It has been announced that the much-beloved archaeology series Time Team is working in collaboration with the National Trust to carry out new non-invasive geophysics surveys of the burial grounds at Sutton Hoo.
The archaeological investigations at this historic site will feature in a new series of Time Team – which last aired seven years ago – that will be streamed via their official YouTube channel.
Since its discovery in 1939, the 7th century Anglo-Saxon ship burial at Sutton Hoo, near Woodbridge in Suffolk, has garnered worldwide attention. With stunning finds of gold, bronze, and silver, as well as the iconic Sutton Hoo helmet, it became the richest grave ever excavated in Europe.
These latest investigations, conducted alongside National Trust archaeologists and with advanced non-invasive technology, have involved scanning the features of the Royal Burial Ground using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and, for the first time, surveying the Garden Field with both GPR and high-resolution magnetometry.
This field has previously revealed unique finds, including a 6th century Byzantine bucket, and lies adjacent to the High Hall exhibition where an Anglo-Saxon folk cemetery was uncovered in the early 2000s.
The team also plan to create an interactive and immersive 3D model of the site with images captured through photogrammetry and Aerial Cam.
The results of the project, which has been supported by Historic England, will be shared with the public in spring 2022.
Tim Taylor, Creator and Series Producer of Time Team, said: ‘We are delighted to play a role in shedding new light on such an iconic site. Combining state-of-the-art technology, working with colleagues at SUMO Geophysics, Aerial Cam and Guideline Geo MALÅ and using Time Team’s global reach, we look forward to making some wonderful discoveries and sharing them with audiences around the world.’
‘Time Team will also be working with Professor Martin Carver and the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company to film an exclusive documentary about the reconstruction of the amazing Sutton Hoo ship,’ Tim added.
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