Case study 3 Yeavering
In the early medieval period, Yeavering was an important centre in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Bernicia and its burial system was very complicated including inhumations and cremations, different alignments and different funeral objects. (Lucy, 2000)
Firstly, taking Grave AX as an example, an Anglo-Saxon grave dated to the mid seventh century, was discovered situated in the eastern area of the site. Hope-Taylor (1977) described it as
one of the strangest and most interesting minor features of the site
and it contains a crouch adult body with head to the west which had been interned in a west-east alignment. Different oxidized leftovers of what were initially metal and wooden items were found with the body, together with the fragmentary remains of a goat’s skull, which had been situated to face eastbound (Hope-Taylor, 1977). A wooden shaft has cylindrical bronze bindings with three arms of equal length near one end which is not a weapon or an instrument but be supposed to have served a decorative rather than a strictly utilization purpose (Hope-Taylor, 1977). Post BX, tall and
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In those terms, the string-graves appear to be connected with a long-established local code of ritual procedure, showing as they do not only eager participation in the customs associated with the site but also particularized knowledge of past events. These circumstances suggest that the string-graves are of pagan or semi-pagan character and these procedures could hardly be thought to be Christian (Hope-Taylor, 1977). No more upsetting demand need be involved than insistence on such uniformity of grave-orientation as would most economically suit the formal burial-bounds laid down with a view to future ‘town-planning’ (Hope-Taylor,
A Formal Analysis of Death Mask Based on Gold Death Mask from Mycenae, Grave Circle A, Shaft Grave IV circa 1550 BC
The Repton Long Barrow sits between the parish church and the River Esk in Repton, Bluffshire, U.K. Last summer, I examined evidence for previous disturbance(s) of the site and assessed the extent to which the original Neolithic burial mound remained intact. I excavated two different sites on the mound, one on the east end and another on the west end of the barrow. While excavating and cleaning each of the sections, I recovered artifacts and human bones. I was also able to draw a stratigraphic profile of each excavation site. Using documentary sources pertaining to the Repton Long Barrow site to assist in my interpretation of the history, I was able to reconstruct the
Looking at an artifact’s physical attributes is always the first step to uncovering the archaeological significance
A Burial Ground: According to a study by archaeologists back in 2013, Stonehenge served as a ‘giant burial ground’ [15]. After working at the site for years, Professor Mike Parker Pearson led an excavation and study into the 50,000 bone fragments belonging to 63 bodies buried around the site. This study uncovered not only uncovered that Stonehenge was built around 2500 BC rather than the previously thought 2700 BC, we now have evidence that the first monument’s (smaller stones [bluestones]) purpose was to serve as a graveyard for a community of what where known as elite families. Research on the sexing of the remains has told us children were buried and that the number of women almost matches those of men. Professor Parker Pearson spoke about the use of DNA extraction on the remains and he said: “At the moment the answer is no to extracting DNA, which might tell us more about these individuals and what the relationship was between them – but who knows in the future?”
Scotland has an abundance of archaeology all throughout the country and all within different parts of prehistory. Scottish archaeology has a big impact on both the rest of the UK and on the rest of Europe. Although during the beginning of the 20th century, archaeology was seen as nothing more than labour, with the help of the two great men which held ‘the Abercromby chair’ – both with their own contributions to Scottish archaeology as a whole – it soon rocketed into the discipline what we see today.
An unscrupulous archaeologist by the name of Henirich Hochstetter excavated the Shoen-Tell site in Turkey in the late 1920s. Hochstetter was interested more in antiquities than in data, so he provided little substantive information tot eh professional community about his dig or his findings. However, a conscientious assistant of Hochstetter’s, Roxanne Browne, managed to collect detailed information on fifty of the burials Hochstetter plundered. Her data is
In the 7th Century AD, an important individual was buried inside a ship in East Anglia. The ship most likely hauled up from the nearby river, a burial chamber was built in the center of the massive vessel. Luckily grave robbers did not reach the ship burial as they did other nearby burial mounds, because the ship was rich in history and artifacts including gold, silver, bowls, spoons, weapons, drinking horns and much more. Originally discovered in 1939, the artifacts and ship burial have been closely examined another 2 times. The artifacts found within the magnificent burial site have created a lot of stir over the past 80 years. Theories have changed on the significance and origins of the artifacts due to changing hypothesis or the arrival of new and different evidence. Because there are dozens of artifacts within Sutton Hoo, this paper will be focusing on a select four of them including; the ‘baptismal’ spoons, the Merovingian coin hoard, the whetstone, and the scepter. According to scholars over the past 80 years, how have opinions, evidence, or assumptions changed relating to these exact artifacts? This paper will be taking a contemporary look at the perspectives of different scholars on different artifacts and, finally, analyze why these perspectives have shifted or changed over time. To my knowledge, scholars do give credit to previous perspectives, but no scholar has every brought all the perspectives together and analyzed their findings.
A Viking funeral is unlike any funeral that the modern individual is used too. According to Ibn Fadlan, author of “Ibn Fadlan’s Account of Viking in Early Russia,” an article that narrates a Viking funeral from an outside perspective, that shows how ritualistic and sacred a Viking funeral is. Fadlan presents this account by explaining the descriptive process of the funeral of a Viking from an outside perspective. This paper will be a brief summary and opinion on the funeral of a Viking.
The archaeological discoveries of Sutton Hoo, the Staffordshire Hoard, and the Book of Kells, along with the epic Beowulf, all analyze the connection between the present and the past time period of the Anglo-Saxons. Warrior culture and Christian culture from the Anglo-Saxon time period, are apart of human cultural heritage today. There are many images and descriptions in Beowulf of treasure and armor which are similar to the findings at Sutton Hoo and Staffordshire. The similarities between the epic and the archaeological findings create an understanding of the connection between the past and the present. The elaborate images in the Book of Kells augment the understanding of early Christian culture and the epic Beowulf synthesises Christian culture and warrior culture.
Writing has many tools and devices that can be used to influence the purpose and meaning of the a piece of work. In the two pieces of work, "Private License Plate Scanners Amassing Vast Databases Open to Highest Bidders-which is written in a way that it is anti-license plate tracking- and "Who Has the Right to Track You?'-which is written to be for license plate tracking- many different tools and devices are used by the authors. These pieces of work describe the benefits and drawbacks of collecting data and tracking fellow citizens, but use different forms of pathos, ethos, and logos to portray what they are trying to say. Also, both articles state how many are opposed to this tracking, arguing that it is against the First Amendment,
For this journal review, I have decided to do a graveyard in Asheville which is very well known. The cemetery – Riverside Cemetery has existed since 1885 and was built by the Asheville Cemetery Company and in 1952 was sold to the City of Asheville. For this review I’ll be focusing on the various styles of graves seen throughout the cemetery, while also emphasizing the meaning of the different artistic symbols seen. I’ll also make sure to note the significant graves and mausoleums that are home to some of the most descriptive artwork. The graveyard is home to more than 14,000 graves some of which carry important meanings or information. I believe graveyards are sacred art museums and while walking through one provides a much different experience, some similarities are important for us to see.
On September 9, 1991 a discovery was made that changed scientist’s view on the Neolithic and Copper Era forever. What was found turned out to be the oldest frozen mummy ever in history. Little did scientists know that what they could have on their hands is a murder.
Seldom has history been brought to life in such an extravagant, lavish, yet poignant way as in the discovery and reburial of the bones of one of England’s most infamous monarchs, King Richard III. The whereabouts of Richard’s remains were a mystery for 530 years. In an exercise of extraordinary scholarship, involving a closely knit team of experts in archaeology, engineering, forensics, genetics, geology, history and medicine, and hailed as “as one of the most astonishing archaeological hunches in modern history” (1), the remains were discovered in a parking lot near the Cathedral of Leicester. Interestingly, the excavators decided to look in a spot marked with an “R” which no one knew the origin or meaning
The Sutton Hoo burial site, long ago, served as a resting place for upper class citizens. Although relatively few people were actually laid to rest there, the site held enough prominence to be mentioned in works such as Beowulf . Today, Sutton Hoo is regarded as an important, archaeological discovery, unveiling many artifacts and clues to the culture and art of not only the Anglo-Saxons, but groups, such as the Celts as well. The findings are numerous and relatively independent of each other with one grave holding the richest amount of relics and hints to the past.
Stone circles are found all around the United Kingdom. These structures vary in size and meaning, but are usually regarded as being sacred. Many theories have been crafted over time concerning stone circles, however, their true known origins and uses are vague and open for interpretation, which makes them a complex topic to discuss and research. By looking at stone circles throughout the United Kingdom and examining the ways in which they connect to folktales, cultural practices, and current ideas, we are able to draw information regarding their importance and expand our understanding of a significant part of Britain and Ireland’s ancient material culture.