PERFECTLY preserved treasures from an ancient burial chamber dating back almost 4,000 years are now on display for the first time. Whitehorse Hill, near Fernworthy Forest, has been something of great fascination internationally since it was announced that a Bronze Age granite tomb was found. Excavation work began in 2011 — and what was revealed has stunned and amazed leading experts from across the world. The unusual environmental conditions within the cist (tomb) had resulted in the survival of cremated human remains together with organic materials, which would have normally disintegrated in Dartmoor's acidic soil. These, together with precious artefacts, have yielded insights into materials and technology, contacts and trade networks and gives a rare glimpse into the personal possessions of an individual who lived on Dartmoor 4,000 years ago. In 1999 the cist, pronounced kist, was discovered after one of its side stones fell out of the peat mound which had been concealing it. Following its discovery, the Dartmoor National Park Authority built a stone wall across its exposed side to protect any archaeology which 'might' have been inside. A decade passed and it became clear the cist and the protective wall was slowly being weathered away. Before any archaeology was lost to the elements, it was decided to conduct an excavation — but no-one could have known that they were about to uncover one of the most important and richest archaeological finds of the last 100 years. Jane Marchand, senior archaeologist at the Dartmoor National Park Authority and project co-ordinator of the Whitehorse Hill project, said: 'The excavation of the burial cist on Whitehorse Hill has produced the most important assemblage of grave goods ever recovered from Dartmoor, and a rare human dimension is added to the 4,000-year-old burial by the extraordinary range of personal possessions found. 'People really need to go and see the exhibition rather than just read about it — it really is quite touching.' The exhibition is now on at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery until Saturday, December 13, Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5.30pm, and Saturdays 10am to 5pm, admission is free. More than 60 people visited the museum for the launch of the exhibition last Friday, September 12. Kevin Bishop, chief executive of the Dartmoor National Park Authority, welcomed everyone to the event, and congratulated everyone's hard work and expertise in bringing the exhibition to life: 'The Whitehorse Hill story has been one of twists and turns at every stage, surprises, questions and revelations. 'This project demonstrates there's still fascination in terms of our predecessors and I think that's what's really captured the public's imagination about the Whitehorse Hill story, and I hope many will come to the museum to learn more. 'These finds cement Dartmoor's place as one of the most important landscapes in Western Europe for Bronze Age remains.' A well renowned expert in prehistory Alison Sheridan, head of Early Prehistory at the National Museum in Scotland and a former president of the Prehistoric Society, was involved in the project. She said: 'The Whitehorse Hill finds are among the great archaeology discoveries of the last century. 'Who could have guessed that when Jane Marchand and Andy Jones went up to excavate the cist back in 2011 what astonishing early Bronze Age treasures were preserved inside. 'I pay tribute to Andy and Jane for their wisdom in lifting the contents and for managing the project. 'It was an immense privilege and pleasure to have been one of the specialists involved with analysing the treasures.' Discoverer of the cist in 1999 was Joe Turner, now deceased, a Dartmoor and history enthusiast. Pat Turner, Joe's widow, attended the exhibition and said that Joe would have been proud to see the remains on display. 'When Joe discovered the cist he did everything by the book and he would be amazed at this exhibition — history was his love,' she said. 'I am glad I came and I am so pleased he was mentioned for his find and his hard work — who knows, without him it may still be there uncovered.' Graham Stoodley from Chagford was at Whitehorse Hill the day the 'lid was lifted' off the tomb: 'I was lucky enough to be there and assist that day. This exhibition is incredible and it is amazing to see all of what was discovered — it is wonderful to see it all come to life.' The burial of the dead which, up until the Bronze Age period had been communal, now became much more focused on the individual. There are over 1,500 burial cairns on Dartmoor, often in prominent locations. The diameters vary from two metres to 40 metres. Some are mounds of earth, turf or stone, others have a kerb of upright stones around the cairn. Many cairns contain cists, which were generally placed inside. A cist is two parallel long sides of granite slabs with two smaller end pieces set between the sides, and then covered by a single large slab. Analysis of the cremated human remains within the Whitehorse Hill cist reveals that they are from a single body, but with only half the skeleton being present, aged between 15 and 25-years-old, of small build. The excavation revealed that the remains had been wrapped within an animal pelt and placed in the cist. A delicate braided woven wrist or arm band made from cattle hair studded with 32 tin studs was found. The personal possessions of jewellery and clothing placed with the burial and the description of the skeleton, has led archaeologists and experts to strongly believe that the cremated remains belong to that of a young female. A female who held a special place in society, possibly part of an elite family with access to prestigious, rare and exotic items. Concealed within the pelt was a woven basket with fine stitching still visible, and contained within the basket were beads, wooden studs and a flint tool. More than 200 beads were found, some made of amber not native to England, showing that there was trading in the Bronze Age era. These seven amber beads showed a degree of wear and indicated that they were 'heirloom' objects, and already old by the time they were buried. Two pairs of wooden discs with grooves along their edges were also discovered within the basket. One pair measures 24 to 25mm in diameter and the smaller 14 to 15mm in diameter. One of the discs had been made from spindle wood from spindle trees, which still grow on the lower slopes of Dartmoor. The likely use of the wooden discs could have been that they were worn in either pierced and stretched earlobes, or for piercings elsewhere on the body, or set into leather belts or clothing. The studs are unique in British prehistory, and show the earliest evidence for wood turning in the UK. The fur pelt which had a number of specialists trying to identify the animal it belonged to. It was believed to have been a native brown bear —and after considerable testing, the experts were right. The revelation could have meant that bears once roamed Dartmoor, or the brown bear could have been the result of a traded item. But the indigenous bear population had been in Britain until the early medieval period, when they became extinct. An important part of the excavation saw peat samples removed from the cist and thoroughly examined. Through the examinations, experts were able to suggest a peatland that had shifted from wet blanket mire of cotton grasses to a drier area of heathers and purple moor grass by the early Bronze Age. Investigations of pollen samples from within the cist revealed a concentration of meadowsweet which suggested that a floral tribute was deposited with the burial. As meadowsweet was unlikely to have grown locally, archaeologists believe the flowers were carried up to Whitehorse Hill to accompany the burial. And as meadowsweet flowers in summer and early autumn, it indicates the burial was carried out at that time of year. The importance of the cist and the artefacts which were hidden will continue to amaze people from all over the world. You can spend hours examining the exhibition at the museum — the wealth of artefacts and information on display will enthral all ages. Why not visit the museum and discover a mystery which lay hidden for nearly 4,000 years.