Author: Christopher Scull,Linzi Everett &Faye Minter

Abstract:

EXCAVATIONS ON THE SITE OF THE EARLY-MEDIEVAL SETTLEMENT complex at Rendlesham in 2021–2023 were undertaken to test and enhance interpretations drawn from survey data, in particular to investigate the physical structures and built environment of the settlement, its development and chronology, and its farming economy and environment. Major structures investigated included a timber great hall of the 7th to early 8th centuries and the perimeter ditch that enclosed the royal compound. A large faunal assemblage provides insights into animal husbandry, provisioning and consumption, and metalworking detritus confirms the presence of craftsmen working for elite patrons. Scientific dating complements the chronology inferred from metal-detected finds, and investigation of buried sediments in the river floodplain has established the immediate environment of the early-medieval settlement and long-term human impacts in this part of the Deben valley. This paper summarises the main results of excavation in advance of full analysis and offers a preliminary reading of what they mean for our understanding of the site and its wider implications for early-medieval settlement studies.

Published on Medieval Archaeology, Volume 68, Issue 2 (2024).

Open access and free to download: https://doi.org/10.1080/00766097.2024.2419190