Archaeologists find well-preserved 14th century human skeleton on site of medieval Augustinian friary

This article originally appeared on Culture24.

Silver-gilded dress fastener from 300 years ago among items accompanying skeleton

A well-preserved human skeleton found on the former site of a medieval Augustinian friary could date from the 14th century, say archaeologists who have discovered pottery, coins, oyster shells and painted glass during work to create a £70 million housing development in Norwich.

The skeleton was found in a tomb inside a church at St Anne’s Quarter, where the friary was dissolved during the 16th century before the grounds passed to the Duke of Norfolk, who built the listed Howard House.

“We know a lot of activity took place at this site in the Saxon era, so these items are helping us to build a better of picture of the local history,” says Max Barnes, of Orbit Homes, who believes a silver-gilded dress fastener, likely to be declared treasure, dates from at least 300 years ago.

“We are working closely with the county archaeological service and have appointed a local specialist firm to carry out the excavations, who are recording all the findings.  

“We hope to donate the artefacts to the Norfolk Museums Service for further study and display.

“It’s incredibly exciting to have discovered these historical artefacts.”

More than 400 new homes are expected to be created by the development.

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Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge
Founded in 1884, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology holds world-class collections of art and artefacts from all over the world, representing cultures and histories over millennia.

Kendal Museum of Natural History and Archaeology, Cumbria
On the edge of the Lake District, Kendal's collections include local archaeology, history, geology and a natural history collection from around the globe

Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
Important collections of minerals and fossils, natural history, eastern art, world wildlife, Egyptology, archaeology and fine and applied art.

Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art532647-archaeologists-find-well-preserved-14th-century-human-skeleton-on-site-of-medieval-augustinian-friary