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282:. Earlier excavations had indicated Anglo-Saxon burials in the area, however it was not expected that such a significant find could be made. The archaeologists were lucky in the placement of their trench and uncovered a large Anglo-Saxon burial, and removed many important artefacts, mostly in metalwork. The site is located between the
380:, many individual objects are closely comparable and of similar quality. For example, there is a hollow gold belt buckle, but much plainer than that from Sutton Hoo, but the lyre, drinking vessels, and copper-alloy shoe buckles are very similar. As at Sutton Hoo, the best hope for closely dating the burial is the
384:
gold coins, however the dating of these is a complicated matter, based on their metallic content rather than the design and information stamped on them. Research continues on this as on other aspects of the find, but the evidence initially suggests a date in the period 600–650, or 600–630. There is
351:
The body had been laid in a wooden coffin, with two small gold-foil crosses, one over each eye. One opinion was that he had been laid in the coffin by
Christians, and that the coffin had been then buried by pagans, reflecting divided attitudes towards Christianity at the time. The early dating of the
545:
In addition to the princely burial, there is other archaeological evidence of early Anglo-Saxon occupation of
Prittlewell. A 1923 excavation in Priory Crescent revealed a 6th or 7th century Anglo-Saxon cemetery which may have extended into what is now Priory Park. The parish church, a short distance
304:
In total, about 110 objects were lifted by conservators in two phases, over a period of ten days. Some of the objects were block-lifted together with the soil in which they were embedded. The final lift was completed on 20 December 2003, with final defining of the chamber walls and back-filling
364:
and suggest the growing strength of continental Latin
Christian culture in southern England, but not represent personal conversion of faith. The acidic sandy soil had completely dissolved the body's bones, and any other bone in the tomb, but some pieces of human teeth were found, but too far
356:
mission to
England, has led to recent postulation that the crosses have limited religious significance, and were rather a sign of connection to the continent. They bear a resemblance to contemporary crosses found in Lombardy; they may have been buried with the 'prince' to embue him with
983:
301:, under the supervision of Atkins Ltd, excavated the site and discovered an undisturbed 7th-century chamber grave beneath a mound. They described it as "the most spectacular discovery of its kind made during the past 60 years".
412:
The quality of the locally made objects, and the presence of imported luxury items such as the Coptic bowl and flagon, appear to point to a royal burial. The most obvious candidates were originally thought to be either
440:, Sæberht's brother. Carbon dating had indicated that the tomb was built between 575 and 605, at least 11 years before Sæberht's death. Further details of the latest research have been published on the MOLA website.
443:
It is, however, also possible that the occupant is of some other wealthy and powerful individual whose identity has gone unrecorded. In the meantime, the occupant has acquired the popular nickname of the "King of
451:
For many years the location of Sæberht's remains has been uncertain. Medieval legend claims that Sæberht and his wife Queen
Ethelgoda founded a monastery in London in 604 that later became the site of
975:
773:
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an object identified as a "standard", as at Sutton Hoo, but of a different type, and there is a folding stool of a type often seen in royal portraits in Early
Medieval manuscripts (like a "
602:
898:
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for 2006. Southend
Borough Council undertook to find a home for the archaeological finds in order to keep them in the borough, and announced that a new gallery would be created at
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392:
The design of the lyre was reconstructed from soil impressions and surviving metal pieces. There was evidence that it had been repaired at least once. A copy of it was made in
1250:
72:
344:, decorated with inlaid escutcheons and a cruciform arrangement of applied strips, a folding stool, three stave-built tubs or buckets with iron bands, a sword and a
32:
348:, the last one of the most complete found in Britain. The tomb itself is 4 metres (13 ft) square, the largest chambered tomb ever discovered in England.
240:
Artefacts found by archaeologists in the burial chamber are of a quality that initially suggested that this tomb in
Prittlewell was a tomb of one of the
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In the autumn of 2003, in preparation for a road-widening scheme, an archaeological survey was carried out on a plot of land to the north-east of
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to display the artefacts. After restoration work and carbon dating had been completed, the new museum gallery opened to the public in May 2019.
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techniques have since indicated a revised date in the late 6th century. In May 2019, it was reported that a team of 40 specialists from the
340:, which had gradually collapsed and filled with soil as its wooden containing walls and ceiling decayed. The finds included an Anglo-Saxon
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road widening scheme, as the planned road would go across the burial site. From
September 2005 to July 2009 the site was occupied by a
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and a large celebration event took place attended by over 5000 people in the area. The tomb was re-dedicated in a ceremony held at
1225:
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After the discovery of the
Prittlewell tomb and the completion of archaeological excavations, local protestors campaigned for
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supported by 85 local churches and voluntary organisations entitled 'Discover the King'. The event patron was local MP Sir
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during this period. As the evidence pointed to an early seventh century date, Sæberht was considered more likely.
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509:. In 2009 Southend Borough Council announced an alternative road improvement scheme at nearby Cuckoo Corner.
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of the abbey purportedly contains the bones of Sæberht, although modern scholars cast doubt on its veracity.
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Excavation demonstrated the burial chamber to be a deep, formerly timber-walled room full of objects of
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The archaeological work was the winner of the Developer Funded Archaeology Award as part of the
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in 1883, and though the overall collection is less sumptuous than that from the ship-burial in
308:
The quality and preservation of the Prittlewell chamber burial has led to comparisons with the
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The Prittlewell princely burial: excavations at Priory Crescent, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, 2003
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251:. The burial is now dated to about 580 AD, and is thought that it contained the remains of
976:"Anglo-Saxon king exhibition showing 'Southend's rich cultural heritage' officially opens"
252:
230:
154:
455:, and that they had been buried in the church there. A recessed marble tomb in the south
312:
Ship Burial and associated graves, discovered in 1939, as well as with the discovery of
1193:"#PrittlewellPrince – photos of the excavation and artefacts from the Prittlewell tomb"
1161:"Britain's oldest Christian royal burial site 'is the Anglo-Saxon world's Tutankhamun'"
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680:"Tut Tut? Why compare Prittlewell's princely burial to King Tutankhamun's tomb?"
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774:"New research questions famed burial of 'first' Christian Anglo-Saxon king"
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The inventory of grave goods is comparable to one found in a burial in the
262:
In May 2019, some of the excavated artefacts went on permanent display in
1168:
Whybra, Julia (Autumn 2014). "The Identity of the Prittlewell Prince".
202:
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926:. Southend-On-Sea Borough Council. 29 September 2009. Archived from
1118:
Lyn, Blackmore; Blair, Ian; Hirst, Sue; Scull, Christopher (2019).
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421:(murdered 653 AD), who are the two East Saxon Kings known to have
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389:") that is a unique find in England, and was probably imported.
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The Anglo-Saxon princely burial at Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea
595:"Britain's equivalent to Tutankhamun found in Southend-on-Sea"
366:
475:
In 2004 a re-dedication of the King's tomb was hosted by the
39:
1199:. Southend-on-Sea Borough Council/MoLA. 12 September 2012.
490:
and the chair of the organising event was Jonathan Ullmer.
546:
to the south, contains a remnant of a 7th-century church.
396:
wood and played to accompany a funeral song sung for King
1163:. Australian Broadcasting Corporation News. 10 May 2019.
526:, entitled "King of Bling", and devoted to Prittlewell.
625:"Prittlewell prince:- Britain's answer to Tutankhamun"
588:
586:
1024:
Blair, Ian; Barham, Liz; Blackmore, Lyn (May 2004).
650:
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569:"Southend burial site 'UK's answer to Tutankhamun'"
436:(MOLA) now believe the tomb could have belonged to
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891:"Sebert, King of the East Saxons & Ethelgoda"
328:Location of the Anglo-Saxon burial in Prittlewell
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47:Map of Essex showing the location of Prittlewell
731:
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921:"Cuckoo Corner Improvement Scheme – Proposal"
563:
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404:and English in St Mary's Church in Southend.
8:
737:"Prittlewell, Southend: The 'King of Bling'"
21:
1266:Buildings and structures in Southend-on-Sea
823:
821:
20:
749:. 13 June 2005. Channel 4. Archived from
448:", in reference to the rich grave goods.
1251:Anti-road protests in the United Kingdom
862:. Harvard University Press. p. 10.
512:The Prittlewell tomb featured in a 2005
466:
1099:Hirst, Sue; Scull, Christopher (2019).
1009:. Museum of London Archaeology Service.
555:
776:. National Geographic. Archived from
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471:The "Camp Bling" protest camp in 2006
16:Archaeological site in Essex, England
7:
1076:"Treasures of a Saxon King of Essex"
953:"BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL AWARDS 2006"
829:"The battle for the 'King of Bling'"
299:Museum of London Archaeology Service
294:supermarket and The Saxon King pub.
215:Prittlewell royal Anglo-Saxon burial
22:Prittlewell royal Anglo-Saxon burial
651:Blair, Barham & Blackmore 2004
14:
1246:Subterranea of the United Kingdom
955:. Council for British Archaeology
305:continuing for three days after.
1203:from the original on 14 May 2019
1144:
1051:"Report: The Prittlewell Prince"
986:from the original on 13 May 2019
901:from the original on 15 May 2019
708:. Anglo-Saxon Books. p. 21.
38:
31:
1256:2003 archaeological discoveries
806:from the original on 9 May 2019
678:Jackson, Sophie (14 May 2019).
627:. Stuff (Fairfax). 10 May 2019.
605:from the original on 9 May 2019
288:Shenfield–Southend railway line
1172:. Chichester, UK: Phillimore.
417:(died 616 AD) or his grandson
1:
1231:Archaeological sites in Essex
800:"Prittlewell Princely Burial"
541:Early Anglo-Saxon Prittlewell
531:British Archaeological Awards
122:
1281:Anglo-Saxon sites in England
1261:Anglo-Saxon burial practices
704:Pollington, Stephen (2008).
434:Museum of London Archaeology
320:Burial chamber and artefacts
192:Southend-on-Sea City Council
1032:(76): 10–17. Archived from
249:early Anglo-Saxon Christian
233:, in the English county of
219:Prittlewell princely burial
1297:
1152:Anglo-Saxon England portal
772:Smith, Roth (9 May 2019).
593:Brown, Mark (8 May 2019).
1074:Southend Museums (2004).
854:Jenkyns, Richard (2011).
706:Anglo-Saxon Burial Mounds
520:'s archaeological series
423:converted to Christianity
203:prittlewellprincelyburial
26:
495:Southend Borough Council
297:Archaeologists from the
223:Anglo-Saxon burial mound
108:Anglo-Saxon burial mound
1226:Anglo-Saxon archaeology
1057:. MoLAS. Archived from
535:Southend Central Museum
408:Theories about occupant
264:Southend Central Museum
225:which was excavated at
1007:The Prittlewell Prince
505:camp known locally as
472:
463:Post-excavation events
365:affected by decay for
329:
856:"The Medieval Church"
719:Southend Museums 2004
470:
419:Sigeberht II of Essex
378:Mound 1 at Sutton Hoo
369:to be found in them.
327:
170:Excavation dates
747:Time Team (specials)
477:Bishop of Chelmsford
150:Associated with
88:51.55391°N 0.70873°E
1030:British Archaeology
1005:Hirst, Sue (2004).
974:Whitehouse, Ellis.
753:on 10 December 2006
336:, gold, silver and
134:Anglo-Saxon England
84: /
23:
1276:Barrows in England
1061:on 19 January 2009
484:Prittlewell Priory
473:
330:
314:Tutankhamun's tomb
1129:978-1-907586-50-7
1110:978-1-907586-47-7
895:Westminster Abbey
860:Westminster Abbey
835:. 6 February 2006
571:. BBC. 9 May 2019
453:Westminster Abbey
221:is a high-status
211:
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93:51.55391; 0.70873
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1236:Burials in Essex
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687:. Retrieved
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607:. Retrieved
599:The Guardian
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573:. Retrieved
544:
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503:road protest
492:
488:Teddy Taylor
480:John Gladwin
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342:hanging bowl
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144:Anglo-Saxons
18:
937:28 February
402:Old English
387:curule seat
382:Merovingian
280:Prittlewell
276:Priory Park
242:Anglo-Saxon
229:, north of
227:Prittlewell
91: /
67:Coordinates
1220:Categories
1018:References
839:13 January
666:MoLAS 2004
507:Camp Bling
499:A1159 road
457:ambulatory
310:Sutton Hoo
284:A1159 road
270:Excavation
165:Site notes
76:51°33′14″N
1178:0014-0961
742:Time Team
523:Time Team
518:Channel 4
428:However,
360:Romanitas
316:in 1922.
188:Ownership
79:0°42′31″E
62:, England
1201:Archived
1122:. MoLA.
1103:. MoLA.
984:Archived
959:30 April
899:Archived
833:BBC News
804:Archived
802:. MOLA.
603:Archived
286:and the
140:Cultures
56:Location
398:Sæberht
198:Website
130:Periods
119:Founded
114:History
1207:14 May
1197:Flickr
1176:
1126:
1107:
1040:11 May
990:13 May
905:15 May
875:15 May
866:
757:11 May
689:14 May
334:copper
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