ASSEMBLAGE

Early-Medieval bed burial assemblage with gold and garnet pendant and othergrave goods found, by Cambridge Archaeological Unit, during archaeological excavation.

"Description: The context of the find is an Anglo Saxon bed burial containing a probably teenaged female burial, and including the following items:

1. A gold and garnet pectoral cross - grave goods (34mm diam)
2. A gold and garnet set of linked pins - grave goods (pins 40mm long, total length with chain 120mm)
3. A copper alloy chatelaine with chain, plate and beads - grave goods (length 100mm)
4. An iron knife (seax) - grave goods (length 115mm, max width 11mm)
5. 13 iron split pin hoops/eyes - bed fittings (average length 30mm, width 17mm)
6. 8 iron cleats - bed fittings (average length 40mm, width 12mm, 19mm thick)
7. A larger rectangular and two smaller iron plates part of the bed head - bed fittings (length 160mm, width 100mm)
8. 3 iron nails - bed fittings (length c. 14mm)

Date: 7^th Century AD.

Discussion: There are 14 other certain or probable bed burials in England at 12 location (see list), only a handful of which have been excavated using modern standards. Some are richly adorned others much less so. The Trumpington burial fits very well in the known range. It also lies in one of the recognised 'clusters' of such burials in Cambridgeshire/Norfolk/Suffolk, the other being in Wiltshire/Dorset. This discovery is in the context of a group of four graves in a small settlement to the south of modern Trumpington. The gold and garnet pectoral cross has very few direct comparators. Crosses in other materials are known, but there are only four comparable crosses known, those from Ixworth (Stanton) in Suffolk, Wilton (Lakenheath), Holderness and the Cuthbert Cross from Northumberland. Of these the Ixworth (Stanton) cross is also associated with a bed burial.

This group includes two items composed of more than 10% precious metal, and as a whole is more than 300 years old. The items which do not contain 10% precious metal are also treasure as they were found in association with the items which do contain 10% precious metal. It therefore should be considered Treasure under the terms of the Treasure Act 1996.

Alison Dickens MIfA, Archaeological Manager Cambridge Archaeological Unit - Date: 14^th November 2013"

Appendix 1 'List of Saxon bed burials in England' table not included in this record - see treasure report.