Experts have dated the necklace to between 630 and 670 AD. A team of researchers from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) discovered this early medieval artifact during excavations in Northamptonshire, England. The work was conducted ahead of the construction of a residential complex in Harpole. The necklace and other burial finds have been aptly named the Harpole Treasure.
According to experts, this is the most valuable necklace from the Anglo-Saxon period ever found in Britain. It belonged to a woman of high status, as reported by Live Science.
MOLA restorers cleaned and reconstructed the rare piece. The ornament, which is around 1,300 years old, has a surprisingly modern appearance. It is adorned with pendants and beads made from Roman coins, gold, garnets, glass, and semi-precious stones. The centerpiece of this jewelry composition is a rectangular pendant, featuring a cross inlaid with garnets set in gold. Archaeologists believe this element was originally part of a clasp before being transformed into a pendant.
What Else Archaeologists Discovered
The MOLA team stated that nothing similar to the Harpole Treasure has been found in Britain before. However, a few ornaments from that era, somewhat resembling it, have been discovered at various times in other regions of England. Yet, none of them were as richly adorned as this necklace.
In addition to the unique ornament, archaeologists unearthed two decorated clay pots, a copper dish, and an exquisite cross featuring human faces, cast in silver, from the grave of the high-status woman. Researchers believe all these artifacts may have belonged to a woman who was either an early Christian leader (possibly an abbess) or a member of the royal family. Or perhaps both.
Experts also reported that only a few small fragments of the woman’s dental enamel remain from her skeleton.
As noted by Levente-Bence Balazs, who led the archaeological work, the team is now set to conduct a more thorough examination of the finds using modern analytical methods. It is crucial to gain a comprehensive understanding of the person buried here and the rituals that accompanied her final journey.
Such a discovery happens once in a lifetime, believes leading archaeology expert Simon Mortimer. In his view, this is something we read about in textbooks but never expected to see with our own eyes.