The Prince of Prittlewell
3 February 2004
The spectacular burial site of an East Saxon king has been discovered by archaeologists at Southend. It is the richest Anglo-Saxon find since the Sutton Hoo ship burial was unearthed in 1939 and contains incredible objects that are providing a fascinating glimpse into the life and death of the super-rich of the Dark Ages.
The wood-lined chamber, hung with a lavish collection of treasures and grave-goods, has been found by archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology Service during an archaeological evaluation commissioned by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council in association with the development of the Priory Crescent road improvement scheme.
The finds are going to be on display from 6 - 17 February at the Museum of London and then at the Southend Central Museum from 21 February – 21 March.
The burial is probably contemporary with the Sutton Hoo burial (c.AD 630) and it is quite possible that the two men knew each other. This is the period when royalty flaunted their wealth at extravagant feasts in smoky halls and epic poems like Beowulf, told of heroic feats of valour.
No trace of the body remained, as it had been dissolved by the acid soil, but the coffin had been placed in the chamber, which measured about four metres square by one and a half metres high, surrounded by objects of rare splendour.
Two gold foil crosses suggest this king was a newly converted Christian, but he was also taking with him everything he might need to carry on his life of feasting and lavish display – a vestige of previous pagan beliefs. Some of the treasures are imported from the farthest corners of the known world, and many have survived in remarkably good condition.
They include wooden vessels with exquisitely decorated gilded mounts, a gold buckle and traces of gold braid, as well as coloured glass vessels and copper bowls. The find is spectacular in its size and quality, but what makes it unique is that all the objects were in their original positions, just as they had been arranged on the day of the funeral.
The most exotic finds are a decorated flagon and at least one bowl that were both imported from the eastern Mediterranean, possibly Asia Minor. Other highlights among the sixty or more finds are a hanging bowl decorated with metallic strips and medallions, and two cauldrons, one small and one vast, measuring 75cm across.
There are also two pairs of coloured glass vessels, eight wooden drinking cups decorated with gilded mounts, buckets and the remains of a large casket that may have originally contained textiles. A particularly unusual item is the frame of a folding stool, which could be from Asia Minor or Italy. The dead man had also been provided with two Merovingian gold coins from northern France, and what appear to be a sword and a shield.
The contents of the tomb had been held in place because the sand from the mound sealing the grave gradually seeped into the chamber, silting up the air spaces and supporting the roof-timbers. Most of the organic material on the site had been destroyed by the acidity of the soil, but fragments of wood from the burial chamber and from some of the vessels have survived.
Ian Blair, Senior Archaeologist on the site said ‘To find an intact chamber grave and a moment genuinely frozen in time is a once in a lifetime discovery. The fact that copper–alloy bowls were still hanging from hooks in the walls of the chamber, where they had been placed nearly 1,400 years ago, is a memory that I’m sure will remain with all of us for ever.’
When the nature of this unexpected discovery became clear, English Heritage provided the additional funding needed to ensure the excavation was completed to the highest standard. David Miles, Chief Archaeologist at English Heritage, says: “This is a discovery of international importance which stunningly illuminates the rich and complex world of the so-called Dark Ages.”
On the two half-term weekends, from 11am - 4pm on Saturday 14 February, and 12 noon – 4pm on Sunday 15 February at the Museum of London, and from 11am - 4pm on 21-22 February at the Southend Central Museum, Museum of London conservators will be working on some of the material fresh from the site, so there will be a chance to talk to them and share in the excitement of the archaeological discovery.
Further details of the finds can be found at:
Press enquiries:
Emma Thomas
Media & Communications Manager
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council
tel: 01702 215939
tel: 01702 215020
tel: 01702 534376