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ANGLO-SAXON OXFORDSHIRE
THE ANGLO-SAXON CEMETERY AT BRIGHTHAMPTON
In 1820, the Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Brighthampton was first revealed through skeletons uncovered by ploughing. Digging in the area in subsequent years revealed further burials.
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Record sheet of burial 22 from Brighthampton compiled by E.T. Leeds (Click on the image to see a larger version) |
J.Y. Akerman excavated the cemetery in 1857-58 finding a further fifty-four inhumations and ten cremation burials. Many of these burials contained grave-goods, including several inhumations with eleborate swords, a number of highly decorated gilt brooches, as well as knives, beads, buckets, shield bosses and spearheads. Many of the finds from this excavation are now held in the Ashmolean Museum.
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Gilt square-headed brooch (AN1966.121) and decorated sword chape (AN1966.81) from graves at Brighthampton |
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Further burials have continued to be found since this excavation. The largest discovery comprising of six complete skeletons discovered in 1892 at Malt House Farm.
The finds from this cemetery suggest it was in use from the mid-fifth to later sixth centuries.
REFERENCES:
A. MacGregor and E. Bolick (1993) Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non- Ferrous Metals), BAR British Series 230.
