Mystery of medieval child grave in Frankfurt

More than 20 years ago, archaeologists found two children buried deep under Frankfurt's cathedral – and two decades of research have left them with more questions than answers about the medieval history of Germany's financial capital. 

Frankfurt's St. Bartholomäus Cathedral added one more milestone to its 1,300-year  history this month. An archaeological team revealed that a mysterious grave  - the focus of over 20 years of research - contained not one, but two children believed  to have noble roots. They also revised the year of death from roughly the  year 850 to more than a century earlier, at some point before 730  [Credit: Archäologisches Museum Frankfurt] 

The 1992 find of a double grave during excavations at the Bartholomaeuskirche – generally known as the Frankfurt cathedral – wowed historians. Two children around four years old, one dressed and bejewelled in the style of Merovingian nobility – the kings who ruled the Franks (Germanic tribes) of western Europe in the early Middle Ages – and one cremated in a bearskin according to Scandinavian custom, were found buried in a single coffin under the cathedral. Twenty years later, archaeologists have released the results of their scientific investigation of the remains and the grave site.

Read the rest of this article...

Mystery of medieval child grave in Frankfurt

More than 20 years ago, archaeologists found two children buried deep under Frankfurt's cathedral – and two decades of research have left them with more questions than answers about the medieval history of Germany's financial capital.

The 1992 find of a double grave during excavations at the Bartholomaeuskirche – generally known as the Frankfurt cathedral – wowed historians.

Two children around four years old, one dressed and bejewelled in the style of Merovingian nobility – the kings who ruled the Franks (Germanic tribes) of western Europe in the early Middle Ages – and one cremated in a bearskin according to Scandinavian custom, were found buried in a single coffin under the cathedral.

Read the rest of this article...

Hunt for Anglo-Saxon abbey wall at Peterborough Cathedral

Archaeologists surveying a cathedral's precincts are hoping to uncover the location of its walled Anglo-Saxon predecessor. 

Ground penetrating radar is being used to survey the cathedral grounds [Credit: Peterborough Cathedral] Peterborough Cathedral was built by the Normans after the 10th Century abbey burned to the ground in 1116. 

Cathedral archaeologist Jackie Hall said the aim was to learn more about the Anglo-Saxon monastery because "we don't know enough about that". 

It is more than 30 years since a dig discovered a small area of wall. 

Dr Hall said: "They found the bottom of the wall, which was built out of bright yellow mortar and stone.

Read the rest of this article...

Viking treasure hoard unearthed in Wales

A hoard of historic Viking treasure has been unearthed near Caernarfon in Gwynedd, Wales. The haul, which includes ancient ingots and fragments of coins dating back almost a thousand years to the time of King Cnut the Great, was found by treasure hunter Walter Hanks from Llanllyfni using a metal detector in Llandwrog back in March. 

Part of the hoard of Viking silver found near Caernarfon  [Credit: Robin Maggs] A total of fourteen silver pennies produced at Dublin under the Hiberno-Scandinavian ruler Sihtric Anlafsson (989-1036), which archeologists say are rarely found on the British mainland, also make up part of the find. Eight of the coins date back to A.D. 995 while the other six were believed to have been produced in A.D 1018. 

Experts believe that the hoard was purposely buried in the ground between 1020 and 1030 in a bid to store the silver - and could even have been used as part of a burial ritual. Earlier today, the astonishing discovery was officially declared treasure by the North West Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard-Jones during an inquest at Caernarfon.

Read the rest of this article...