NHER 61613 (Monument record) - Early/Middle Saxon inhumation burial

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Summary

Metal-detecting in 2014 recovered a Coptic bowl and Frankish pottery bowl (details to follow). Subsequent excavation in 2015 demonstrated that these finds were grave goods from a high-status 7th-century Anglo-Saxon burial. Additional grave goods included shield bosses, knife blades, buckles, a spearhead, copper alloy disc, sword, slip-knot ring, copper alloy sheet and a buckle handle and hoops (details to follow).

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TF63SE
Civil Parish SNETTISHAM, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

25 February 2014. Metal-detecting. [1].
Coptic bowl and Frankish pottery bowl - PAS details to follow.
These objects were previously recorded under NHER 59713.
A. Beckham (HES), 1 September 2016.

10-11 September 2015. Excavation.
Excavation of the area where the Coptic bowl and Frankish pottery bowl were found in February 2014 revealed a rectangular grave measuring 3.05m x 1.70m and 0.20m deep. The grave contained the remains of an adult male lying supine and orientated south to east. The burial included the grave goods detailed below as well as Iron Age and medieval pottery sherds and a lump of burnt clay in the grave fill. The finds recovered were as follows:
Copper alloy Coptic bowl. Recovered in February 2014. See drawings (S1)-(S3).
Frankish potter jar. Recoverein February 2014 (S4).
Iron shield boss (lying on its side and istorted). (S5).
Iron shiel-boss grip (S6).
Iron spearhed (S7).
Iron knife bladeS8).
Irn sword (S9).
2 copper alloy buckles (S10).
Iron hoops and handle of (wooden) bucket.
Fragments of copper alloy sheet and wood object with rivets.
Copper alloy slip-knot ring.
PAS details to follow.
See PAS records, excavation notes (S11), site plan (S12), photographs (S13) and local press article (S14).
A. Beckham (HES), 1 September 2016.

  • <S1> Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2014. Drawing of an Early/Middle Saxon hanging bowl - plan view [No. 1 on plan]. Find Illustration. Film. 1:1.
  • <S1> Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2014. Drawing of copper alloy Coptic bowl of the Early Saxon period. Film. 1:1.
  • <S10> Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2016. Drawings of two Early/Middle Saxon buckles [Nos 13 and 15 on plan]. Find Illustration. Film. 2:1.
  • <S11> Unpublished Document: Rogerson, A.. 2015. 61613 Snettisham. A preliminary note on the discovery and recording of a high-status 7th-century Anglo-Saxon burial..
  • <S12> Illustration: Ashley, S.. 2015. Site plan of 7th-century inhumation burial, Snettisham.
  • <S13> Photograph: Elfleet, K. 2015. Photographs taken during the excavation of a Coptic bowl and Frankish pottery bowl, Snettisham, 2015. Digital. jpeg.
  • <S14> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2015. Return of the warrior earl. 24 October.
  • <S2> Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2014. Drawing of an Early/Middle Saxon hanging bowl - shown reconstructed [No. 1 on plan]. Find Illustration. Film. 1:1.
  • <S3> Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2014. Drawings of selected fragments of Early/Middle Saxon hanging bowl [No. 1 on plan]. Find Illustration. Film. 1:1.
  • <S4> Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2014. Drawing of an Early/Middle Saxon Frankish pottery jar [No. 2 on plan]. Find Illustration. Film. 1:1.
  • <S5> Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2016. Drawing of an Early/Middle Saxon iron shield boss [Nos 3-6 and 9 on plan]. Find Illustration. Film. 1:1.
  • <S6> Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2016. Drawing of an Early/Middle Saxon iron shield-boss grip [No. 7 on plan]. Find Illustration. Film. 1:1.
  • <S7> Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2016. Drawing of an Early/Middle Saxon iron spearhead [No. 8 on plan]. Find Illustration. Film. 1:1.
  • <S8> Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2016. Drawing of an Early/Middle Saxon iron knife blade [Nos 10 and 12 on plan]. Find Illustration. Film. 1:1.
  • <S9> Illustration: Gibbons, J. 2018. Drawing of an Early/Middle Saxon iron sword [No. 11 on plan]. Find Illustration. Film. 1:2.

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Record last edited

Dec 12 2025 4:57PM

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