A RARE ritual burial of four horses has been discovered in an area experts regard as a sacred landscape surrounding one of the most important prehistoric sites in the North of England.
Carbon dating shows the horses – lying nose to tail at Nosterfield Quarry close to Thornborough Henges, north of Ripon – were buried around 50AD, shortly after the Romans arrived in Britain.
The burial pit, or barrow, was found earlier this year as
a team from Field Archaeological Specialists, based at York University, watched over the removal of topsoil at the sand and gravel quarry.
Zoo-archaeologist Steve Rowland, who uncovered them, said: "Two of the skeletons were virtually intact, but the other two had been accidentally damaged through ploughing of the land in previous years.
"It was only after further investigation that we were able to confirm the full extent of the burial and understand its ritual significance."
Archaeologist Mike Griffiths, whose work is funded by quarry owners Tarmac Northern, said: "Ritual multi-burials of horses are rare, and a find of this nature helps us to know more about the Iron Age people who lived in this area some 2000 years ago."
He said: "It is possible that these young, pony-sized animals were a team of four owned by an Iron Age warrior or nobleman."
The find is the most notable made at Nosterfield Quarry – half a mile from the three henges, which have been described as the Stonehenge of the North – during the ten years that the site has been operated by Tarmac.
The Friends of Thornborough Henges oppose the further extension of the quarry. But Tarmac Northern estates manager Rob Moore said: "By working with professional archaeologists here at Nosterfield we have added to the fund of knowledge and understanding and will continue to do so."
For details of the discoveries, see the website: www.archaeologicalplanningconsultancy.co.uk/mga
