A muddy field in Norfolk, in December, in the cold and wet might not sound promising but this did not deter Tom Lucking. A first year student at UEA and member of a local archaeology field club, Tom was out exploring a field with his metal detector – with the landowner’s permission of course – when it signalled something significant in the ground. A careful exploration revealed the bottom of a bronze bowl. After covering it up, Tom did the right thing and contacted the group’s geophysics team at Norfolk County Council’s Heritage Environment service – or archaeologists as they are sometimes known!
Fast forward a few weeks and the site revealed a burial dating to the Anglo-Saxon period. Although the preservation of the bones was not good, it was clear to the excavation team that it was a woman from the type and quantity of the jewellery found. Among the finds was a pendant made of gold and garnet, very much the star piece! You can see why here: