Intriguing finds could solve mystery of women in medieval cemetery
BBC••world
Key Points:
- Archaeologists excavating a medieval cemetery near Cardiff airport in Wales have uncovered 58 skeletons from the 6th or 7th century, nearly all of which belonged to women, suggesting the site was an early female religious community.
- A small building, possibly a shrine or chapel, has been identified at the center of the cemetery, with graves clustered closely around it, indicating a highly desired burial location within the community.
- Artifacts such as a possibly gilded copper brooch, a decorated bone pin, an intricately carved antler comb, and multicolored glass beads reveal wealth and luxury among the buried women, while domestic items like a quern stone and pottery indicate a living community adjacent to the cemetery.
