Julius Caesar provided vivid accounts of chariot use by the Britons who opposed his attempted landing in 55 BC (now evidenced to be at Pegwell Bay in Kent). He states how the barbarians sent forward almost 4000 charioteers to block his men as they tried to land - they would drive about in all directions and throw their weapons breaking the ranks of their enemy. Once the chariots worked their way into the enemy, the Celtic warriors would leap from their chariots and engage on foot.

There are 30 chariot burials now known from Britain with almost all found in East Yorkshire. The second century Roman geographer Ptolemy says the people inhabiting this region of Britain were called the Parisi - a Briton Celtic tribe. In England, chariot burials are almost entirely confined to the Iron Age Parisi. Similar burial rites were used by the people of the Aisne-Marne region of northern France, and it is perhaps no coincidence the French capital is named Paris.

The Pocklington Iron Age burial ground was uncovered in 2014 in the East Riding of Yorkshire during housing development. Excavations began immediately and in 2017 the first of two rare chariot burials were revealed. The chariot burial shown in this spotlight held the remains of a high-status male who was buried with a fully upright chariot and two upright horses as well as a well-preserved shield and highly decorated brooch. The skeleton of the warrior was placed in a crouched position in the cart of the chariot.

Altogether 87 burials were found at Pocklington - three of which are from the Bronze Age. So far 35 have yielded high quality DNA which you can be compared to. Many include grave goods such as swords, jewerly and other historical items. One elite female grave contains rare jewellery including a copper-alloy bracelet on each wrist - one with a coral inlay as well as a brooch decorated with coral. Another grave of interest contains 5 spears and a shield. One of the most exciting graves discovered was a man buried with the magnificent bronze shield shown here.