Unique Anglo-Saxon Cow and Burial Excavated

Photo: BBC News

Students from Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Central Lancashire working in an archaeological field school have found one of the most unique burials from Anglo-Saxon England.

The burial contains an elite female buried with a cow. While Horse Burials are sometimes
found, they typically contain elite males, but female burials with a cow are
otherwise unknown in early medieval Europe.

According to the BBC interview with Co-director of the excavation, Dr Duncan Sayer, from the University of Central Lancashire: “Animal burials are extremely rare, anyway. There are only 31 horse burials in Britain and they are all with men.

“This is the first animal to be discovered with a woman from this period – the late fifth Century – and it’s really interesting that it’s a cow, a symbol of economic and domestic wealth and power.

The woman was also buried with other grave goods indicative of high-status including “a complete chatelaine [keychain] set, which is an iron
girdle.”

Monty Dobson

Monty Dobson is an American archaeologist, historian and filmmaker, whose curiosity and passion for the human story has led him to travel the world. In addition to excavating Iron Age and medieval archaeological sites in Britain, Monty is an avid adventurer: he has scuba dived with sharks in the Arabian Gulf and with Barracudas off the coast of Cuba. An enthusiastic equestrian, he has trekked across the Egyptian desert and the mountains of the American West.

Whether hiking the length of Hadrian’s Wall or exploring for petroglyphs in New Mexico, history and adventure are Monty’s passion.