NHER 6164 (Monument record) - Early Saxon cremation and inhumation cemetery, Saxlingham

Field 502. Saxlingham Early Saxon cemetery.

1975.
Early Saxon cremation cemetery and Roman sherd found after sod busting. Sixty cremations in urns, shattered. Fragment of annular brooch, silvered bronze disc, amber bead, burnt and unburnt glass. Iron spearhead. Thirty urn sites plotted after initial collection. Roman pottery.
A. Gregory (NAU) & A. Rogerson (NAU).

1975. Full excavation by NAU/NCM/NARG/NRC of cemetery.
Excavation on the site of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery revealed by deep ploughing in the winter 1974-5. The remains of forty-seven urned cremations were recorded twenty of which were in situ, the rest of the urns had been disturbed by ploughing. One cremations was contained in a bronze cauldron which had triangular lugs and has an associated bone comb. Two inhumations were also recorded one of which had grave-goods which included wrist clasps, a bronze pin and a pair of annular brooches.
Information from (S1).
M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 10 June 2013.

About 1976. Casual surface find.
Amber bead.

1987 to 1989. Systematic metal detecting.
Much Early Saxon metalwork, Roman coins, medieval finds, Late Saxon brooch.
See (S2 and S3).

1991. Metal detecting.
Further Roman, Early Saxon, medieval finds.

1992. Metal detecting.
Early Saxon metalwork, Roman coins, medieval coins and metalwork.

1994. Metal detecting.
Medieval finial, Roman coin.

1996. Metal detecting.
Iron Age terret, medieval metalwork and coins.

1997. Metal detecting.
Early Saxon brooch and tweezers.

See full details, site plans, drawings in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 4 July 1997.

1998. Metal detecting.
Roman coin.
Roman/Early Saxon tweezers.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 27 June 1999.

First half 1999. Metal detecting.
Undatable (but potentially Early Neolithic) prehistoric retouched flint flakes.
Early Saxon brooches and tweezers.
Medieval and post medieval metal finds.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 30 December 1999.

Before 11 May 2005. Metal detecting.
Eight Roman coins, one post medieval coin.
Early Saxon metal objects, including fragment of silver with 'chip carved' decoration.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 20 October 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 11 May 2020.

June-September 2020. Metal-detecting.
Finds recorded on the PAS database [1]:
Late Iron Age/early Roman bow brooch.
Roman bracelet, bell and military harness mount.
Roman/Early Saxon propeller-shaped military belt stiffener and tweezers.
Early Saxon brooch fragments, wrist clasps (including fragments of a silver example), a strap end, unidentified copper alloy object and unidentified gilded silver object with niello inlay (S5).
?Early Saxon small pieces of molten copper alloy, one with a droplet of glass adhering to its surface (this and at least some of the other pieces probably from Early Saxon cremation burials).
Middle/Late Saxon hooked tag.
Medieval strap ends, a brooch, belt mount and folding strap clasp.
Medieval/post-medieval cast copper alloy vessel foot.
Post-medieval harness mounts and lead cloth seals.
Finds identified by HES but not recorded on the PAS database:
10 Roman coins.
1 medieval coin.
1 post-medieval coin and 2 jettons.
The Early Saxon silver wrist clasp and silver unidentified object were both submitted for consideration as Treasure (Refs: Ref: 2020 T728 and 2020 T729 respectively). The former was disclaimed and returned to the finder but the latter was declared Treasure and subsequently acquired by a museum.
P. Watkins (HES), 10 June 2021 and 12 September 2023.

September-November 2020. Metal-detecting. [2].
Finds recorded on the PAS database:
Undatable silver discoidal object (not recent).
Roman brooches and a bracelet fragment.
Early Saxon brooch fragments, buckles, a strap end, girdle hanger, probable spangle and mount.
?Early Saxon unidentified small molten copper alloy objects (probably associated with the cremation cemetery of this date).
Medieval buckles, strap ends, a bar mount, strap mount, copper alloy mirror case and lead weight.
Medieval/post-medieval dress hook.
Post-medieval buckles, a thimble, white-metal coated harness mount, lead cloth seals and silver finger ring of 17th to 18th-century date.
Information from PAS import.
Finds identified by HES but not recorded on the PAS database:
5 Roman coins.
3 medieval coins.
4 post-medieval coins and 1 jetton.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 December 2020, 1 January 2021 and 9 September 2023.

July-November 2023. Metal-detecting. [3].
Roman brooches and copper alloy possible furniture studs.
Middle/Late Saxon strap end, hooked tag and pin.
Medieval buckles, strap ends, a strap loop, strap or hinge plate, pendent mount for suspension of purse, harness mount, casket key and padlock.
Medieval/post-medieval purse frame fragment.
Post-medieval buckles, hooked sword-belt mounts.
Information from PAS import.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 May 2024.