We’re thrilled to have been nominated in not one, but two categories for the 2020 Current Archaeology Awards – the competition closes soon, so don’t delay, please cast your votes today for two of our amazing archaeological projects.
Our work uncovering hidden insights into the Prittlewell princely burial has been nominated in the Research Project of the Year category. This research, led by MOLA and funded by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Historic England, explores previously unidentified artefacts from an Anglo-Saxon burial chamber in Prittlewell, Essex.
Over 40 leading experts left no stone unturned in revealing the secrets that lay beneath centuries of earth and corrosion, revealing rare and precious objects including a 1400-year-old painted box which is the only surviving example of early Anglo-Saxon coloured woodwork, as well as a gold belt buckle, remains of a lyre, drinking vessels, shoe buckles and a decorative hanging bowl. The presence of a sword and gold crosses made especially for the burial suggest the inhabitant of the chamber was an early Anglo-Saxon Christian warrior.
The MOLA Northampton publication The Pioneer Burial: a high-status Anglian warrior burial from Wollaston, Northamptonshire, written by Ian Meadows, has also been nominated for Book of the Year. The publication examines the story of the 7th century ‘Wollaston warrior’ interred in a strategically significant position next to the River Nene and adjacent to a Roman road.
Excavated by MOLA, on behalf of Hanson Aggregates, the grave goods found within the burial site include a helmet which is the only the fourth ever found in an Anglo-Saxon burial in England, and only the second known decorated with a boar crest. Other significant grave goods including a pattern welded sword, copper alloy hanging bowl and three iron buckles also served to suggest that this was a person of significant status.
The awards are voted for entirely by the public, so please visit www.archaeology.co.uk/vote before 10th February 2020; you have one month to register your support for these amazing two projects, both of which revealed the secrets of culturally significant burial practices for influential Anglo-Saxons.
