10:30 - 20 September 2003
Archaeological experts are describing the discovery of three skeletons in a shallow grave near Lincoln as 'one of the most significant Anglo-Saxon discoveries made in our county'. Here Ben Rooth finds out more about the importance of the find...
THE truth surrounding the death of the county's own warrior queen will possibly never be known.
When the six foot tall "Amazonian" died around 1,500 years ago, it could have been through natural causes or she could have perished by the sword.
But one thing seems certain. By virtue of the fact that she was buried with a shield and dagger it seems probable that she was a high ranking member of society. And she was almost certainly involved in conflict.
It was one of the most bloody and lawless periods of England's history. The Romans had left the country in 410AD - approximately one century before the queen perished - and a long period of fighting among the tribes ensued.
But the more questions that are asked surrounding the death of this woman, even more questions arise. Why are there two people buried on either side of her? How did they meet their fate?
When the skeletons of these three bodies were exhumed last Thursday, far from being the end of the story it was the beginning of a new one.
Once all the necessary tests have been carried out by the independent conservators, Wessex Archaeology, the remains and artefacts will be brought back to the City and County Museum in Friar's Lane, Lincoln.
The museum's curator, Thomas Cadbury, said that it had been a very exciting discovery for the city.
"It will be fascinating to see the full report on the skeletons and the analysis," he said.
"Using carbon 14 dating, we will be able to find out how old each of the people were and how tall they were. The analysis may also shed some light into their genetics which would suggest which part of the country they came from.
"What is unusual about the female warrior is firstly how tall she was and secondly the fact that she was buried with weapons that are usually connected with men."
Mr Cadbury added that every year there are more than 350 archaeological projects in Lincolnshire. And every year, all of them shed more light on the history and heritage of our county.
"My personal view is that the site is a small burial ground and that the three people are not connected or related," he added.
"The results of the tests could show that they were buried over a long period of time - at the moment we just don't know. At the City and County Museum we possess in the region of two million exhibits. And with every new exhibit that is brought to us we glean new insight into our county."
These views were echoed by archaeologist for Lincolnshire County Council Adam Daubney. He is intrigued by the four shields which were found in the grave as well as the amber necklace which was around the second woman's neck.
"The nearest source for amber is the Baltic region - the Scandinavian countries," said Mr Daubney.
"This could suggest that there was some good trade routes around that time. But there have also been well documented instances of amber getting washed up along the eastern coastline - so possibly the necklace originated closer to home.
"Whatever the truth, it is a fascinating discovery and one which sheds insight into our Anglo-Saxon heritage."
Councillor Marianne Overton, a member of Navenby Archaeological Society which was invited to attend the three-day excavation run by Time Team, said: "It was a very exciting few days and fascinating to see how all the finds unravelled.
"One of my abiding memories is the sight of the three bodies in situ. Because they weren't far beneath the surface, two of the remains had been damaged by ploughing.
"The bones of the female warrior suggested that she was six feet tall.
"The second woman had the amber beads around her neck and her feet were tied with a rope. The rope still looked perfectly normal and the archaeologists took the fibres away for analysis.
"And the man had his hand over a pot which had deliberately been made with holes in it so that it would never be used again.
"What struck me was that there are probably a lot more sites like this around the county which we simply don't know about. I felt that it was a tangible link with the past. Discoveries like this help people to appreciate their cultural place in this world."