Amesbury Archer
Amesbury Archer (or King of Stonehenge) is the name given to a Bronze Age skeleton discovered in the British town of Amesbury, Wiltshire. The remains were discovered during an archaeological excavation in 2002 and were dated to between 2300 and 2100 BCE. The skeleton was found in a grave with a collection of grave goods, including an ornate bronze dagger, archery equipment, and a decorated Beaker pot.
The individual was dubbed the "Archer" due to the large number of archery-related objects found in the grave. Analysis of the skeleton revealed that the individual was a man between 35 and 45 years old when he died. He was tall (approximately 1.8 m) and muscular, and had suffered from several injuries, including a broken rib, a broken arm, and several healed wounds.


The discovery of the Amesbury Archer has been significant for archaeologists due to the wealth of grave goods found with the remains. The objects found in the grave are believed to represent the earliest evidence of metalworking in Britain, and the ornate decoration of the objects suggests the emergence of a wealthy elite in the area. The Amesbury Archer is also important due to its location. It is the earliest known grave in the area and was found near Stonehenge, suggesting a link between the two sites.

The Significance of the Amesbury Archer's Grave
The Amesbury Archer is an important archaeological discovery from the early Bronze Age in England. The tomb of the archer, which was discovered in 2002, has revealed a great deal about the culture of this period. The Amesbury Archer was buried with some of the most spectacular grave goods ever found from this period. These grave goods include a copper dagger, gold hair ornaments, archery equipment, and pottery.

The Amesbury Archer is significant for a number of reasons. First, the grave goods suggest that he was a high-status individual within his society, possibly a chief or a king. This is further evidenced by the fact that he was buried with a large number of grave goods, which suggests that he was an important figure.


The archery equipment in the tomb suggests that archery was an important part of Bronze Age society . This is further evidenced by the fact that the Amesbury Archer was buried with a copper dagger, implying that he was a skilled archer.

The gold hair ornaments found in the tomb suggest that the Amesbury Archer was a wealthy individual. Gold was a rare and valuable commodity in the Bronze Age, and the fact that the Amesbury Archer was buried with gold ornaments suggests that he was a wealthy and powerful individual.

The Amesbury Archer's tomb provides insight into the religious beliefs of the Bronze Age. For example, the fact that he was buried with a large quantity of pottery indicates that pottery was an important part of religious ceremonies in the Bronze Age.

The Amesbury Archer's grave is an important archaeological discovery from the early Bronze Age in England. It provides valuable insight into the culture and religious beliefs of this period, as well as the status of the Amesbury Archer himself.


Unraveling the Mystery of the Amesbury Archer's Identity
The Amesbury Archer is the name given to a Bronze Age man whose skeletal remains were discovered in 2002 in Amesbury, Wiltshire in England. The body is believed to have been buried around 2300 BCE, making him the oldest known inhabitant of Britain.


The man was found with a wealth of artifacts, including an ornate stone wristguard, a copper dagger, and a gold hair ornament. All of these artifacts suggested a high social standing and the man was likely a member of the elite.


Analysis of the man's bones revealed that he was over 45 years old when he died and that he had suffered from joint damage and osteoarthritis, probably due to a lifetime of physical labor. Isotope analysis of his teeth and bones also revealed that he had lived in an area with a marine climate and had eaten a diet rich in seafood. This suggested he was not a local, but had traveled to Wiltshire from elsewhere.


The man's identity has remained a mystery, but some clues have been discovered. His grave contained several distinctive artifacts, some of which were made of materials that originated in the Alps, suggesting he was from that region. Furthermore, the type of wristguard he was wearing was only used by people of a certain rank, suggesting he was a member of the elite.


Analysis of mitochondrial DNA taken from his teeth has also suggested that he had familial links to modern-day Germany and Austria, and it's possible he was a member of a wealthy, powerful family from that region.


The Amesbury Archer's identity remains a mystery, but the evidence suggests he was a wealthy man from the Alps, likely of high social standing, who traveled to Wiltshire and lived there until his death.




Exploring the History of the Amesbury Archer
Amesbury Archer grave had the greatest number of objects ever found in a British Bronze Age burial.


  • The Amesbury Archer is an archaeological find from the United Kingdom that dates back to the late Neolithic period. The archer, as he is known, was discovered in a burial chamber in Amesbury, Wiltshire in 2002. He is believed to have been buried in the late Stone Age, around 2300 BC.

  • The Amesbury Archer was a wealthy and important figure within his community. He was buried with an array of valuable and exotic objects, including arrowheads, flint tools, and a copper dagger. The archer also had several fine items of clothing, including an archer's robe, a leather cloak, and a fur cap.

  • The Amesbury Archer is believed to have been a skilled archer, as the many arrowheads found in his burial chamber suggest. Analysis of his bones suggests that he was a tall and strong man, likely in his thirties or forties.

  • The Amesbury Archer was an important figure in his community. He was likely a leader or a member of the elite class, and his grave goods suggest that he had access to wealth and resources. His burial site was also located in an area with a high concentration of other wealthy people, further suggesting his importance.

  • The Amesbury Archer is an important example of a prehistoric burial, providing insights into the beliefs and lifestyles of the people of the late Neolithic period. His grave goods provide valuable evidence of the status and wealth of the people of this time.



The Archaeology of the Amesbury Archer's Grave

The Amesbury Archer is an early Bronze Age burial, located in Wiltshire, England. It is the richest grave of its kind found in the United Kingdom and is one of the most significant archaeological finds in Europe. The grave was discovered in 2002 during the construction of a housing development. It is believed to date to around 2300 B.C, and the burial contains a wealth of artifacts, indicating the high status of the individual buried within.


The grave itself is an oval ditch, approximately 6 meters long and 2.5 meters wide, containing a wooden chamber, lined with stones and topped with large slabs of sarsen stones. Inside the chamber was the body of an adult male, believed to be between 35 and 45 years old, along with a variety of grave goods. These included a copper dagger, an archer's wrist guard, gold and amber beads, flint tools, pottery and a collection of bronze objects, including a macehead, an axehead and a socketed axehead. Other artifacts included a quern stone, indicating the possible presence of a mill.


Analysis of the grave goods suggests that the individual was a high-status individual, possibly a chief or leader of a tribe or community. The presence of the dagger, archer's wrist guard and the bronze objects indicate that the individual had a military function, and the collection of artifacts suggests that they may have been involved in trade and exchange.


The Amesbury Archer is an important archaeological find, providing valuable insights into life in Bronze Age Britain. The grave goods provide a unique window into the technology and lifestyle of the time, and the individual buried within the grave is likely to have been an important figure in their community.


Amesbury Archer Beakers found at the grave


Examining the Impact of the Amesbury Archer
  • The Amesbury Archer was a Bronze Age skeleton discovered in 2002 in Wiltshire, England. He is thought to have lived approximately 4,300 years ago and is known for his possessions, which included a large collection of artifacts and weaponry, including a set of antlers and an archer's wristguard. His presence has been a subject of debate among archaeologists as to whether he was a high-status individual, a foreigner, or a member of a forgotten culture.

  • The discovery of the Amesbury Archer has had a significant impact on British history, as it has provided valuable insight into the life of the people in the Bronze Age.

  • The archer's possessions have allowed archaeologists to gain a better understanding of the culture and technology of the time, such as their use of bronze and the development of archery. His presence has also raised questions about how the people of the Bronze Age interacted with each other, as well as the possible presence of a lost culture that may have been separate from the mainstream cultures of the time.

  • The Amesbury Archer has also provided evidence for the large-scale migrations that occurred during the Bronze Age. The fact that he had possessions from both the Rhineland and Britain suggests that there was a great deal of movement between these two regions during this period, which has helped to shed light on the history of trade and cultural exchange between them.

  • The discovery of the Amesbury Archer has been important in terms of how it has changed our understanding of the past.

  • As a result of the archer's presence, archaeologists have been able to gain a better understanding of the people of the Bronze Age, as well as the cultural and technological advances of the time. It has also allowed us to gain a better understanding of the migrations that occurred during this period, which has been crucial to our understanding of the cultural exchange between different regions.



Archaeologists contributing to the Amesbury archer Project
Alison Sheridan

Alison Sheridan is Head of Early Prehistory in the National ...
Robert ConnollyRonald Hutton


Hutton's books on paganism have received some criticism from certain ...
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The Archaeology of Death and Burial has been written by Professor Michael Parker Pearson.
In Search of the Red Slave (the last in combination with his partner Karen Godden). He has carried out excavations in South Uist, Madagascar and at Durrington Walls as part of the Stonehenge Riverside Project.
The Stonehenge people has been written by Aubrey Burl.
His most generally held academic works are The Stone Circles of the British and The Stonehenge people, each of which is held in over 1300 libraries universally. It also provides a new interpretation of Stonehenge. Includes a greatly expanded gazetteer, and an up-to-date list of radiocarbon dates and recent excavations.

Book Name:The Age of Stonehenge book written by Colin Burgess.
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Rich Resources over the web on Amesbury Archer
Wessex Archaeology is one of the largest archaeological practices in England, working across the UK to further our knowledge of our past and Amesbury Archer.
Since excavation the funeral has involved national and international interest.
oxygen isotope analysis specify that this man originally came from somewhere in the Alpine area of Europe.
A 'Beaker' era burial from a cemetery on Net Down, near Shrewton, a few miles from Stonehenge
Innovation of the remains in 2002 caused a flurry of archaeological interest. The grave, found three miles from Stonehenge, contained a rich deposit of 100 items of grave goods, with gold earrings. It was said at the occasion to have been the richest Bronze Age grave yet found in Northern Europe.
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