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Spong Hill
52.7370° N, 0.9340° E
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.
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
Archaeological Features
Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site
Storage Structures
Burial and Funerary Structures
Industrial and Craft Structures
Artistic and Decorative Features
Agricultural and Land Use Features
Domestic and Habitation Structures
Frequently Asked Questions
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