Metal detectorist may have uncovered belongings of Iron Age queen in Melsonby hoard

The discovery, made in 2021 by Peter Head, prompted excavation by Durham University archaeologists, who recovered more than 800 items now known as the Melsonby Hoard, a collection valued at around £250,000 and currently on display at the Yorkshire Museum in York, News.Az reports, citing BBC.

Museum curators said the hoard includes chariot parts, spearheads, horse harness equipment, beads and a mirror, with many objects deliberately damaged and buried together around 2,000 years ago in what remains a mystery to researchers.

Experts said the scale and richness of the artefacts suggest they may have belonged to someone of significant status within the Brigantes tribe, with some items linked to female power in the Iron Age, while ongoing CT scans and conservation work continue to reveal further details about the collection.