anglo saxon death and burial

Burials cont.

Rituals

"Unfurnished" Burials

Direct result of Christian influence

Normally face east-west

Difficult to date.

"Deviant"/"Execution"/"Battlefield" Burials

Little to no grave goods

Graves are poorly defined

Corpses buried in mass graves

Example: "Sand-men" Burials of Sutton Hoo

Pagan Anglo-Saxon Rituals tended to be based very highly on wealth and power.

Until Christians came in and converted Anglo-Saxons to Christianity.

Cremation no longer accepted.

Most corpses buried without earthly belongings.

However, pagan Anglo-Saxons didn't release traditions quietly.

History

Superstitions

Superstitious:

Lucky Charms

"Magic" Sayings/Rhymes

Potions

Stones

Jewels

Protection from evil spirits & disease/sickness

Early Anglo-Saxons cremated dead on a pyre.

Some graves too distorted for identification. Artwork on urns that carried remains used to date graves.

4th & 5th centuries, burials of whole & complete bodies (inhumation) widely used.

However, change in societal customs.

In 7th Century- Burials abruptly changed in response to Christian influence.

Sutton Hoo

The most famous Anglo-Saxon burial ground is probably Sutton Hoo.

Here, there are 19 burial mounds in all, including two ship mounds.

This burial place may have been one of the last attempts of the Anglo-Saxons to defy the Christian religion and bring their own pagan ways back.

This failed, of course, but it has given us a good look into the so-called "life-after-death" of the people.

Different types of burials

What burials tell us

Works Cited

King Anon Sutton Hoo

Belongings buried with the dead.

-What jobs people had.

-Social Status.

-It was common to bury people with knives & Spears .

-Also sewing & Weaving tools

"Anglo-Saxon Burial." Anglo-Saxon Burial. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Oct. 2013.

Rider, Shawn. "Death and Burial in the Anglo-Saxon World." Death and Burial in the Anglo-Saxon World. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Oct. 2013.

The most famous ship-mound was found to be untouched and has revealed many treasures from the Anglo-Saxon age.

It was the burial place of a King (Anon Sutton Hoo), and the burial chamber was full of high status grave goods, including buckles, shoulder clasps, a purse, a sword, drinking horns and a lyre.

"Final Phase" Burials

Conversion: Pagan inhumation --> Christian.

Mainly differentiated by lack of grave goods & bodies positioned in east-west fashion.

"Princely" Burials

Usually located under mounds

Can contain either cremation or inhumation

Most were generally attempts to defy Christianity.

Example of Princely Burial: Sutton Hoo

Death and Burial