Prittlewell royal Anglo-Saxon burial facts for kids
 Location in Essex
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| Location | Essex, England |
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| Coordinates | 51°33′14″N 0°42′31″E / 51.55391°N 0.70873°E |
| Type | Anglo-Saxon burial mound |
| History | |
| Founded | c. 580 |
| Periods | Anglo-Saxon England |
| Cultures | Anglo-Saxons |
| Associated with | ?Sæxa, brother of Sæberht of Essex |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 2003 |
| Archaeologists | MOLA |
| Ownership | Southend Borough Council |
The Prittlewell royal Anglo-Saxon burial is a very important Anglo-Saxon burial site. It was found in 2003 in Prittlewell, a town near Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England.
Archaeologists found many amazing objects inside the burial chamber. These items were so fancy that experts first thought the tomb belonged to an Anglo-Saxon King of Essex. Two small gold crosses found inside showed that the person buried was an early Anglo-Saxon Christian. Today, experts believe the burial dates back to about 580 AD. They think it might have been the tomb of Sæxa, who was the brother of King Sæberht of Essex.
In May 2019, some of the incredible objects found at the site went on permanent display. You can see them at the Southend Central Museum.
Contents
Discovering the Prittlewell Burial
In the autumn of 2003, archaeologists were preparing for a road-widening project. They were checking a piece of land near Priory Park in Prittlewell. Earlier digs had shown that Anglo-Saxon burials were in the area. However, no one expected to find something so important.
The archaeologists were very lucky with where they dug. They uncovered a large Anglo-Saxon burial site that had not been disturbed. They found many important objects, mostly made of metal. The site is located between a main road (the A1159) and a railway line.
The Dig Begins
Archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology Service (MOLA) led the excavation. They found an untouched burial chamber from the 7th century. They called it "the most spectacular discovery of its kind made during the past 60 years."
Over ten days, about 110 objects were carefully removed. Some items were lifted in large blocks of soil to protect them. The final objects were removed on December 20, 2003.
A Discovery Like No Other
The quality of the objects and how well they were preserved made this find very special. People compared it to the famous Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, found in 1939. It was also compared to the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. This shows just how important the Prittlewell burial is.
Inside the Burial Chamber
The burial chamber was a deep room with wooden walls. Over time, the wood rotted away, and the room filled with soil. Inside, archaeologists found many objects made of copper, gold, silver, and iron. The chamber itself was about 4 meters (13 feet) square. It is the largest chambered tomb ever found in England.
Amazing Objects Found
Some of the incredible items found include:
- An Anglo-Saxon hanging bowl with beautiful designs.
- A folding stool, which is very rare.
- Three wooden tubs or buckets with iron bands.
- A sword.
- A lyre, which is an ancient musical instrument like a small harp. This lyre is one of the most complete ever found in Britain.
The person was placed in a wooden coffin. Two small gold-foil crosses were found over their eyes. This suggests that Christians buried the person. The sandy soil had completely dissolved the bones of the body. Only tiny pieces of teeth were found, but they were too decayed for DNA testing.
Comparing Prittlewell to Other Finds
The collection of items is similar to those found in the Taplow Barrow in 1883. While the Prittlewell collection is not as grand as the Mound 1 at Sutton Hoo, many individual objects are just as good. For example, there is a gold belt buckle, though simpler than Sutton Hoo's. The lyre, drinking cups, and shoe buckles are very similar.
To figure out the exact date of the burial, experts looked at Merovingian gold coins. These coins help date the tomb based on their metal content. Research is still ongoing, but early evidence suggests a date between 600 and 650 AD, or even 600 and 630 AD. A unique folding stool, like a "curule seat" used by royalty, was also found. It was likely imported from another country.
The Reconstructed Lyre
The design of the lyre was rebuilt using marks left in the soil and surviving metal pieces. It showed signs of having been repaired at least once. A copy of the lyre was made from yew wood. It was even played to accompany a funeral song for King Sæberht of Essex. The song was sung in both Old English and modern English.
Who Was Buried at Prittlewell?
The high quality of the local objects and the imported luxury items, like a Coptic bowl and flagon, suggest a royal burial. At first, experts thought the tomb belonged to either Sæberht of Essex (who died in 616 AD) or his grandson Sigeberht II of Essex (who died in 653 AD). Both were East Saxon Kings who became Christian. Since the evidence pointed to an early 7th-century date, Sæberht seemed more likely.
New Clues from Carbon Dating
However, carbon-dating techniques have since given a new date: the late 6th century. In May 2019, a team of 40 specialists from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) announced their new theory. They now believe the tomb might have belonged to Saexa, King Sæberht's brother. Carbon dating showed the tomb was built between 575 and 605 AD. This is at least 11 years before Sæberht's death. More details about this research are available on the MOLA website.
It is also possible that the person buried was another rich and powerful individual whose name is not known today. For fun, the person buried has been given the nickname "King of Bling" because of all the fancy items found.
The Mystery of Sæberht's Burial Place
For many years, no one knew where Sæberht's body was buried. An old story says that Sæberht and his wife, Queen Ethelgoda, started a monastery in London in 604 AD. This place later became Westminster Abbey. The legend claims they were buried there. A marble tomb in the abbey is said to hold Sæberht's bones. However, modern experts doubt if this is true.
After the Discovery
In 2004, a special event was held to re-dedicate the "King's tomb." The Bishop of Chelmsford John Gladwin led the ceremony. Over 5,000 people attended a celebration called 'Discover the King' at Prittlewell Priory.
Protecting the Site
After the tomb was found, local people protested. They wanted the Southend Borough Council to cancel the road-widening plan. The planned road would have gone right over the burial site. From 2005 to 2009, protestors set up a camp called Camp Bling at the site. In 2009, the council announced a different road plan that would avoid the burial site.
The Prittlewell tomb was featured in a 2005 special episode of Channel 4's archaeology show, Time Team. The episode was called "King of Bling."
The archaeological work won the Developer Funded Archaeology Award in 2006. The Southend Borough Council promised to keep the finds in the area. They created a new gallery at Southend Central Museum to display the artefacts. After the objects were cleaned and dated, the new museum gallery opened in May 2019.
Early Anglo-Saxon Life in Prittlewell
Besides the royal burial, other archaeological finds show that Anglo-Saxons lived in Prittlewell a long time ago. In 1923, another dig in Priory Crescent found an Anglo-Saxon cemetery from the 6th or 7th century. This cemetery might have stretched into what is now Priory Park. The local church, a short distance south, also has parts of a 7th-century church.
Images for kids
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The "Camp Bling" protest camp in 2006
