Townfoot Farm, Cumwhitton, Cumbria : Investigative Conservation of Material from the Viking Cemetery: archaeological conservation report

Metadata

Title:

Series:

Historic England Research Reports

Downloads:

englishh2-113359.pdf (5 MB) :

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Licence Type:

ADS Terms of Use and Access

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5284/1033948

Publication Type:

Report (in Series)

Abstract:

This report covers the investigative conservation of Viking material from Cumwhitton located to the south-west of Carlisle, Cumbria. In 2004 two early 10th-century tortoise shell-type brooches were found by metal detectorists in plough soil on farmland to the rear of Townfoot Farm. These were reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme and subsequently an evaluation and English Heritage funded excavation were carried out by Oxford Archaeology North. This led to the discovery and excavation of a Viking period cemetery comprising 6 grave assemblages. The burials were in an extremely poor condition with little skeletal material remaining and the metalwork badly corroded and damaged. The assemblage comprised over 1000 small find numbers including 12 objects or groups of objects freeze-lifted, 7 large soil blocks and a number of smaller soil blocks. Numerous small finds and fragments were also excavated from the plough soil, many of which are disturbed from grave fills. Unusual finds include a sword, length of iron chain, drinking horn mounts and remains of a needlework box.

Author:

Jacqui Watson
K Graham
J Gao
U Schaeder
L Skinner
Jennifer Jones
V Fell

Publisher:

Historic England

Other Person/Org:

Historic England (OASIS Reviewer)
Cumbria HER (OASIS Reviewer)

Year of Publication:

2011

Locations:

Site:	Cumwhitton Viking Cemetery
Location - Auto Detected:	Townfoot Farm
County:	Cumbria
Parish:	CUMWHITTON
Country:	England
District:	Carlisle
Location - Auto Detected:	Cumwhitton

Grid Reference: 350330, 552500 (Easting, Northing)

Subjects / Periods:

CEMETERY (Monument Type England)

DRINKING HORN MOUNT (Object England)

SWORD (Object England)

EXCAVATION (Event)

BROOCH (Object England)

GRAVE (Monument Type England)

CHAIN (Object England)

BURIAL (Monument Type England)

METAL DETECTING USE (Event)

Burial (Evidence)

Plough Soil (Object England)

METAL DETECTING USE (Event)

DRINKING HORN (Object England)

STRAP END (Object England)

BEAD (Object England)

SHEARS (Object England)

SPEARHEAD (Object England)

BUCKLE (Object England)

BOX (Object England)

FIELD SURVEY (Event)

COMB (Object England)

KNIFE (Object England)

BRACELET (Object England)

SHIELD BOSS (Object England)

SEAX (Object England)

RING (Object England)

Identifiers:

OASIS Id:	englishh2-113359
OBIB:	72-2011

Note:

A4 heat-bound report of 79pp (ISSN 1749 8775)

Source:

OASIS (OASIS)

Relations:

Project archive:

https://doi.org/10.5284/1031499

Created Date:

28 Nov 2016

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