Significant And Unique Anglo-Saxon Discovery In Northumberland
The discoveries were made at a sight near Felton that was first looked at by a group of professional metal detectors, who, with the correct permission, found Roman coins and broaches and unusual bits of lead weights, leather belts and gaming pieces
The unusual finds then piqued the interest of archaeologists, as they are typical findings of the Viking Great Army.
A team of excavators, including archaeologist Dr Jane Harrison, then went on to make an unanticipated even bigger discovery of an early Anglo-Saxon site that dates to 100 years before the Vikings would have passed.
The next items discovered were from roughly the late 500s to 600s, after the Romans left and lots of little kingdoms made up the land, including the powerful Northumbria.
It confirmed that the site would have been a meeting place for people to exchange their goods, including ones made there.
The items included a large scale burnt loom and a perfect line of loom weights, as well as a box of spares, which together would have been used to stretch and weave thread for heavy duty material.
The oven used for making the weights was also found, the first time such an oven has been discovered dating to the Anglo-Saxon period.
Image: Jane Harrison
Dr Jane Harrison said:
“It’s exciting because to find something that has literally been dropped on the floor in the year 600 and something, and has never been moved since, is really unusual and hasn’t happened very often.”
An interesting part of the discovery was how well-preserved the items were, as the site has been subject to ancient and modern ploughing for over a thousand years.
Volunteer diggers, some of whom were from the surrounding areas, were completely drawn into the story of their seemingly mundane field.
Jane said:
“They got really excited by the fact that now, every time they go past, they can imagine people who used to live where they live now busy trading and exchanging.”
The items, along with soil samples from a cesspit, will go to specialists to be analysed and x-rayed to find out what people were eating and their health.
This data will then be turned into the detailed story of the site.
See more here northumberlandgazette.co.uk
Header image: Jane Harrison
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