Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-15
GLIMPSE BACK WARD
ANCIENT MOUNDS IN ENGLAND
YIELD UP RELICS.
BELONGED TO THE ABORIGINAL BRITOE
For Centuries They Have Been I'm
disturbed Because OF the supposi-
ton That They Were of Danish
Origin-The Iron Period.
(Correspondence OF the Dispatch)


LONDON. August 2.-Scien,iGc men are
deeply interested in archaeological dis
coveries just made concerning the an
Gent Britons. Thirteen graves opened
1T q little place called Danesdale, near
Drimeld. in East Yorkshire. revealed
relies that showed that tho burials took
place at least a thousand years before
the advent Of william the Conqueror to
British soil.
For so long that the memory OF man
runneth not 10 the contrary, the mounds
or graves just opened have been sup
posed 10 be the last restlng-paces OF
ancient Danes. They were called the
Danes graves" Indeed, the town OF
Dancsdale referred TO gained its name
from that suppositiOn. The graves or
mounds are 173 in number, but only thir-
teen have thus far been opened. They
are surrounded by forests. and upon
some OF the mounds huge trees are
growing.
Archaeologists have long believed that
Investigation Of the ancient mounds
would lead to important discoveries. 1t
was this sentiment which led the East
Riding Antiquarian Society, through
AHNI0H NrIEtlNt4Af OF lrttA lAdAAlf W AAAaAAT
tute the inquiry which resulted I'm OPEN
ing the mounds Deep down in the first
mound opened was found not only the
bones OF an ancient Briton, but the iron
tire OK his chariot, the iron bit and trap
pings of his horse and a bronze pin,
beautiful in design. and enamelled. The
shape Of the grave and the curious
curled up position Of the skeleton left
10 doubt as 10 the age TO which all be-
lOngcl, and disposed to the satisfaction
Of every one Of the Danish theory which
has so long prevailed.
Perhaps the most notable OF the relics,
so far as establishing the antiquity Of
thereof Is concerned, was the bronze
pin. IL IS n specimen of the earliest
known British enamclling, and IS Of
type most peculiar TO the iron period.
1t has a peculiar twist IN the shank
which makes its origin an absolute GER
tainty. IL Is one OF the curious facts
found in British history. that pins such
as the one described only existed during
n certain period. Distinct changes In
articles Of this sort were made at a
certain point I'm the development of Bril-
tain. This fact is known absolutely,
and therefore this pin settles beyond
question the point as TO the time before
which 10 must have been made.
Two other graves We're opened at Arras
and Beverley, in which chariots were
found. and in the one at Arras the tires
and nayes OF the wheels were complete.
The tires are OF iron and the naves OF
bronze. There were also found in these
graves an iron mirrorwith bronze mount
ings, the end Of shank Of a bronze
whip. and two or three rings through
which the rings OF the chariot must have
been carried. The bones found at Bever-
ley had gone to decay, but at Arras the
human remains and the bones OF the
horses appeared as fresh as II they had
been buried a hundred years ago.
The graves referred to as having been
opened were not close together. For
instance. the places OF discovery. Danes
dale and Arras, are twelve miles apart.
The theory advanced by the archaeolo-
gists who have taken the matter up is
that the districts through which the
mounds are found was formerly the bury
ing place of the ancient Brton, prob
ably years before the Danes attempted
the conquest of the island. The relies
discovered indicate that they once were
part OF and the property Of leaders among
the aboriginal inhabitants OF Britain.
There has been a dispute for a long
time between archaeOlogists as 10 the
occupation Of the territory in which the
mounds were found by the Danes and
By the early Brlt0ns. one faction OF dis
putants held that The mounds, being ac-
copted as graves OF ancient Danes, were
conclusive evidence that the Danes were
in possession Of the country centuries
before some persons claimed 10 believe
The second faction held that the Danes
had never held posses Son OF the eoun-
try. but that 1t was ~ centuries located
in the centre Of ~ stronghold OF the
Britons OF early days.
The formation OF the tires and the
naves Of the chariots found also indi-
Gated a hitherto unknown communica-
ton between the Romans and the early
Brltons. The tires and the nayes are
almost exactly similar 10 those now in
the British Museum, at London. which
are known to have been In use in Rome
about the same period in which the origi-
nal chariots TO which the British tires
and naves were attached sped over the
soil OF the island. IL establishes a new
fact ia history in reference TO the rela-
tons and power Of Rome, and while II
settles one dispute. makes seemingly in
correct a number OF assertions regarding
the period in which the burials in the
British graves took place.
II is very likely that several more OF
those mounds will be opened for the pur-
nose OF ascertaining whether they are
the resting places OF Britons OF a GER
tain century, or whether as many be-
lieve the mounds are located in what
was the burial ground OF the leaders OF
she early Britons for many centuries.