Dozens of lost royal tombs, along with their queens, princesses, and princes, have recently been identified by British scientists from 20 known burial sites: they lie there, before humanity’s eyes, yet always overlooked as if invisible!
According to Live Science, the reason these important royal tombs have been overlooked in a country where archaeology is extremely developed is that these kings and their families were seemingly intentionally buried in simple graves like commoners. They can only be recognized by very discreet markers.
A total of 65 previously unknown royal tombs have been identified in the latest survey of 20 ancient burial sites in Western England and Wales, dating from around the 5th to the 7th centuries AD.
The painting “The Death of King Arthur”, a legendary figure of England, is believed to be a great king who protected England from the invasions of the Anglo-Saxons. There were many “King Arthurs” in reality, but their tombs have never been found – (Photo: John Garrick)
These are the tombs of native post-Roman kings of England, buried according to customs entirely different from those of the Anglo-Saxon rulers who settled in the eastern region.
“While the Anglo-Saxon rulers of that time were buried elaborately with valuable grave goods, the Christian English may have viewed this as a pagan practice” – explained Professor Ken Dark from the University of Reading (UK) and the University of Navarra (Spain).
Professor Dark’s team began their research to decode the mystery of the “disappearance” of the tombs of English kings during this period: hardly any of their tombs have ever been excavated, even though many Anglo-Saxon royal monuments and tombs from the same era exist.
They found these royal tombs constructed in a very precise and meticulous manner, yet they looked entirely like ordinary graves within the same burial site, even appearing simpler compared to nearby pagan tombs. Despite being royal graves, most lacked inscribed stone markers, making it very difficult to identify their occupants.
Royal families often rested together in a small area, with clusters of up to four graves, while some were buried separately. The clusters of graves typically measured about 4-9 meters wide and 9 meters long.
The similarity and meticulousness in the construction of these grave clusters were the first clues leading archaeologists to identify which tombs were royal. Additionally, the tombs of royal family members often lay at the center of an enclosure formed by other graves, which could take on rectangular or circular shapes.
The tradition of “enclosed graves” originated from burial customs at the end of the Roman era, serving as a discreet way to elevate the status of the deceased.
Beyond these aspects, these English kings, queens, princesses, and princes were laid to rest in a completely simple manner, with no expensive grave goods surrounding them, according to a publication in the Journal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland.
