Strata Florida Archaeology Field School 2026 Site Supervisor (Residential)

CBA Wales/Cymru

c/o Dept of History & Archaeology, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WALES, Cathays Park, Cardiff

United Kingdom

A mound of earth in west Cumbria could contain a lost Viking king called Ivarr the Boneless, an archaeologist claims.

Ivarr - also known as The Legless or The Dragon - founded a Viking dynasty in Dublin and led an army that ravaged England during the 9th Century, but his grave has never been found.

Archaeologist Steve Dickinson believes Ivarr was buried with his ship under a hill referred to as The King's Mound in medieval texts.

He said the "exciting" discovery could mean there was "Viking necropolis" hidden on the Cumbrian coast.

Treasures unearthed by hundreds of archaeologists so far during work on the controversial planned HS2 train line have been shown exclusively to the BBC.

The 450,000 objects, which are being held in a secret warehouse, include a possible Roman gladiator's tag, a hand axe that may be more than 40,000 years old and 19th Century gold dentures.

It is an "unprecedented" amount and array of items, which will yield new insights into Britain's past, says the Centre for British Archaeology.

A 41-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods after more than 600 artefacts were taken from Bristol Museum's archive.

Avon and Somerset Police launched a major manhunt after the high-value raid on 25 September.

On Thursday, detectives announced they have made their first arrest in relation to incident, which saw military memorabilia, jewellery, natural history pieces and carved ivory, bronze and silver figurines taken.

The force is still hunting for four other suspects and has released CCTV images of the men.

"When it was made, before it oxidised in the earth, it would have been a bright yellowy-orange," said archaeologist Dr John Pearce, from King's College London.

"You could see it gleaming and you'd know whose carriage it was coming towards you."

He suspects the fitting was one of a pair that would have decorated the "elaborate, fashionable" vehicle of a reasonably wealthy farmer or merchant - the Roman equivalent of someone who would nowadays drive a BMW or Audi, rather than a Rolls-Royce or Ferrari.