HS2 digs up 6th century spear victim
Graves discovered as railway is built
A BODY with a spear stuck in its spine was among dozens of AngloSaxon remains found at an HS2 site.
Archaeologists uncovered around 140 graves, including a man aged between 17 and 24 run through with the iron spike.
Other items unearthed from the 5th and 6th century included 89 brooches, 2,000 amber beads, 51 knives, 40 buckles and 15 spearheads.
Toiletry kits including ear-wax removers, toothpicks, tweezers, combs and even an eyeliner tube were also discovered.
Most graves held rare goods of high quality, which suggests the graves were the final resting place of a wealthy community.
TV historian Dan Snow, who filmed the discoveries in Wendover, Bucks, for his streaming service History Hit, described the finds as stunning.
He added: “They can tell us more about how our predecessors lived, fought and ultimately died.
“It is one of the best and most revealing post-Roman sites in the country. It was thrilling to join the team as they uncovered the wonderful finds.”
Around 30 field archaeologists also found evidence of Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman activity.
Two glass cone wine beakers are a clue that those now in the graves had access to fine beverages from abroad.
One female body was found buried with a vast array of high-quality goods including a complete ornate bowl of pale green glass, copper alloy rings, a silver ring, brooches and ivory.
Experts said they would help to build a picture of what culture and society were like during the “undocumented” era.
Dan explained: “Fifteen hundred years ago, the people in Britain stopped writing things down. This period has been dismissed as a Dark Age. But archaeology has filled some of the gaps.
“By studying the things our forebears left in the ground we can build a rich picture of a dynamic and vital period.”