Cremation urn - The Meads, Sittingbourne

Cremation urn. Among finds from an Anglo-Saxon cemetery discovered at The Meads, Sittingbourne, Kent. This burial ground was excavated in late 2008 by Canterbury Archaeological Trust before the development of the site. The site dates to the 6th and 7th centuries AD and consists of 227 graves and 2 cremation urns; over 2500 objects were recovered, including jewellery and weaponry. However, because of the acidity of the soil, with the exception of those contained within the cremation urns, no human bones have survived. Furthermore, the land had formerly been used as brickfields; this involved disturbing and removing the soil, and so when the graves were finally discovered in 2008 they were found to be rather shallow and some objects were damaged. The site was a completely unexpected discovery and to deal with the conservation of the large number of finds CSI: Sittingbourne was set up. This is a community project established by local conservator Dana Goodburn-Brown in partnership with Sittingbourne Heritage Museum, Canterbury Archaeological Trust, and AMTeC Co-op; funded by Kent County Council, Marstens Brewery and Tesco. The project has enabled local people to become directly involved with the conservation of the objects under the supervision and guidance of professional and student conservators.