University of Sheffield finds a woman clad in metallic clothing who died some time before AD650
Researchers excavating a site in the UK are continuing work to identify the remains of a woman whose bones have been discovered nearly 1,000 years old.
University of Sheffield archaeologists found the remains of the female in a burial pit in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, that dates back more than 800 years, a study in the journal Archaeological Review Letters has found.
The team carried out extensive chemical and scanning analysis of the bones and the burial site to find out more about the woman, believed to have died sometime between the sixth and the ninth centuries.
The team of archaeologists and a group of experts working on CT imaging carried out the work at the site, according to a statement.
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Lead author Mick Powers, of the university’s department of applied physics and archaeology, said: “The results of our excavation, coupled with the detection of a very high number of her teeth and soft tissue including bone, should suggest that this was a woman who died approximately around 600 years ago or earlier.
“She is now being tested at a radiologist for features including possible ear and spine fractures. The study will continue but we’re keen to understand how this cemetery appears to have changed over time.”
The Todmorden historic district includes many archaeological sites in villages, streets and areas of arable and ancient woodland.