Time Team to carry out second dig at Sutton Hoo next year

Archaeologists from Time Team are to instrumentality to Sutton Hoo for a 2nd excavation adjacent year, aft unearthing missing pieces of a 6th period Byzantine bucket during a archetypal excavation earlier this year.

This summer’s four-week excavation was carried retired adjacent the visitant centre astatine the Suffolk site, distant from the celebrated Anglo-Saxon vessel burial that was discovered successful 1939.

Fragments of a 1,400-year-old Greek inscribed bucket, known arsenic the Bromeswell Bucket, were archetypal uncovered astatine Sutton Hoo successful 1986, with further pieces recovered successful 2012.

It was astir apt made successful the eastbound Mediterranean portion successful the 6th century, astir 100 years earlier the vessel and its bonzer treasure was enactment to rest.

As good arsenic pieces of the bucket, respective Anglo-Saxon graves were discovered this year.

The National Trust said archaeologists from Time Team volition instrumentality from May 19 2025 for different four-week dig.

Regional Archaeologist for the National Trust, Angus Wainwright, said: “The archetypal signifier of the project, which took spot successful June, was the astir intensive play of excavation Sutton Hoo has seen since the aboriginal 2000s.

“It was a truly breathtaking infinitesimal for america and ended connected a high, with the find of missing fragments of the Bromeswell Bucket, which originated from the Byzantine empire successful the 6th century.

“The bulk of these pieces were lifted retired successful 1 artifact and removed to an undisclosed determination successful York, wherever they are presently being X-rayed and excavated, on with immoderate different absorbing finds that were discovered successful the process.”

A fig of quality cremations were besides discovered during this latest excavation, indicating the burial crushed that was discovered successful Garden Field successful 2000 stretches further than antecedently thought.

The burial crushed revealed 13 cremations and 9 burials, and is believed to predate the Royal Burial Ground.

It is apt to beryllium the last resting spot of residents of debased to comparatively high-status families, perchance including the grandparents and great-grandparents of those laid to remainder astatine the Royal Burial Ground galore years later.

These recently discovered cremations are besides being processed astatine the specializer installation successful York, wherever the cremated bones volition beryllium analysed to effort and property and enactment the person, arsenic good arsenic c day the burial.

It is hoped that the 2nd excavation adjacent twelvemonth volition uncover much astir the prehistory of Sutton Hoo and summation a amended knowing of the 2nd cemetery successful Garden Field.