In live in Pembrokeshire Wales UK and On February 7th 2018 after 3 weeks of heavy rain I went on the only field I knew would be hard enough not to get plastered in mud it was early afternoon, I climbed the gate and the sheep usually scatter but this time they wouldn't leave me alone as I started to detect, after about 80-100 feet I had a really loud signal and only about 3 inches down I found a flower shaped object covered in mud at first I thought it was a heraldic harness mount but after carefully cleaning I could see red enamel and dark green still not sure I sent a picture to a friend who is the editor of treasure hunting magazine Julian Evans Hart and then phoned him and the reply his was comical but I can't write it down needless but it was a Celtic chieftain horse harness junction piece, and Julian said you'll never top that then it started raining so I headed back home it rained the following day but on the 9th and started again were I had finished and only about half an hour in and I got another loud signal this time it was a Celtic terret ring the biggest ever found in Europe at 7.5 inches across in the same hole a Celtic horses brooch only the 2nd one of its kind ever found then a Celtic horse bit 3 feet away with other bits of bronze Celtic artefacts, I sent more pictures of the finds to Julian Evans heart and phoned him this time already knowing it was Celtic and he couldn't believe what he was looking at I had seen other people making impressive finds but this time it was me I was shaking with excitement I filled in the holes and headed home and gently cleaned the finds with a toothbrush and warm water and again sat down and called Julian I was obvious that thus was a significant find and must of been a burial. I sent an email to Mark Lodwick at Cardiff museum but had no reply after a few days I phoned and ask for mark Lodwick but he was on annual leave so I explained what I had found and was put through to Adam guilt head curator and explained that I believe I had found a Celtic chieftain chariot burial and after seeing the pictures he laughed saying its more likely a hoard because nothing of that nature had ever been found in Wales the closest was Yorkshire 300 miles away. A weeks dig was arranged for June and they got down to the top of the chariot wheels the look on their face was amazing and Mark Lodwick came up to me and shook my hand saying it was exactly what I said a Celtic chieftains burial and a significant find unfortunately it was the middle of a heatwave and the ground was like concrete so it was covered back up and a temporary schedule was put in place till the funds could be raised and mire suitable weather, it was March 4th 2019 before they came back but this time for 6 weeks the ground was softer as they dug down to where they had previously been there was a double edged Celtic long sword lying across were the body had been but had disintegrated because of the acidic soil conditions there was other bronze pieces lynch pins either side of the wheels in the corner of the field a Celtic prominent Fort and 14 more burials I get all the credit for the chariot the fort and the other burials. Not only is it the only Celtic chieftain chariot burial ever found in Wales but it’s the only Celtic chariot burial found by someone using a metal detector.
Mike Smith – United Kingdom