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Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1155775 |
SWAAG Honorary President:
Tim Laurie F,S,A, |
| SWAAG News Archive | |
| News Archive | |
| Bones and more bones | |
| Several years ago, SWAAG helped Northern Archaeological Associates, now ECUS, to wash bones from their excavation at Hart village, to the north west of Hartlepool. In September Holly Drinkwater, their Site Supervisor, came to talk to us about the cemetery where they were found. The site was to be developed for housing and whilst trial trenches had recovered some bones, the scale of the discoveries when the main excavation started was completely unexpected. Although most of 250+ adult burials stem from the early Medieval period, there is evidence that use of the site dates from the Bronze Age. Once the positions of all the burials were plotted it was evident that there was distinct clustering, for example infant burials were concentrated along the western ditch and whilst in the east there were distinct rows of plots containing adults, which might have been family or kinship groups. There were no burials in the central area suggesting that a building, perhaps a chapel or mortuary, might have occupied the space. Higher status graves were found nearby. There weren’t large numbers of grave goods, as might be expected in a Christian cemetery, however pillow stones, silver coins, counters, beads, tiny silver pins, an antler comb and gold thread were amongst those found. A 7th century name stone for ‘Glaedhild’ was also discovered. Nails, lock plates and hinges were more common as about 58 of the adults were buried in coffins. Excavation was complicated and sometimes confusing, as later burials were inserted into earlier graves. In other graves bones from more than one individual were placed together in a deliberate but sometimes strange manner. Some bodies showed evidence of disease and injury and one mass grave contained five bodies which had been subject to trauma. Another contained the remains of blackbird wings. Radiocarbon dating will help to date the different areas of the cemetery and isotope analysis will perhaps establish whether those buried there had been born in the local area or perhaps had originated from overseas. Holly brought along some of the finds which are shown below. J. H. |
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| Glaedhild 7th century name stone | Metalwork from coffins and pillow stones |
| Click Images to Enlarge | |
| News Record: 173 Updated: 22-10-2023 15:26:23 | |