English: [2008T57] Grave Fill 2168, Skeleton 2167, Grave Cut 2166

The following objects were recovered during controlled archaeological excavation of an Anglo Saxon cemetery. Grave 2166 contained the remains of a single individual buried in a supine position. The grave was orientated west-northwest (head) - east-southeast. The right arm was flexed so that the forearm and hand overlay the waist and may have clasped a set of iron shears. The position of the left forearm is unclear as the skeleton was very poorly preserved. A chatelaine comprising iron and copper alloy chain and two beads was located at the lateral side of the left femur. A copper alloy workbox was recovered to the lateral side of the right knee and iron box mounts were present lateral to the lower right leg. Objects made of silver, which are interpreted as necklace pendants probably suspended on a decayed organic thong were recovered from below the jaw. Typologically the finds suggest a late 7^{th - early 8th century date for the interment.}

Necklace Pendants and Bead

(Finds 52a-q and Finds 71a-c)

Find 52a and 52b

One decorated and one undecorated silver disc, which appear to have been soldered together as a plain backing plate and a decorated frontispiece.

The decorated disc is embossed with five interlinked loops formed of three concentric lines. A small embossed ring is present at the centre of the disc and at the centre of each of the loops. Undamaged areas at the edge of the decorated disc are denticulated. Solder is present on the reverse of the decorated disc and both sides of the undecorated disc. An eccentric hole is crudely punched through both discs, probably so that the object could be worn as a pendant. The remnants of solder on both sides of the plain disc suggest that its use as a pendant was a secondary function; originally it may have been a decorative mount to a metal object.

Dia of Discs: 24mm. Th: 0.25mm.

Find 52c

Part of a silver disc decorated with a central embossed circle surrounded by an intricate design of semi-circular interwoven lines. A 1mm wide shallow groove and 1mm wide flange run around the periphery of the fragment of the disc. Two small eccentric sub-circular holes (

c.1mm diameter) are punched through the disc, one is complete the other lies on the broken edge of the disc. The embossed side is worn while the decorative motif on the punched side is crisp and clear. The wear pattern and two small (rivet?) holes suggest that the original function may have been as a decorative mount. The object was recovered from the neck area, which suggests that it may have been reused as a pendant.

Dia: 20mm. Th: 0.25mm.

Find 52d

Three fragments of a hemispherical copper alloy disc with a flattened rim. All fragments are heavily corroded, two were refitted during conservation and the proportions of the other fragment suggest that it belongs to the same object. Parts of a bulla pendant, the sheet projects 5mm from the rim, the apex of the hemisphere is absent.

Dia: 11mm.

Find 52e

Five fragments of a hemispherical silver disc with a flattened rim. The fragments were partially refitted during conservation to form the greater part of a bulla pendant. The apex of the hemisphere is absent. The silver of the concave and convex sides is tarnished, the tarnish is slightly less pronounced on the concave side.

Dia: c.10mm.

Find 52f

Four distorted fragments of a small hemispherical silver disc with a flattened rim. Part of a hemispherical bulla pendant, the domed sheet projects 3mm from the rim, The apex of the hemisphere is absent. Tarnish is pronounced on the convex side and less pronounced on the concave side, which also exhibits encrusted patches of copper alloy corrosion.

Dia: 9mm.

Find 52g

A small fragment of copper alloy sheet soldered to a small fragment of silver sheet. With the exception of a 1mm wide rim that is flattened to provide an attachment point, the remnant of silver sheet is bent at

c.80???? to project away from the copper alloy sheet. It is probably part of the rim of a small bulla pendant consisting of a flat copper alloy backing plate and hemispherical silver sheet.

L: 6mm. W: 1mm. The fragment of silver sheet projects 0.05mm from the copper alloy backing plate.

Find 52h

A copper alloy disc exhibiting slight edge damage but it is near complete. It is probably the backing plate of a hemispherical bulla pendant.

Dia: c.11mm. Th: 0.2mm.

Find 52i

A copper alloy disc exhibiting slight edge damage but it is near complete. A small sub-rectangular projection at the circumference of the disc could suggest an attachment point for a suspension loop. It is probably the backing plate of a hemispherical bulla pendant.

Dia: c.11mm. Th: 0.2mm.

Find 52j

Five fragments of an undecorated silver disc, which were refitted during conservation. Patches of solder are present on one side. It is probably the backing plate of a hemispherical bulla pendant.

Dia: 15m. Th: 0.2mm.

Find 52k

Six fragments of an undecorated silver disc, which were refitted during conservation. Patches of solder are present on one side. An irregular hole is evident at the centre of the disc, it appears to be damage rather than a deliberate perforation. It is probably the backing plate of a hemispherical bulla pendant.

Dia: 11mm. Th: 0.2mm

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Find 52l

An undecorated silver disc, with slight edge damage but otherwise complete. Small patches of solder are present on one side. It is probably the backing plate of a hemispherical bulla pendant.

Dia: 8mm. Th: 0.2mm.

Find 52m

Two thirds of a sub-circular ring made of drawn silver wire. The wire is ovate in section - the sides lying perpendicular to the diameter of the ring are slightly flattened. The wire is undecorated and thins toward one end. The section at the thicker end is untarnished and recently broken; the section at the thinner end is tarnished suggesting old damage. Probably part of a slip knot ring.

Dia Ring: 14mm. Dia Wire: 0.5mm - 0.8mm.

Find 52n

A 5.5mm and a 4.5mm long fragment of drawn silver wire. The pieces are circular sectioned, both have a slight curvature and they refit. All breaks are untarnished and recent. The larger fragment is decorated with parallel lines incised transversely onto the internal and external faces of the wire. The decorative lines appear not to have extended around the full circumference of the wire. Probably part of a slip knot ring

Dia Ring: ?. Dia Wire: 1mm.

Find 52o

Two fragments, refitted during conservation, of a sub-circular ring made of drawn silver wire. The wire is undecorated, ovate in section and thins toward one end. The sides lying perpendicular to the diameter of the ring are flattened. Probably part of a slip knot ring.

Dia Ring: c.12mm. Dia Wire: 0.5mm - 0.8mm.

Find 52p

A 6mm long curved fragment of drawn silver wire. The wire is undecorated and ovate in section - the sides lying perpendicular to the curvature are flattened. The break at one end o is tarnished and of some antiquity, the other break is untarnished and recent. Probably part of a slip knot ring.

Dia Ring: ?. Dia Wire: 0.5mm - 0.8mm.

Find 52q

A sub-circular ring of drawn silver wire. Half of the wire is ovate in section and

c.0.8mm in diameter, the sides lying perpendicular to the curvature having been slightly flattened. The remaining half of the wire has been beaten to a rectangular section (1.6mm wide max and 0.2mm deep) rectangular section. Breaks at either end of the object are tarnished suggesting damage of some antiquity. The wire is undecorated. Probably part of a slip knot hoop.

Dia Hoop: c.20mm.

Find 52r

Round sectioned shaft of a copper alloy pin. The tip and head are missing, both breaks are patinated suggesting old damage. The shaft is slightly bent 6mm below the missing head. A 1mm diameter, 2mm long collar is present at the proximal end. The diameter of the shaft is 0.08mm below the shoulder of the collar, it then widens to 1.5mm before tapering for the final 144mm toward the broken tip.

Max Shaft Dia: 1.5mm. L: 45mm.

Find 71a

A hemispherical bulla pendant made of a domed silver disc. The apex of the dome is dented and partly missing and a suspension loop is absent. Two thirds of a silver backing plate remain soldered in place.

Dia: 11mm

Find 71b

A fragment of a sub-circular ring made of drawn silver wire. A third of the wire is ovate in section and

c.0.6mm in diameter, the sides lying perpendicular to the curvature having been slightly flattened. The remaining half of the wire has been beaten to a rectangular section (1.6mm wide max and 0.2mm deep). Breaks at either end of the object are untarnished suggesting recent damage. The wire is undecorated. Probably part of a slip knot hoop.

Approximate diameter of hoop 20mm

Find 71c

Bead made of (cowrie?) shell. Sub rectangular with eccentric perforation through the longer sides. Exterior surfaces badly degraded.

L: 11mm. W: 7mm.. Th: 3mm.

Shears

Iron shears

(Find 53). Heavily corroded and fragmented. The loop is u-shaped, rectangular sectioned (10mm x 2mm) and complete, the internal diameter of the loop is c.14mm. Part of one arm remains attached to the loop. The length from apex of the loop to the end of the section of arm is 45mm. Three other fragments of the arms, the longest measuring 20mm with a diameter c.5mm, were also recovered. The majority of both blades, which are corroded together, are present. X-radiography indicates that the blades project approximately 5mm from the arm. The longest surviving section of blade measures 60mm and is in three parts, the tip is missing. A fragment from near the tip of one of the blades was also recovered.

Approximate total length 140mm.

Chatelaine

(Finds 54, 55, 56, 57 and 58)

Find 54

Corroded fragments of chain

(Find 54), which includes five cast copper alloy figure of eight links, ferrous links and ferrous rods. Mineralised textile is present within the corrosion product.

Find 55

Bead, one perforated side slightly convex, the other perforated side flat. The slightly vesicular surface of the bead is an opaque reddish brown. The perforation reveals a dark grey, coarsely vesicular internal fabric containing infrequent yellow inclusions. Five discrete ovoid (

c.8mm x c.6mm) blobs of finely vesicular opaque white glass are applied around the circumference of the bead. A c.5mm diameter sub-circular convex blob of lustrous black glass overlies one of the patches of white glass and a small fragment of lustrous black glass is also present on one other. The remaining three patches of white glass have a concave surface and were almost certainly overlain by similar blobs of lustrous black glass, now missing.

Height: 9mm. Diameter: 20mm. Dia Perf: 5.5mm. The complete blob of white and black glass projects 3mm. Weight 5g.

Find 56

Blue glazed globular faience melon bead (reused Roman?). The glaze on the surface of the ribs is very worn and both edges of the perforation damaged to reveal a finely vesicular opaque light grey body fabric. Twenty one fine ribs run parallel with the perforation.

Bead Height 17mm. Bead Dia: 19mm. Dia Perf: 8mm. Weight 7g.

Find 57

Three fragments of a chain. A cast copper alloy figure-eight link is interlinked with very corroded fragments of terminal loops of iron rod or chain links A 4mm wide and ½mm thick folded copper alloy rim mount or suspension loop with a 1.5mm drilled hole is also present. A relatively large area of mineralised textile is preserved

Find 58

Fragments of iron chain. Two rods with a single terminal loop and smaller fragments of chain were recovered. Mineralised textile is present.

Workbox

Copper alloy workbox

M B U G [ I?] T N

Four areas of lightweight linen textile are preserved on the external surfaces of the box.

(Find 59). A cylindrical container made in two halves which were joined with a hinge. The two halves of the cylinder each have one flared rim to which the domed ends of the box would have been crimped or soldered. The sheet metal is up to 0.5mm thick. The hinge is made of copper alloy (up to 1mm thick) and parts of it remain on both halves of the cylinder. The corroded remnant of an iron loop is present within the hinge. On the larger segment of the cylinder an empty rivet hole is present opposite the hinge whilst on the thinner segment a projecting flat-head rivet is present, the position of a catch is suggested. The larger and smaller halves of the cylinder are decorated with three parallel rows and two parallel rows of punched dots respectively. Lines of dots also radiate from the centre of the domed ends. Runes are inscribed on one of the larger sections of the cylinder (second row, second left above). The inscription reads:

Dia Cylinder: c.40mm. Length: c.60mm

Box

Nine fragmented iron corner mounts and one possible iron fitting from a box

(Finds 61, 62, 63 and 64). Mineralised leather, possibly embossed, and wood is present on many of the fragments