases of the Iron Age culture of the main island and the smaller islands, typically excluding prehistoric Ire ...
. It is a prehistoric cemetery site situated in Danesdale – a dry river valley with gravel and chalk deposits.
[Greenwell, W. 1906 "Early Iron Age Burials in Yorkshire" ''Archaeologia'' Vol. 60: 251–324] The site is north of
Driffield near the village of
Kilham.
[Stead. I. 1979. ''Arras Culture''. Yorkshire Philosophical Society: York]
Archaeological background
The earliest recorded excavation on the site of Danes Graves was in 1721, when several
barrows were investigated, although no records of any findings now exist.
The Yorkshire Antiquarian Club (who excavated at
Arras
Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of ...
, excavated six barrows in 1849, and
William Greenwell opened 14 over a two-day period in March 1864.
The other major figure in the recording of the Danes Graves cemetery is
John Robert Mortimer
John Robert Mortimer (15 June 1825 – 19 August 1911) was an English corn-merchant and archaeologist who lived in Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire.
He was responsible for the excavation of many of the notable barrows in the Yorkshire Wolds ...
, who claims that his application in 1871 to excavate more extensively was blocked because of Greenwell's lax excavation technique. The landowner,
William Henry Harrison-Broadley
William Henry Harrison-Broadley (August 1820 – 1896) was a British Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1885.
Harrison-Broadley was the son of William Henry Harrison of Ripon and Sinderly and his wife Mary Broad ...
responded that
"''The investigations have been conducted so recklessly, so carelessly, and even so indecently – the graves were not even filled up again – that I am determined not to again allow them to be disturbed''".[Mortimer, J.R. 1899. "A Summary of what is known of the so-called 'Danes Graves', near Driffield", ''Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological and Polytechnic Society'' New Series 13 1895–99: 286–98]
Large-scale excavations took place between 1897–98, following Harrison-Broadley's death and were run jointly by Greenwell and Mortimer.
Under Greenwell and Mortimer, an additional 53
barrows were excavated. Later reports by both men
[Mortimer, J.R. 1911 "Danes Graves",''Transactions of the East Riding Antiquarian Society'', 18: 30–52] identified a range of sizes in the diameter of each barrow between 3-10metres. The graves were shallow and earthworks above rose to less than 1 metre.
Grave goods within the barrows were varied. Of 114 skeletons recorded from the site,
brooches were evident in 30 of which 17 included
ceramics, 6 included
bracelets, 2 included
beads, and one had a
pin.
The assemblage is similar to that of the Iron Age cemetery at
Burton Fleming
Burton Fleming is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies close to the border with North Yorkshire. The village is situated approximately north-west of Bridlington and south of Filey.
History
Burton Fl ...
. A single chariot burial is recorded on the site which is now accessioned to the
Yorkshire Museum.
The vast majority of skeletons were aligned on a north-south axis; a trait evident across
Arras Culture sites and all were recorded as being found in a crouched position.
See also
*
Arras Culture
*
British Iron Age
The British Iron Age is a conventional name used in the archaeology of Great Britain, referring to the prehistoric and protohistoric phases of the Iron Age culture of the main island and the smaller islands, typically excluding prehistoric Ire ...
*
Wetwang Slack
Wetwang Slack is an Iron Age archaeological site containing remains of the Arras culture and chariot burial tradition of East Yorkshire. Archaeological investigation took place in 2001 and 2002.
The site is in a dry valley on the north side of ...
*
Chariot burial
Chariot burials are tombs in which the deceased was buried together with their chariot, usually including their horses and other possessions. An instance of a person being buried with their horse (without the chariot) is called horse burial.
Fin ...
*
Burton Fleming
Burton Fleming is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies close to the border with North Yorkshire. The village is situated approximately north-west of Bridlington and south of Filey.
History
Burton Fl ...
References
{{Reflist
Prehistory of the East Riding of Yorkshire
Iron Age sites in England
Scheduled monuments in the East Riding of Yorkshire
Chariot burials