‘Unusual’ 1,400-year-old gravesite — with remains of feast — found near castle in Wales
.png "Archaeologists in Wales discovered a medieval cemetery with remains of an ancient graveside feast, according to Cardiff University.")
About 1,400 years ago, a group of people enjoyed a sprawling feast — right next to a cemetery filled with human graves.
Now, archaeologists in Wales have discovered the ancient site on the grounds of Fonmon Castle, according to a Jan. 4 news release from Cardiff University. Excavations at the site took place during the summer, and further analysis revealed more insight into experts’ finds.
As many as 80 graves dating to between the sixth and seventh centuries were found at the site, the university said. Some burials “display unusual features such as crouched body positions.”
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“Other similar sites have found bodies in crouched positions such as this, but considering the number of graves we have looked at so far, there seem to be a high proportion,” Andy Seaman, a lecturer in early medieval archaeology, said in the release. “This could be evidence of some sort of burial rite being carried out.”
Seaman said it is “extremely rare” to find sites dating to the early medieval period in Wales, and it’s uncommon for bones and artifacts to be preserved.
Archaeologists also discovered “many fragments of animal bone, some displaying evidence for butchery and cooking, metal working debris, and fragments of rare imported glass drinking vessels,” the university said. Experts think these artifacts could be left over from “grave-side feasting rituals.”
“There is nothing to suggest that people were living near the site,” according to Seaman. “The evidence of cooking and glasses certainly suggests some level of ritual feasting, perhaps to celebrate or mourn the dead.”
The site was initially discovered in 2021 during geophysical surveys of the area, the university said. Initially, archaeologists thought they had discovered “an ancient farmstead,” but further research revealed the burial-filled cemetery.
Fonmon Castle was built around 1180 AD as “a defensive keep and administration (center),” university officials said. It was first owned by a family descended from Norman knights. Since 2019, Nigel Ford has owned the castle.
Excavations of the cemetery will continue, archaeologists said.
Fonmon Castle is about 15 miles southwest of Cardiff, which is in southern Wales.
This story was originally published January 4, 2024 at 2:16 PM with the headline "‘Unusual’ 1,400-year-old gravesite — with remains of feast — found near castle in Wales."
