Cow Woman Found

By tony leather, 29th Jun 2012 | Follow this author | RSS Feed | Short URL http://nut.bz/37v-c0m7/
Posted in Wikinut>News>Environment

In the 5th century cows were very important to community survival, so the sacrifice of such an important beast is highly significant, their being such symbols then of both economic and domestic power.

Cow Woman Found

Cow 1

Students from he University of Central Lancashire, along with others from Manchester Metropolitan University, have discovered the skeleton of a 1,400-year-old Anglo-Saxon woman, buried alongside a cow, underneath a Cambridge, former children's playground, this so-called cow woman an extraordinarily unique find in UK archaeology.

This hugely exciting and bizarre burial is believed to be the only one of its kind ever found in Europe - warrior men are those usually discovered buried with their animals, so to find a female skeleton in such a grave can only mean that the woman must have enjoyed a high social status within her community of the time.

In the 5th century cows were very important to community survival, so the sacrifice of such an important beast is highly significant, their being such symbols then of both economic and domestic power, so the woman involved must have been of the local regional elite. Her local community would have wanted to show the proper respect for her rank.

Part 2

Cow 2

Since this something that would not have been done for just anybody -late 5th century Britain obviously a place where important matriarchal figures were obviously part of that society - the presence in the grave of other goods, such as small disc brooches, glass bead necklaces and more - show just how well respected she was.

Researchers have not yet ascertained cause of death, no significant trauma, suggesting a violent death to be seen, but analysis of the bones and teeth suggest the was only in her twenties or thirties at the time of death, so it could have been some ailment or childbirth that killed her, though she was obviously buried with great reverence.

Place your ad here
Loading...

Meet the author

tony leather
mainly non-fiction articles, though I do write short stories, poetry and descriptive prose as well. Have been writing for over ten years now