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Wednesday, 21st November 2007 (4235 views)

A gold brooch discovered in an Anglo-Saxon royal burial site is thought to be "unparalleled" with regards to similar items of its time.

Yesterday it emerged that gold jewellery was among the findings at a 109-grave cemetery in Teesside, England. It is believed to date back to the seventh century.

Archaeologist Steve Sherlock supervised excavations of the burial site and discovered items such as glass beads, belt buckles, pottery, "high-status" jewellery and knives, all of which do not decompose in the same way as human flesh and bone.

While five graves were found to contain brooches, another held the particularly special gold brooch which could lead to the haul being defined as treasure.

"One burial had been placed upon a bed with the lady dressed wearing three gold brooches, one of which is unparalleled in Anglo-Saxon England," Mr Sherlock told the Northern Echo.

"Quite who this person was we may never know."

Anglo-Saxon is the term usually applied for those living in Great Britain in the period from the fifth century to the time of the Norman conquest in 1066.

 

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