Re: New Anglo-Saxon Chieftan's grave found

[Shelagh Lewins]

It's suggestive but not necessarily conclusive...Anglo-Saxon women have been indentified from graves buried with weapons, and without the expected female jewellery. I'll grant you it's a pretty small percentage of burials, and I'm not sure that any have been definitely identified as buried with swords (spear or seax is more common) but it did happen from time to time. Admittedly there don't seem to be records of a queen of sufficient status in that area and period to have been buried in such state, but you've gotta remember the possibility ;) ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 4:41 PM Subject: Re: New Anglo-Saxon Chieftan's grave found   The body has decayed totally (no trace) so it sounds unlikely that there are going to be any textiles. Indeed I am uncertain as to on what grounds they have concluded that it was definitely a man's grave! The glassware looks pretty stunning though, and the real prize is that everything was found in situ and properly excavated :)   One of the reports said something about a box/casket that may have contained textiles, so perhaps they will find something there.  As for it being a man's grave, well, the presence of a sword and shield may be their first clue!   I won't be able to see it in London, but I hope to see the exhibition when it moves to Southend in March. If nobody else has said anything by then, I'll be happy to report!   Wonderful!  Thanks, Shelagh.   Nancy