Byzantine bucket fragments discovered in new Time Team dig at Sutton Hoo
The first dig at Sutton Hoo in more than two decades has unearthed missing pieces of a 6th century Byzantine bucket.
The find follows weeks of careful excavation and metal-detecting on a section of the site near the visitor centre, away from the famous Anglo-Saxon ship burial that was discovered in 1939.
The month-long dig was carried out with the help of Time Team.
Fragments of the 1,400-year-old Greek inscribed bucket, known as the Bromeswell Bucket, were first uncovered at Sutton Hoo in 1986, with further pieces found in 2012.
It was probably made in the eastern Mediterranean region in the 6th century, about 100 years before the ship and its extraordinary treasure was put to rest.
Since then, each fragment has been painstakingly cleaned, re-shaped and mounted to show how it would have looked, with parts of it now on display.
The Sutton Hoo site has been managed by the National Trust since 1998.
A 25m trench was opened up for the new dig, eight metres wide and about 50cm to 70cm deep.
It was dug after ground-penetrating radar survey work identified “mysterious anomalies” under the ground.
Regional archaeologist for the National Trust, Angus Wainwright, said specialist technology had confirmed that fragments already held in the National Trust collection were in fact part of the bucket.
He continued: “Working in partnership with Time Team and field archaeology specialists (FAS) Heritage has been an incredible experience.
“Earlier geophysical surveys carried out by Time Team had identified some mysterious anomalies, which led us to the excavation.
“Because of its proximity to fragments discovered much earlier, we had hoped this year’s dig would yield more of the Bromeswell Bucket.
“It’s hoped that this two-year research project will help us to learn more about the wider landscape at Sutton Hoo and the everyday lives of the people that lived there, perhaps even shedding some light on why the royal burial ground was placed where it was.
“So this find is a great step on that journey.”
He added: “Using Time Team’s specialist technology we’ve been able to confirm that some of the other fragments already held in our collection are in fact part of the same artefact.
“Thanks to closer inspection, we now believe that the bucket had been previously damaged and then repaired. In-depth analysis of the metals suggest it might even have been soldered back together.”
Time Team’s series producer and creator, Tim Taylor, said: “This year’s dig has been fantastic, and we’ve really been able to piece together part of a 40-year mystery and unearth a new chapter in the Sutton Hoo story.”
The bucket fragments are just a few of the several finds uncovered at Sutton Hoo over the past four weeks, with more to be disclosed in a Time Team documentary special early next year, presented by Sir Tony Robinson.
The entirety of Garden Field has now been metal detected and the items that have been recovered from this year’s dig have been recorded in 3D.
They will now be sent for processing and cataloguing before returning to Sutton Hoo at a later date.
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