Arras culture

[2] The site spans three fields, bisected by the main east-west road between Market Weighton and Beverley, and is arable farmland; little to no remains are visible above ground.

The site was first investigated by a group of local gentry in 1815–1817,[3] including William Watson, the Rev E. W. Stillingfleet, and Barnard Clarkson.

[4] Their investigations were detailed, encompassing the excavation of more than a hundred barrows in fields north and south of the Market Weighton to Beverley road, now the A1079.

[6] The site of the Arras cemetery is about 200 metres (220 yd) long and some 100 barrows were identified, four of which contained chariot burials.

[7] The name of the site lends itself to the culture, archaeologically based around chariot burials, across North and East Yorkshire.

Other sites of similar La Tène period burials within the Arras culture, often with chariot burials include: Cawthorne Camps, Pexton Moor, Seamer, Hunmanby, Burton Fleming, Danes Graves, Garton, Wetwang, Middleton on the Wolds, Beverley and Hornsea.

One design element on the Pocklington shield, a scalloped border, "is not comparable to any other Iron Age finds across Europe, adding to its valuable uniqueness", said Paula Ware, managing director at MAP Archaeological Practice Ltd.[10][11] "The discoveries are set to widen our understanding of the Arras (Middle Iron Age) culture and the dating of artefacts to secure contexts is exceptional," Ware added.

The original excavations by William Watson uncovered more than 100 square-barrows, square earthworks several metres long containing a single inhumation grave often accompanied by grave-goods.

Although little remained of the earthwork at the time of excavation,[4] the barrow measured 8 metres (26 ft) in diameter and covered a circular grave 3.5 metres (11 ft) in diameter and 45 centimetres (18 in) deep[2] It contained the body of a man, orientated on a north-south axis, above the remains of a two-wheeled cart.

[13] The Charioteer's Barrow measured 3.5 metres (11 ft) in diameter and stood 60 centimetres (24 in) high at the time of excavation.