800 BC-AD 43 Iron Age

Although the environment is harsher in northern England than other parts of the country, people successfully farmed animals and crops as they did elsewhere. They lived in relatively varied types of settlements; hillforts, open settlements and square or circular enclosed settlements. In some places evidence of settlement is sparse, and quite large areas of land would have been used to support small communities.

Fewer objects from daily life have been found in this region than elsewhere in England. However, this does not necessarily mean that people living there did not use those items. People may have cooked without pots, or used pots less frequently than in other areas. They may also have used objects made from organic materials which have not survived, such as wood, basketwork, or leather.

During the middle Iron Age (400-100 BC) in the area of modern East Yorkshire, people began burying their dead in large linear cemeteries. This is unusual because in most parts of England at this time people did not bury their dead.

Towards the end of the Iron Age a number of tribal groupings can be seen including the Brigantes and the Parisi. During the mid-1st century AD the Brigantes became a ‘friendly kingdom’ – they became allies of the Romans.