Evidence for punishment and execution on the foreshore: a unique early medieval burial (680-810 AD) from London
Mant, M. Redfern, R. Montgomery, J. Gröcke, D.R. Millard, A. Johnson, L.
Mant, M.
Redfern, R.
Montgomery, J.
Gröcke, D.R.
Millard, A.
Johnson, L.
Publication Date
2025
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© 2025 Taylor & Francis. This is an Author's Original Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in World Archaeology available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00438243.2025.2488739.
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2026-05-12
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Abstract
In 1991, a rescue excavation uncovered a unique early medieval burial (680-810 AD) of an adult female on the foreshore of the River Thames, London. Parts of her body had been covered by moss, and her body had been placed between two sheets of bark, with the grave marked by posts, making the body visible at high tide. Multidisciplinary analyses of the human remains shows that she was from London, and had survived a severe beating to her back that had been repeated before death, which was caused by a blow to her head. We suggest that she may have been beaten then executed, with the choice of burial location perhaps symbolising execution by drowning.
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Mant, M, Redfern R, Montgomery J et al (2025) Evidence for punishment and execution on the foreshore: a unique early medieval burial (680-810 AD) from London. World Archaeology. Accepted for publication.
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The full text will be available at the end of the publisher's embargo: 12th May 2026