Burial of a Princess Exhibition at Ely Museum

“Burial of a Princess? Treasures from a Saxon Cemetery in Ely”  exhibition to open on Saturday 21st January 

Over 13 centuries ago in the south-west corner of Ely, a young woman was buried. Who was she,  and was she a princess? 

It wasn’t until, on a cold winter’s day in 2006, the grave was discovered, adorned with beautiful  treasures. 

Archaeologists discovered an inhumation cemetery from the Anglo-Saxon period, located between the A10 bypass and Witchford Road, to the south-west of Ely city centre. 

One of the graves contained the skeleton of a young female, buried with gold, silver and other precious items. Could she have been a Princess? 

This exciting discovery was made by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit, who had been brought in by Taylor Woodrow Developments Ltd to excavate the site in Ely, in advance of a housing  development. Following the excavation, the finds were cleaned, recorded and conserved and archaeologists published a report on the site, exploring its significance. Later this spring, Ely Museum will host a talk by Dr Sam Lucy who played a key part in the publication of these reports. 

The site has been dated to the late seventh century, which brings it intriguingly close to 673AD, the date when Etheldreda founded the religious house in Ely, that later became Ely Cathedral.

Elie Hughes, Curator at Ely Museum said,“Ely Museum is excited to now be able to display the grave goods from the two female burials for  the first time. The exhibition will showcase the stunning objects and explore what they can tell us about who these people were and how they may have related to Etheldreda.” 

The exhibition runs from 21st January – 18th June 2023 and admission is included with a museum ticket or annual pass. Alongside the exhibition, there will be a series of talks and events for the whole family to enjoy. 

Press release from Ely Museum