NHER 62302 (Monument record) - Early/Middle Saxon furnished burial

21 December 2014. Metal-detecting.
A metal-detectorist revealed the rim of an Early Saxon bronze bowl in-situ below the plough soil. The location was marked and the discovery reported to Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
See (S1) for further details.

Before January 2015. Geophysical Survey.
A geophysical survey was undertaken by Suffolk Archaeological Field Group on the whole field (NHER 60018) and NHER 4251.
Details to follow. See (S1) for further details.

January 2015. Excavation. [1].
A controlled archaeological excavation of the bowl findspot was undertaken by the finder and professional archaeologists. The excavation exposed an east-west grave containing a rich Early/Middle Saxon female burial. The deceased was accompanied by a variety of grave goods. Notable finds included a gold composite pendant, a multi-piece necklace containing a gold openwork pendant, and coin pendants of the Merovingian King Sigebert III (634-656).
See (S1) for further details and (S2) for excavation plan and section.

The following finds were recovered during the excavation:
(The first five finds appear to originate from a short necklace worn by the deceased, which had a gold openwork pendant in the centre, flanked by two spacer beads, and then two coin pendants.)
Merovingian coin pendant utilising a pierced solidus of Sigebert III (634-656), with detached suspension loop. Coin pendants of Sigebert III form a distinct find type, whose use continues after other examples go out of use in the 630s.
Gold biconical spacer bead.
Gold openwork circular pendant with filigree decoration. Four oval perforations create the form of a Maltese cross.
Gold biconical spacer bead.
Merovingian coin pendant utilising a pierced solidus of Sigebert III (634-656), with attached suspension loop.
Gold composite circular pendant with inlaid garnets in a variety of forms, including and rare serpent interlace. The design is seperated by four bosses arranged in a square. Based on the position on the burial, this pendant was possibly affixed to a second necklace below the objects above. See X-Ray (3).
Continental pottery bi-conical bowl with cordon and grooved decoration (S4).
Copper alloy bowl (S13).
Iron knife.
13 copper alloy chatelaine rings with punched ring and dot decoration.
Copper alloy chatelaine ring with a fragment of a possible decorated girder hanger attached to it.
Iron nail.

The following finds were recovered from the spoil heap of the excavation:
Copper alloy chatelaine ring with punched ring and dot decoration.
Iron buckle.
Iron nail.
Iron nail fragment.
Copper alloy chatelaine ring fragment with punched ring and dot decoration.
Bone fragment.
Information from PAS import.

The entire assemblage was declared Treasure at inquest (Ref: 2015 T37) and subsequently acquired by Norwich Castle Museum.
This assemblage was previously recorded under NHER 60018.

See photographs in (S4) and file. See newspaper articles (S6), (S7), (S8), and (S9), and magazine articles (S10), (S11), and (S12) and excavation plan (S14).
E. McDonald (HES), 11 June 2021.

Before 2020. Excavation.
Details to follow.
E. McDonald (HES), 11 June 2021.