Site yields major 7th century treasures
A 1300-year-old gold and gemstone necklace found on the site of a new housing development marks the grave of a powerful woman who may have been an early Christian religious leader in Britain, say archaeologists.
The necklace, uncovered with other items near Northampton in central England, is part of the most significant early medieval burial of a woman found in the UK.
The woman is long gone – some tooth enamel is all that remains. But scientists say her long-buried trove will shed new light on life in 7th century England, a time when Christianity was battling with paganism for people’s allegiance.
The items are “a definite statement of wealth as well as Christian faith,” said Lyn Blackmore, a senior finds specialist at Museum of London Archaeology, which made the discovery.
“She was extremely devout, but was she a princess? Was she a nun? Was she more than a nun – an abbess? We don’t know,” Blackmore said.
The Harpole Treasure – named for the village where it was found, about 96km northwest of London – was unearthed in April by archaeologists working with property developer Vistry Group on a neighbourhood of new houses.
On one of the last days of the 10-week dig, site supervisor Leventebence Bala´ zs noticed something glinting in the dirt.
It turned out to be a rectangular gold pendant with a cross motif, inlaid with garnets — the centrepiece of a necklace that also contained pendants fashioned from gold Roman coins and ovals of semiprecious stones.
Researchers say the burial took place between 630 and 670 AD.
The discoveries will help fill in gaps in knowledge about the era between the departure of Britain’s Roman occupiers in the 5th century and the arrival of Viking raiders almost 400 years later.