The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-29
NOT DANE BUT BRITON
Late Discoveries of Importance In Burial
Mounds in England.

Late Discoveries of Importance in Burial
Mounds in England.
( London, Aug. 2s Scientific men are
! deeply interested in archaeological dis
coveries just made concerning the an
cient Britons. Thirteen graves opened
at d little place called GAINESVILLE, near
Driffield, in East Yorkshire, revealed rel
les that showed that the 'burials took
place al least 1000 years before the adj
vent of William the ConQueror 10 British
soil.
The mounds just opened have been
supposed to be the last resting places OF
ancient Danes. They were called the
Danes graves" Indeed, the town OF
Danesdale referred 10 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 grow.
Archaeolgoists have long believed that
investigation of the ancicne mounds
would lead to important discoveries. l.
was this sentiment which led the East
Riding Antiquarian society, through Can
on Greenwich of Durham 70 institute the
inquiry which resulted in opening the
mounds. Deep down in the first mound
opened were found not only the bones OF
an ancient Briton but the iron tire OF his
chariot. the iron bit and trappings OF his
horse and a bronze pin beautiful in de-
sign and enameled. The shape of the
grave and the curious curled-up position
or eli faF he
age to which all belonged and disposed
70 the satisfaction of every one of the
Danish theory which has so long pre-
vailed.
Perhaps the most notable Of the relies
so far as establishing the antiquity there
Of is concerned. is the bronze pin. II is
a specimen Of the earliest known British
enameling. and is OF type most pecu-
liar to the iron period Il has peculiar
twist in the shank which makes its ORR
gin an absolute certainty. IL is one OF
me curious facts found in British history
that pins such as the one described only
existed during a certain period. Distinct
changes in articles OF this sort were
made a. certain point in the development
OF Britain. This fac; is known absolute
ly. and therefore this pin settles beyond
question the point as to tht time before
which i, must have been made.
Two other graves were opened az Az
ras and Beverly. in which chariots were
found. and in the one at Arras The tires
and nav-s OF the wheel were complete.
The tires are OF iron and the naves O;
bronze. There were also found in these
graves an iron mirror with bronze
mOuniings. the end OF shank Of a
bronze whip and two or three rings
through which the reins OF the chariot
must have been carried. The bones
Found at Beverly had gone 70 decay. bI:
al Arras the human remains and Tie
bones OF the horses appeared as fresh as
il they had been buried only 100 years
ago.
There has been a dispute for a very
long time between archaelogists as 70
the occupation % the territory in which
the mounds were found by the Danes
and by the early B-itons One fsc;ion ot
disputants held that the mounds, being
accepted as graves Of ancient Danes.
were conclusive evidence that the Danes
>
les before some persons claimed 70 be-
neve. The second faction held that The
Danes mad never held possession O: the
country. bu; that Il was for centuries
located in the center OF The stronghold
Of the Britons OF early days.
The formation ~ the tires and the
naves Of the chsriots found also in1lea5-
ed 4 hitherto unknown Communication
between ne Romans ami ne early Brit
one. The tires and naves are ai-noss sx-
actly similar 10 5hose now in the rtish
Museum in London. which are kHzwn to
have been in use n Rome about re same
period in which he original cls-.o-s .
whicl the British tres ana naves were
attached sped over me soil O. ne Island
Il establishes 4 mex facc n history IN
reference u ne relations and power u
Rome. and whfle j.; settles one dispute.
makes seemingly incorrec; a number Q:
assertions regarding me period IN whic1
ne 53riaLs IN he British graves took
phase.
/; : very likely ma: several moe =.
these mounds XII - o7eaet for she pa
pose o: asce-;zinIng whether ;hey are
ne resting PAGES o. B-i;oas O. : certain
century. OF xae.As-. a. many b~.ist ..
The mounds ere iocz:si n MA, was TIE
burial ground % he leaders % the ears
Bu;ons fo- many centuries S7o-..G =.
latter prove ;-2e. i j. mo-s rhsn azeiy
nat discoveries vii Be made Shlch TlL
entirely change ne h-<.G-y = Britain a.
Ear as Z relates t. Iha: ps-s5i walsh e.
up % The conquest