United Kingdom

Spong Hill

Early Anglo-Saxon cremation cemetery, Norfolk, England

Location

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Historical Context

About

Spong Hill is an Anglo-Saxon cemetery site located south of North Elmham in Norfolk, England. It is the largest known Early Anglo-Saxon cremation site. The site consists of a large cremation cemetery and a smaller, 6th-century burial cemetery of 57 inhumations. Several of the inhumation graves were covered by small barrows and others were marked by the use of coffins. Extensive excavations of the Early Anglo-Saxon cemetery and part of the associated settlement revealed evidence of Early Prehistoric occupation on the hill top, dating from the Mesolithic to the Early Bronze Age. Excavation of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery also revealed extensive occupation evidence: late Iron Age and Roman enclosures and field boundaries, an early Roman kiln, and a small settlement of 'sunken huts' and post-hole buildings possibly contemporary with the cemetery.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

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Stamped urns date

5th century

First reported finds

1711

Small-scale excavation

1950s

Further investigation

1968

Major excavation programme

1972–1981

Spong Man discovered

1979

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Storage Structures

Containers
category

Burial and Funerary Structures

CemeteriesGravesBurial Mounds
category

Industrial and Craft Structures

Kilns
category

Artistic and Decorative Features

StatuesInscriptions
category

Agricultural and Land Use Features

Field Systems
category

Domestic and Habitation Structures

Pit HousesHouses
Knowledge Base

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Reference

Details

Country

United Kingdom

Coordinates

52.74° N, 0.93° E