EVENING LECTURE: The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Blacknall Field, Pewsey

Illustrated lecture by Dr Bruce Eagles outlining the final conclusions of the post-excavation report on the excavation of the Saxon cemetery at Blacknall Field, Pewsey

The excavation, led by the late Ken Annable, uncovered more than 100 graves of men, women, children and infants, many of them accompanied by grave goods – swords, spears and jewellery – all of which are now in the Museum. Many of these objects can be dated to between AD c475 to c550, suggesting the starting date of the cemetery was among the earliest in this area. Detailed examination of the human bones indicates that the population was reasonably healthy, but also suffered much weapon-inflicted violence, perhaps related to the fact that at that time Pewsey lay near the western limit of Saxon settlement at the frontier with the Britons,

The long-awaited monograph on the excavation will be published on 21 April 2010. Copies of the book will be available to purchase after the lecture, at a 20% discount off the normal price of £40. Members who placed pre-publication orders may also collect their copies during the evening.

Stay after the lecture, have a glass of wine and view some of the artefacts in the Museum’s Saxon Gallery.

NB - an academic seminar on the excavation will be held at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London on 30 June 2010. Programme and other information will be posted on the Society website shortly.


Booking:
Essential. Contact the Bookings Secretary on 01380 727369 or send us an e-mail.