Dartmoor tomb treasure hoard uncovered by archaeologists

The chamber, known as a cist, was found on Whitehorse Hill, near Chagford

Archaeologists from around the UK have been examining a hoard of treasures unearthed in a 4,000-year-old tomb on Dartmoor.

Prehistoric jewellery, animal pelts and beads made of amber were among the finds about two years ago in the burial chamber.
The chamber, known as a cist, was found on Whitehorse Hill, near Chagford.
Dartmoor National Park archaeologists have called it the most important ancient find on the moor.
When they levered off the chamber's lid they discovered an intact burial of cremated remains.

The coiled bag has been specially cleaned

It was wrapped in an animal pelt, containing a delicate bracelet studded with tin beads, a textile fragment with detailed leather fringing and a unique coiled bag.
Jane Marchand, Dartmoor National Park's chief archaeologist, said: "Visibly it's not as impressive as Stonehenge, but archaeologically it's just as important.
"It was incredibly exciting to lift the lid and a bead fell out."
At the Wiltshire Conservation Lab, the team had the delicate task of trying to reveal the secrets of the coiled bag containing rare beads.
Just eight beads have been found on Dartmoor in the last 100 years.

The team is awaiting DNA results to identify what animal the pelt came from

Helen Williams, a conservator at the lab, said: "The level of preservation we have got is amazing.
"We're awaiting DNA results on the pelt so we can identify what animal it might have come from.
"Amazing doesn't really do them justice. It's the most extraordinary assortment of finds with tin beads and wooden ear studs."

Archaeologists say the discovery also points to the earliest evidence of tin found in the South West.

Mystery of the Moor, a BBC Inside Out South West programme, is on BBC One on Friday at 19.30 GMT. bbc.co.uk/

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Actualización 10-02-14. El tesoro de la tumba de Dartmoor
Arqueólogos de todo el Reino Unido han estado examinando un conjunto de tesoros desenterrado en una tumba de 4000 años de antigüedad en Dartmoor.

Joyería prehistórica, pieles de animales y cuentas de collar hechas en ámbar se encontraban entre los hallazgos localizados hace unos dos años en la cámara funeraria. La cista, fue encontrada en Whitehorse Hill, cerca de Chagford.

Los arqueólogos del Parque Nacional de Dartmoor lo han calificado como el hallazgo antiguo más importante realizado en el páramo. Cuando retiraron la cubierta de la cámara descubrieron un enterramiento de cremación intacto.

Estaba envuelto en una piel de animal, que contenía un delicado brazalete tachonado de cuentas de estaño, un fragmento de tejido con un detallado ribete de cuero y una excepcional bolsa de cestería.

Jane Marchand, arqueóloga jefe del Parque Nacional de Dartmoor, dice: "A simple vista no es tan impresionante como Stonehenge, pero arqueológicamente es igual de importante. Fue increíblemente excitante levantar la cubierta y que cayese una cuenta de collar."

En el Laboratorio de Conservación de Wiltshire, el equipo se enfrentó a la delicada tarea de tratar de revelar los secretos de la bolsa cordada que contenía las poco comunes cuentas. Tan sólo se han encontrado ocho cuentas de collar en Dartmoor en los últimos 100 años.

Helen Williams, conservadora en el laboratorio, dice: "El nivel de conservación que tenemos es asombroso. Estamos esperando los resultados del análisis de ADN de la piel para poder identificar de qué animal procedería. Asombroso no les hace justicia. Es el conjunto de hallazgos más extraordinario de todos los hallazgos con cuentas de estaño y pendientes de madera."

Los arqueólogos destacan también que se trata de la evidencia más antigua de estaño encontrada en el Sudoeste del Reino Unido.


Actualización 11-02-14. What the well-dressed princess wore in 2000 BC: 4,000-year-old Dartmoor grave with perfectly preserved furs, jewels and bag belonged to high-status woman | Mail Online

2/11. Intriguing finds including prehistoric wooden earrings (pictured right), beads (also pictured), a studded bracelet and a near perfectly animal pelt will be the subject of a one-off documentary, before going on show to the public later this year

3/11. It is thought that the personal items, which were unearthed from peat in a burial chamber found high on Whitehorse Hill in Dartmoor, belonged to a Bronze Age Princess. Here, an actress wears modern recreations of the ancient items recovered

Actualización 08-09-14: Brown bears 'roamed Dartmoor', suggests grave pelt
A fur pelt found in an ancient burial chamber suggests that bears once roamed Dartmoor, it has been claimed.

Experts have confirmed the pelt, found by archaeologists in the bronze age granite cist on the moor in 2011, is from a brown bear.
Fiona Pitt, curator of Plymouth Museum, which is exhibiting the grave finds, said: "It's entirely possible bears were living in the local area."
The grave was found in a peat bog on White Horse Hill...