An Anglo-Saxon female burial

A large and important Anglo-Saxon cemetery was excavated near Lechlade, Gloucestershire in 1985. The site had been earmarked for housing and was excavated by Oxford Archaeological Unit.

Cemeteries give us a wealth of information about past societies. This is especially true of Anglo-Saxon cemeteries such as Butler's Field where many of the people were buried with objects or 'grave goods'. The richest burial from Butler's Field is that of a 6th century female, who archaeologists nicknamed "Mrs Getty". The sheer number and richness of her objects must mean that she was of high status within the community.


Among the array of over 200 graves goods in her grave was an amber bead necklace. The huge quantity of Baltic amber beads from the 6th century graves shows a continuing trade between the Cotswolds and Scandinavia.