Chariot find is a victory for Scots

From the Guardian:

The centuries-long tussle for prestige between England and Scotland may be about to end in victory for the clans, with new archaeological evidence suggesting that the first national leader of the British Isles was a Scot.

The remains of a mysterious figure found in an Iron Age chariot burial under the A1M motorway was of "exceptional significance" according to academics, who have also unearthed the leftovers of one of Britain's biggest feasts at his funeral site in Yorkshire.

Decorated with jewellery and finely wrought harness and chariot gear, the 2,400-year-old grave is thought to have been a rallying-point for Britain's tribes 500 years later when the Romans moved north. Some 300 young cattle from all over the country were brought to Ferrybridge to feed an assembly running into thousands not far from where a Little Chef now stands.

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Iron Age Skeletons and Viking bones go on display in Weymouth (with Video)

From the BBC News:

An exhibition of Iron Age skeletons and Viking bones found in excavations ahead of the Weymouth Relief Road has attracted 3,000 visitors.

The free event at Weymouth Pavilion Ocean Room includes ancient bones, Iron Age pottery and shale jewellery.

Archaeologists from Dorset County Council and specialists from Oxford Archaeology will be on hand to discuss the finds and answer questions.

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New center for replica Iron Age attraction

From The News Portsmouth:

A new eco-friendly visitors centre is set to be built at a replica Iron Age farm.

Butser Ancient Farm, in Chalton Lane, Chalton, has seen its visitors soar by 10,000 to 20,000 over the last 10 years.

A bid had now been launched to build a £150,000 visitors centre at the site, which was founded in 1972 as an archaeological research site.

Reconstructed roundhouses and a villa at the farm give an insight into the life of Romans and Celts in ancient Britain.

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Iron Age hopes for Moray field

From The Press and Journal:

EXPERTS SAY SURVEY OF SITE AT BURGHEAD HAS PROVED ‘VERY PROMISING’

Experts believe they have discovered another Iron Age power centre in Moray.

Yesterday National Museums of Scotland curator Dr Fraser Hunter said investigations at a field at Burghead have possibly revealed “a high-status site”.

The archaeologist said the remains of four Iron Age roundhouses could lie buried beneath the soil.

He said: “In combination with the finds that have been discovered at the site, it suggests that this is one of the more important areas, one of the power centres of the Burghead area.”

The exact location of the site at Burghead is being kept secret while further investigations are carried out.

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Weymouth Relief Road artefacts to go on show

From the BBC News:

A number of artefacts discovered during work on an £87m road development in Dorset are to go on display.

The Weymouth Relief Road is being built to ease traffic between Dorchester and Weymouth and Portland, where Olympic sailing events will be held in 2012.

The site attracted much interest when archaeologists found an ancient burial pit on Ridgeway Hill last year.

Items including ancient bones, Iron Age pottery and shale jewellery will go on display at Weymouth Pavilion.

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Bracelet found in Vale of Glamorgan is treasure trove

From the BBC:

An Iron Age fragment found in a south Wales village last year is the missing half of a bracelet first discovered in 2005, say archaeologists.

Experts from National Museum Wales believe the two bracelets parts, unearthed at Boverton, Vale of Glamorgan, were buried together.

A matching join was found and the decoration, a repeating triangle and a line of dots, proved continuous.

The item was one of four found in the county declared treasure by a coroner.

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Archaeologists unearth Iron Age settlement in Kent

From the BBC:

The remains of an Iron Age settlement have been unearthed by archaeologists working along the route of a new £1.3m water pipeline in Kent.

Evidence of a dwelling, postholes, pits, ancient hearths and pieces of pottery were found on land in Pembury.

South East Water plans to lay a 4.6km (2.9 mile) pipe between Kipping's Cross Service Reservoir and Pembury.

The archaeologists, who were employed by the firm to survey the route, will now record and preserve the finds.

The period known as the Iron Age took place in Britain between about 750BC and about AD40.

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