Waterlogged Anglo-Saxon Cemetery Yields Well-Preserved Graves

Heritage Daily, Historic England Chief Executive Duncan Wilson said that the new find will provide greater levels of understanding of rural Middle-Saxon communities and their religious beliefs. The potential of this site to reveal the story of those who once lived there is “immense,” Wilson added. MOLA archaeologist James Fairclough also commented on the find and how the details of Christian Anglo-Saxon burial practices were preserved in “remarkable” detail. Fairclough said that the chalky, alkaline waters of the River Wensum and the acidic sand in its banks created ideal conditions to preserve the wooden graves and the skeletons held within. The finds from the dig, once properly cleaned, catalogued and analyzed, will be on display at Norwich Castle Museum, according to museum curator Tim Pestell. ]]>