60 tombs and remains from the Middle Ages have appeared at King’s College | Archaeological discovery in Cambridge

An unexpected archaeological find took place at King’s College, which is part of Cambridge University, during the appearance of a cemetery from the Middle Ages where a student residence was built.

Workers stumble upon graves and remains up to 1,500 years old during the demolition of buildings in the area.

The discovery took place last January. More than sixty graves have been discovered, almost all between the years 400 and 650.

In addition, archaeologists have identified material from the Iron Age and believe that the extension of the cemetery could be much larger and exceed the boundaries of the area where student accommodation would be built.

In the graves found are pieces of funerary equipment, including pearl necklaces, bronze brooches, weapons, ceramics and glass jars. “We always knew there was a possibility of finding a cemetery, but we didn’t expect to find so many graves. What really surprised us was how well they survived under 20th century buildings. “said David Ingham, head of the excavation.

Bodies and objects buried at this time are often found in small numbers or with bones that barely survive due to the acidity of the soil, but this cemetery offers a real opportunity to fill in some gaps in our knowledge about the people who lived then in East Anglia from Roman times, ”added the archaeologist.

Work on the site is continuing and scientists intend to confirm the age of the remains found using carbon-14.

“The excavation of this cemetery provides a great opportunity to explore early medieval UK, the interactions between the island and the mainland and the changes of life around the ruins of Cambridge in Roman times,” commented Caroline Goodson, professor of Early Medieval History at Cambridge.