Archaeologists explore ‘geophysical mysteries’ of graveyard in new dig at Sutton Hoo

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A new dig is to be carried out at Sutton Hoo, which is thought for the Anglo-Saxon ship burial found in 1939.

Archaeologists hope to construct a better understanding of the Suffolk web site and be taught extra about an Anglo-Saxon cemetery which was found in 2000 throughout development of a customer centre.

The National Trust is working with TV and on-line present Time Team on the two-year analysis undertaking, with a dig deliberate to start June.

The conservation charity mentioned the undertaking will construct on work by Time Team in 2021 and 2022, when floor penetrating radar surveys had been carried out of the Royal Burial Ground and Garden Field.

Angus Wainwright, regional archaeologist for the National Trust, mentioned: “Time Team’s geophysical survey identified several mysterious features in Garden Field.

“We want to determine if they are archaeology or geological features.

“To do this we are carefully planning for an archaeological dig in June.

“Garden Field has an extraordinary amount of archaeology in it, from prehistoric fields and possible burial mounds through to Roman settlements and an Anglo-Saxon cemetery, but who knows what else may be hidden there.

“We know from previous work in this field, it’s likely we will find prehistoric flint tools and fragments of Anglo-Saxon objects from burials scattered through the plough soil, but working out what the mysterious geophysical anomalies are will be our focus.

“We hope to find evidence of the deep-time prehistory of Sutton Hoo and perhaps more information about the Anglo-Saxon cemetery, which we first discovered in 2000 when we were building the visitor centre.

“The approach will be painstaking, recording all the finds in 3D from the ground surface, down through the plough soil until we reach the undisturbed archaeology.”

The ship burial is believed to have been the ultimate resting place of King Raedwald, who dominated East Anglia in the seventh century.

Mr Wainwright mentioned the 1939 discovery “not only stunned the archaeological world but set the scene for further exploration”.

“Later archaeological campaigns at Sutton Hoo helped solve mysteries left by the original dig and revealed more about life in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of East Anglia,” he mentioned.

“We can’t wait to see what this next chapter will bring.”

Members of the Eighties archaeological group who carried out a dig on the Royal Burial Ground can be concerned in the most recent undertaking.

Tim Taylor, Time Team’s collection producer and creator, mentioned: “We are incredibly thrilled to expand our relationship with Sutton Hoo, delving deeper into the history of one of Britain’s most iconic sites.

“The story of Sutton Hoo has captured the world’s imagination, as we can see by the success of the award-winning film The Dig, and we hope to reveal yet another exciting chapter.”

Time Team professional Helen Geake mentioned: “It feels so exciting that we can uncover a new area, a new part of the landscape.

“It’s a tantalising piece of the jigsaw puzzle that we’ve always known a bit about, but to be able to find something new and tangible would be truly amazing.”

Time Team will doc the investigation, culminating in a documentary offered by Sir Tony Robinson.

Sir Tony mentioned: “In all my years exploring archaeology, I never, ever thought that I would get a chance to be involved with an excavation of Sutton Hoo – that is so exciting.”

The National Trust can be working with archaeology volunteers to assist assist the undertaking and there can be alternatives for guests to see archaeology in motion when the dig takes place.