Danes Graves

Danes Graves is an archaeological site in the East Riding of Yorkshire. It lies in a dry river valley called Danesdale, where gravel and chalk deposits mark the land. The site belongs to the Arras Culture, known for Iron Age inhumation and chariot burials. It stands north of Driffield, close to the village of Kilham. The cemetery consists of barrows, low earth mounds raised over graves. These barrows range from three to ten metres in diameter and rise less than a metre above the ground. The site has a long history of excavation. The earliest recorded work took place in 1721, though no records survive. In 1849 the Yorkshire Antiquarian Club opened six barrows. William Greenwell excavated fourteen in two days in March 1864. John Robert Mortimer later tried to expand work but was blocked by the landowner. After the landowner’s death, large-scale digs resumed between 1897 and 1898 under Greenwell and Mortimer. Together they opened fifty-three more barrows and recorded 114 skeletons. Most skeletons were laid in a crouched position along a north-south axis. Grave goods included brooches, ceramics, bracelets, beads, and a single pin. One barrow contained a chariot burial now held by the Yorkshire Museum. The finds resemble those from the Iron Age cemetery at Burton Fleming nearby. The shallow graves and modest mounds give a quiet sense of an ancient resting place in the open valley.