Oct 13 2008
I Guess It’s Not Grave-Robbing If It’s a 7th Century Royal Family?
This is a valid question: At what point do we say “hey, I don’t know or care what those people were buried with a long time ago, I’m going to leave them at peace” or say “That was so long ago, it’s all fair game now”?
Jewelry that may have belonged to Anglo Saxon royalty has been declared a treasure trove recently. But what bothers us at TreasureHunting.com is that this archaeological dig has been caried out in a known burial ground.
Of 109 graves discovered, five graves have yielded an impressive amount of treasure.
The Northern Echo reports that a hoard of brooches, pendants and beads were uncovered in superb condition. The hoard is believed to belong to the Northumbrian royal family, and was buried with the princess.
“The quality of the jewelry was assessed by specialists at Durham University and Dr. Rob Collins who said: There is not a long of Anglo Saxon evidence in the North East,… however this site is exceptional because it would appear that it is the burial site of a member of the Northumbrian royal family.”
We’re thrilled at the prospect of buried treasure, but not so thrilled at the prospect of buried people. We would never detect around modern grave yards,… so seriously… what makes older ones any different? How old does a grave have to be before it’s considered an “archaeological dig site?” Anybody?
