Spong Man
Accession Number NWHCM : 1994.192.1
Description
Urn, figurine, Early Saxon ceramic funerary urn with seated figurine, ?6th century AD; dark grey/brown fabric sandy inclusions, burnished grey/brown surfaces and orange margins; hollow cylindrical lid with flat circular overlapping top, decorated with incised diagonal lines around edge; figure moulded on to top, seated on chair decorated with incised panelling, figure has head in hands and is wearing a ?flat hat on the back of the head; part of top of lid and lower part of cylinder broken off, upper half of figure including arms broken and repaired
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The figure known as Spong Man was found during excavations at the Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Spong Hill, central Norfolk. East Anglia is noted for its Anglo-Saxon cemeteries and Spong Hill is the largest. Between 1972 and 1981, it became the most complete excavation of such a site to date. The excavation recovered 2,259 cremations and 57 inhumation burials. The cemetery was in use for 150 years and is thought to have served a number of communities in the vicinity.