Editing Suffolk (section)

== Archaeology ==
[[File:SHIP MED.jpg|left|thumb|Excavation of the [[Sutton Hoo]] burial ship in 1939]]
{{Recentism|section|date=January 2025|reason=this section is excessively focussed on listing individual news reports, rather than providing a broad overview of notable archaeology in the county}}

[[West Suffolk (district)|West Suffolk]], like nearby [[East Cambridgeshire]], is renowned for [[archaeology|archaeological]] finds from the [[Stone Age]], the [[Bronze Age]], and the [[Iron Age]]. Bronze Age [[Artifact (archaeology)|artefact]]s have been found in the area between [[Mildenhall, Suffolk|Mildenhall]] and [[West Row]], in [[Eriswell]] and in [[Lakenheath]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Fenland survey : an essay in landscape and persistence / David Hall and John Coles |first=David |last=Hall |year=1994 |publisher=English Heritage |isbn=1850744777 |pages=81–88}}</ref>

In the east of the county is [[Sutton Hoo]], the site of one of England's most significant Anglo-Saxon archaeological finds, a ship burial containing a collection of treasures including a [[sword of state]], [[Sutton Hoo helmet|helmet]], gold and silver bowls, jewellery and a [[lyre]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Sutton Hoo History |url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sutton-hoo/history/ |publisher=The National Trust |access-date=22 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011051300/http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sutton-hoo/history/ |archive-date=11 October 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Hoxne Hoard]], to date the largest assembly of late [[Roman Empire|Roman]] silver and gold discovered in Britain, was found near the village of [[Hoxne]] in 1992.

While carrying out surveys before installing a pipeline in 2014, archaeologists for [[Anglian Water]] discovered nine skeletons and four cremation pits, at [[Bardwell, Suffolk|Bardwell]], [[Barnham, Suffolk|Barnham]], [[Pakenham, Suffolk|Pakenham]] and [[Rougham, Suffolk|Rougham]], all near Bury St Edmunds. [[Neolithic]], Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and [[Middle Ages|Medieval]] items were also unearthed, along with the nine skeletons believed to be of the late or [[Post-Roman Britain]]. Experts said the five-month project had recovered enough artefacts to fill half a shipping container, and that the discoveries had shed new light on their understanding of the development of small rural communities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Roman skeletons discovered by Anglian Water in Barnham, Bardwell, Pakenham and Rougham |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/west-suffolk-roman-skeletons-discovered-by-anglian-water-in-barnham-bardwell-pakenham-and-rougham-1-3568501 |publisher=East Anglian Daily Times |access-date=10 September 2020 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902121409/https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21722654.west-suffolk-roman-skeletons-discovered-anglian-water-barnham-bardwell-pakenham-rougham/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2019 an excavation of a 4th-century [[Roman burial]] in [[Great Whelnetham]] uncovered unusual burial practices. Of 52 skeletons found, a large number had been [[decapitated]], which archaeologists claimed gave new insight into Roman traditions. The burial ground includes the remains of men, women and children who likely lived in a nearby settlement. The fact that up to 40% of the bodies were decapitated represents "quite a rare find".<ref>{{cite news |title=Decapitated bodies found in Roman cemetery in Great Whelnetham |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-46763020 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=10 September 2020 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902121409/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-46763020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

A survey in 2020 named Suffolk the third best place in the UK for aspiring [[Archaeology|archaeologists]], and showed that the area was especially rich in finds from the Roman period, with over 1500 objects found in the preceding year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Suffolk 'third best place in UK' to find archaeological treasures, survey shows |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/suffolk-3rd-best-place-to-find-archaeological-treasures-1-6798397 |publisher=East Anglian Daily Times |access-date=10 September 2020 |archive-date=20 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920144614/https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/suffolk-3rd-best-place-to-find-archaeological-treasures-1-6798397 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In July 2020, [[metal detector]]ist Luke Mahoney found 1,061 silver hammered coins, estimated to be worth £100,000, in Ipswich. The coins dated back to the [[15th century|15th]]–[[17th century]], according to experts.<ref>{{cite news |title=Metal detectorist guards £100k hoard of silver for two sleepless nights over 'nighthawk' fears |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/03/metal-detectorist-guards-100k-hoard-silver-two-sleepless-nights/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/03/metal-detectorist-guards-100k-hoard-silver-two-sleepless-nights/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-status=live |newspaper=The Telegraph}}</ref>

In 2020, archaeologists discovered a 7th century [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] cemetery with 17 cremations and 191 burials in [[Oulton, Suffolk|Oulton]], near Lowestoft. The graves contained the remains of men, women and children, as well as artefacts including small iron knives, silver pennies, wrist clasps, strings of [[amber]] and glass beads. According to Andrew Peachey, who carried out the excavations, the skeletons had mostly vanished because of the highly acidic soil. They were preserved as brittle shapes and "sand silhouettes".<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-09-16 |title=Oulton burial site: Sutton Hoo-era Anglo-Saxon cemetery discovered |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-54177762 |access-date=2021-01-23 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902121409/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-54177762 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Fox |first=Alex |title=This Anglo-Saxon Cemetery Is Filled With Corpses' Ghostly Silhouettes |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ghostly-anglo-saxon-burials-uncovered-england-180975862/ |access-date=2021-01-23 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902121410/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ghostly-anglo-saxon-burials-uncovered-england-180975862/ |url-status=live }}</ref>