About a year ago I posted an entry about the Double Horse Burial at Ft Meigs. Since then, in the summer of 2010, a very large horse burial feature was unearthed along the Maas River near Amsterdam, Holland. Iron Age horse burials have been found occasionally in Europe as well as others dating to the Roman Empire but very few if any of these contained the remains of more than three or four animals. As can be imagined this was the largest equine mortuary feature ever discovered. The feature eventually yielded the remains of 69 horses that were laid out in a linear fashion in a single long trench. Some still had their shoes attached and there was evidence that one animal had been put down with a gun shot.
Other than a single stirrup, no buckles, harness gear or other horse tack was recovered from the feature. From radio carbon dates obtained from the feature the burial is thought to date to one of two military incursions into that region during the 16th century. Attached are a couple of images sent along to me by Dr. Angela Simons, the projects principal investigator. I have also provided a link to a published news article. Enjoy. http://www.physorg.com/news197131761.html
