Bronze Age artefacts found in an ancient burial mound in Leeds offer a "fascinating" insight into how people were buried, experts say.
Cremated remains and fragments of an urn have been discovered during archaeological investigations at a residential complex on Pittie Close Farm in Driglington.
These artifacts are believed to be part of burial rituals performed by local people around 4,000 years ago.
The collection will be housed at Leeds Science Centre, with three exhibits going on public display later this year.
The discoveries were made by experts from West Yorkshire Archaeological Advisory Service during excavations in 2020.
The team found the cremated remains of a child and three adults, fragments of a decorated clay urn, part of a pin carefully carved from a piece of animal bone, and a fragment of the blade of a finely sharpened flint knife.
Both the human remains and the objects found are now part of a growing archaeological collection at the Leeds Discovery Centre, where they will be kept for teaching and research, and the urn, needle and knife will also be put on public display.
Kate Baxter, curator of archaeology at Leeds Museums and Galleries, said: "This is a fascinating discovery which gives us insight into the lives and deaths of some Early Bronze Age communities in Leeds.".
«"It was during this period that cremation, the use of urns, and the construction of circular monuments such as kurgans became more common burial methods as people began to live in more permanent settlements.".
«"People came together in communities, clearly putting in a lot of effort and resources to treat those they buried with respect and care.".
«"Places like these likely became important to those early communities, helping them establish a connection to the area that they could pass on to future generations.".
Excavations in 2020 uncovered partial remains of a kurgan—an ancient circular burial site formed by piling earth and stones to create a burial mound, often surrounded by a ring ditch.
Inside, they found four cremation pits, grouped together over an area of about two square metres, containing charcoal and the bones of three adults and a child aged between nine and twelve.
Radiocarbon dating has shown that the earliest cremations occurred around 1889–1701 BC.
West Yorkshire Archaeological Consultancy head David Williams said: "Discoveries of this kind demonstrate the value of modern developer-funded archaeology.".
«"Without the planning process, this outstanding prehistoric monument would have been completely lost.".
«"The site offers a fascinating glimpse into the past, into a landscape very different to our own, and the inclusion of these excavated items in Leeds' collection ensures that the history of Pittie Close Farm is preserved for the public.".
The remains of one individual were found in the collar urn fragments, which, together with a pin and a knife, indicate that this individual may have held a high position in Early Bronze Age society.
Leeds City Council executive member for economy, Councillor Salma Arif, said: "It's absolutely incredible to think that people were building communities and putting down roots in Leeds around 4,000 years ago.".
«This fact alone gives us an idea of how much history and cultural heritage surrounds us today, and what an important and historical place this city is.».
«It’s wonderful that we can be the custodians of this archive and that our visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the people who, thousands of years ago, laid the foundations of the city we know today.».
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Related links
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West Yorkshire Archaeological Advisory Service
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Leeds Science Centre