An individual buried with his knees on backwards was found during excavations in a field at Little Carlton, near Louth, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. This and other finds date to about 7th-8th century AD.

The site was discovered by metal detectorist who uncovered an 8th century silver writing stylus in 2011. Archaeologists working at the site believe that they have discovered a high-status island settlement, trading post or early monastery existing there around 1.500 years ago. The unusual burial contained an individual whose legs have been buried on their front in a very narrow grave, measuring about 25 cm between the shoulders. The experts believe that the person was buried with great care after the body had started to decompose and the limbs have started to fall away from the rest of the body.

Archaeologists believe that the burial might be a case of an important person being moved after the initial burial. There are known stories of kings, saints and holy people whose burials were treated this way. Other finds from the site include writing implements, around 300 dress pins, and a huge number of “Sceattas“, coins from the 7th-8th centuries, a small lead tablet bearing the faint but legible letters spelling “Cudberg” (a female Anglo-Saxon name), glassware that indicated trade with mainland Europe, an iron manacle indicating slave trade, and a pair of tweezers that could have been used by Christian monks to turn pages of religious manuscripts. The site is believed to have been abandoned when the Vikings began raiding England towards the end of the 8th century.

(after Lincolnshire Live)