Rosalind Evans
A young girl from the Medieval period, estimated to be 15 years old, was discovered buried face-down, with indications that her ankles might have been bound. Archaeologists believe these measures were possibly taken to deter her from “rising from the grave.”
Unearthed in an Early Medieval settlement pit near the village of Conington in Cambridgeshire, her remains were excavated between 2016 and 2018. The Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) announced these findings.
It was typical during Early Medieval England for the deceased to be laid to rest facing the sky. But MOLA notes that a face-down burial could represent a societal indication of ‘otherness’. Such burials were potentially reserved for those who were perceived as outsiders, had a low societal standing, or faced sudden or violent deaths.
MOLA’s osteologists, experts in the study of bones, inferred from the girl’s remains that she was likely of low social status and met a sudden or unforeseen demise. Her bones didn’t show prolonged illness. Furthermore, she displayed signs of childhood malnutrition and her spine suggested she suffered from spinal joint disease, possibly exacerbated by demanding physical labour from a young age.
Don Walker, MOLA’s senior human osteologist, remarked on the poignant discovery: “While the exact perceptions surrounding this young girl by her community remain a mystery, her burial hints strongly at her being seen as ‘different’.”
He further observed: “Beyond her face-down burial at a boundary, her ankles’ positioning implies they might have been tied, suggesting the community took steps to ensure she wouldn’t ‘rise’ from her grave.”
The burial site’s significance is heightened by its location in a pit previously home to a large post marking an enclosure’s entrance. This mirrors another unusual burial of a woman, also face-down at a settlement’s edge, found approximately 30 miles away from this site. That woman believed to have faced execution, lacked her arms, head, neck, and part of her spine.
While church-associated graveyards weren’t the norm for burials at this time, England’s borders and boundaries were sites for “noteworthy or unconventional” burials, as highlighted by MOLA.
Radiocarbon techniques date the girl’s death between 680 AD and 880 AD. The surrounding archaeological evidence indicates the settlement’s activity ceased during the 8th and 9th centuries.
The unearthed remains of this young Medieval girl offer a fascinating yet sombre glimpse into the practices and beliefs of Early Medieval England. Burials like hers, while filled with mystery, shine a light on societal perceptions, fear, and the rituals associated with those considered ‘different’. As archaeological studies advance, stories like these provide a deeper understanding of humanity’s intricate past, reminding us of the myriad ways societies evolve, remember, and sometimes, attempt to protect themselves from perceived threats from the beyond.
