Trumpington burial: Teenage Anglo-Saxon girl's face revealed

1 year ago 25

Facial reconstruction of Trumpington Anglo-Saxon woman, 16Image source, Hew Morrison

Image caption,

Without DNA analysis, forensic creator Hew Morrison could not beryllium definite of her precise oculus and hairsbreadth colour

By Katy Prickett

BBC News, East

The look of a miss who died much than 1,300 years agone has been revealed done facial reconstruction.

The representation volition spell connected show arsenic portion of a Cambridge University exhibition.

Anglo-Saxon specializer Dr Sam Lucy said "as an archaeologist I'm utilized to faceless people" truthful it was "really lovely" to spot however she whitethorn person looked.

Image source, University of Cambridge Archaeological Unit

Image caption,

Archaeologists unearthed a golden and garnet transverse during the skeleton's excavation

Image source, University of Cambridge Archaeological Unit

Image caption,

Only 5 of specified crosses person been recovered successful Britain and it helps place the young pistillate arsenic a subordinate of the aristocracy oregon royalty

Forensic creator Hew Morrison created the likeness utilizing measurements of the young woman's skull and insubstantial extent information for Caucasian females.

"Her near oculus was somewhat lower, astir fractional a centimetre, than her close oculus - this would person been rather noticeable successful life," helium said.

New specializer investigation of the 7th Century teenager's bones and teeth has revealed much astir her abbreviated life.

She was calved adjacent the Alps, astir apt successful confederate Germany, and moved to the flat, Cambridgeshire fens astatine immoderate constituent aft she turned seven.

In addition, her fare changed erstwhile she came to England.

Dr Lucy said: "We present cognize the proportionality of macromolecule dropped, suggesting she was eating much nutrient and dairy products erstwhile successful confederate Germany than connected accomplishment successful Trumpington."

Image source, Universit of Cambridge Archaeological Unit

Image caption,

Experts present judge the teen astir apt got rather sick connected travel implicit and ne'er rather recovered, said Dr Sam Lucy

Researchers already knew from erstwhile investigation that she had been suffering from an chartless unwellness earlier her death.

Dr Sam Leggett, who helped behaviour the Cambridge University isotopic investigation earlier she moved to Edinburgh University, said: "She was astir apt rather unwell, she travelled a agelong mode to determination wholly unfamiliar - adjacent the nutrient was antithetic - it indispensable person been scary."

The burial is 1 of lone 18 furniture burials uncovered truthful acold successful the UK, portion the golden and garnet transverse indicates her Christianity - and her aristocratic oregon royal background.

Dr Lucy said probe into European furniture burials "really does look to suggest the question of a tiny radical of young elite women from a mountainous country successful continental Europe to the Cambridge portion successful the 3rd 4th of the seventh century".

The pistillate could person arrived arsenic a bride, oregon to articulation a monastic location similar adjacent Ely Abbey, and truthful she was portion of "pan-European networks of elite women who were heavy progressive successful the aboriginal church".

Dr Lucy said: "She's a fantastic illustration of bringing the past to life."

Image source, University of Cambridge Archaeological Unit

Image caption,

Two golden pins linked by a golden concatenation were besides recovered adjacent the teenager's neck, astir apt utilized to unafraid a agelong veil of good linen

Artefacts recovered with the burial, including the "Trumpington Cross" and the burial bed's decorative headboard, volition articulation the exhibition.

It explores the traces of wherever radical person lived, worked and died for thousands of years successful Cambridgeshire.

Other highlights see pottery and textile finds from "Britain's Pompei" Must Farm and a young friar's elephant ivory loop buckle recovered successful the cemetery of Cambridge's Augustinian Friary.

Beneath Our Feet is astatine the University of Cambridge's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and runs until 14 April 2024. .

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