Oxford Archaeology's fifth research seminar focused on early medieval cemeteries in south-eastern and north-western England. Using evidence from Oxford Archaeology's excavations in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Cumbria spanning the late 5th to the 11th centuries AD, this seminar explored themes across sites of varying character, ranging from the pre-Christian period to the early monastic and Anglo-Scandinavian era. It took the opportunity to put forward some new questions relating to a range of issues, including community, ethnicity, burial expression, chronology and transition, amongst others.
The live webinar, consisting of a series of talks and subsequent discussion led by a distinguished panel of experts, was held online on Thursday 7th July 2022, the tiles of the individual talks being as follows:
- Ken Welsh (OA CEO): Introduction
- Stuart Ladd (OA East): The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Hatherdene Close, Cherry Hinton (late 5th/6th to early 7th century)
- Toby Martin (University of Oxford): Creating community in mortuary landscapes: the early Anglo-Saxon cemeteries at Hatherdene Close, North-west Ely and Eye Airfield
- Adam Parsons (OA North): The early medieval cemeteries at Dacre, Workington and Cumwhitton in context (7th to 11th century)
The session was chaired by Prof. Helena Hamerow, with panellists including Dr Sam Lucy, Prof. Clare Downham, Rachel Newman and Prof. Duncan Sayer.
A video of the webinar is available to watch via YouTube or below:
Part of a cross from Dacre (left) and an oval brooch from Cumwhitton (right)
