Archaeologists have discovered the base of the Bromeswell Bucket, a Byzantine-era vessel from Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, U.K., revealing that it was used as a cremation urn. The bucket, first found in fragments in 1986, 2012, and 2023, features a hunting scene and a Greek inscription. Excavations by the TV program Time Team, the National Trust, FAS Heritage, and volunteers uncovered the base, which contained cremated human and animal remains, including a skull and talus, as well as bones from an animal larger than a pig. The remains were likely stored in a bag, confirming the bucket's funerary purpose.
This discovery matters because it transforms the understanding of the Bromeswell Bucket from a diplomatic gift or luxury object into a cremation vessel for an important individual in the Sutton Hoo community. It highlights the cultural fusion at Sutton Hoo, where a Byzantine artifact from Antioch was used in a Germanic cremation burial. The find adds to the site's significance as a complex burial ground with ship burials, horse burials, and mound burials, and underscores the ongoing archaeological revelations at this historically rich location.