For 3 years, they were quietly dug one of the largest treasures in England

Tom Moore obtained the call immediately before Christmas in 2021. Head of the Department of Archeology at Durham University, Mr. Moore was known in the history circles in Yorkshire, in northeastern England. For this reason he received an urgent message, from a man who claimed to find something big.

“I think it’s the Iron Age,” said the caller, Peter Harez, a amateur metal detector. After that, no one said a word.

Now, after more than three years of painstaking excavation, which was conducted in a semi-natural secrecy, Mr. Moore and his colleagues say it could be one of the most important archaeological discoveries in northern England-and they can change the understanding of historians of the Iron Age, about 2000 years ago.

“It is simply one of the most important discoveries of the Iron Age that was conducted in the United Kingdom,” Denkan Wilson, CEO of the historic government agency in England said in a statement this week. “It is a new light on the life of the Iron Age in North and Britain, but it also shows links with Europe.”

Since the conclusion of Mr. Hedz in 2021, a team of archaeologists working on the site gathered a total of more than 800 objects, dating back to the Iron Age. Among the boiler, wine mixing bowl, horse -coated horse contestants and festive spears.

It also includes 28 iron wheels, which are supposed to be from a vehicle or vehicle – the types of transportation mechanisms that have not been believed to have been present in this size and scope between the British Iron Age elite.

Experts said that the artifacts group – which is called Melsonby Hoard, for the city of North Yorkshire, which was found – stands as an example of how Britain is complicated Treasure laws It can work to protect potential discoveries. British law determines anything greater than 300 years and consists of at least 10 percent of the precious metal as a “treasure”, and thus the ownership of the British crown.

After Mr. Heads stumbled on a few pieces of old minerals, they allowed them to notify local historians immediately to protect the site quickly and start transferring the discovery through the legal process.

“Everything has been quietly quietly,” said Professor Moore, who led the drilling.

He said that the secrecy was partially to ensure that the other less conscientious reveals did not try to reach the site, and partly so that the area could be preserved so that the artifacts could be evaluated by the British authorities. They eventually evaluated the discovery, valuing about 254,000 pounds (about 329,000 dollars).

“It was the very responsible metal detector who warned archaeologists when he found some things,” Mr. Wilson said in an interview. “It was a very good example.”

Not everyone shows a great deal of familiarity with laws like Mr. Heads. Britain bases that govern mineral discovery require Commitment to reporting requirementsWith possible legal consequences to fail to do so.

People can use metal detectors on the lands with the permission of the landowner, but if they discover something that may be considered a treasure, they must report it. If the item is determined to be a treasure, it will be the property of the government, whose potential acquisition is managed by museums. The revenues of any sale are divided between the detector and the landowner.

Mr. Heads stumbled on the Melsonby treasure while discovering the property of the owner of the friendly land. After drilling some holes and learn about the potential value of the discovery, he called Mr. Moore, whom he knew from work in the area.

“I told him,” Do not dig it. “” I stop, and I will bring a team. “

Officials are working to get the treasure to the Yorkshire Museum, which runs a group financing effort to buy the group.

“This is the story of Yorkshire,” said Adam Parker, Antiquity Secretary at the museum. “We believe it is extremely important to be kept in the north.”

For Mr. Parker, Mr. Moore and his colleagues are in the end to be able to publicly talk about Melsonby Findi is relief. The discovery has been calm for years with the progress of the elements through the process of evaluating the treasures, which prevents it from discussing the matter with other experts.

“We are very excited now,” said Mr. Moore. “We can start the search process.”