Rare instance of Anglo-Saxon joint siblings’ burial proved by DNA test
DNA analysis has confirmed that two children buried together in an Anglo-Saxon grave in Cherington, Gloucestershire, were siblings. The older girl was positioned facing the younger boy, who was buried with a sword and she with a workbox, in what researchers describe as a rare and emotionally resonant burial arrangement. The discovery, made during 2024 excavations, suggests the children may have died from a fast-spreading infectious disease. The find offers rare insight into familial burial practices in early medieval England.
- ▪Ancient DNA testing conducted by the Francis Crick Institute confirmed the two children were brother and sister.
- ▪The burial site is part of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery in Gloucestershire that also contained a high-status 'princely burial'.
- ▪The joint burial is considered rare, as such practices were uncommon in Anglo-Saxon England.
- ▪Researchers believe the children likely died from a rapid infectious disease due to their simultaneous burial.
- ▪The excavation was carried out by Cotswold Archaeology in collaboration with Operation Nightingale, a program supporting injured military personnel.
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NewsUKHome NewsRare instance of Anglo-Saxon joint siblings’ burial proved by DNA testOlder girl was positioned facing the younger boy in a ‘poignant’ and ‘rare’ discoveryMaryam Zakir-Hussain Tuesday 28 April 2026 14:25 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2966216","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/anglo-saxon-burial-grave-siblings-dna-b2966216.html","title":"Rare instance of Anglo-Saxon joint siblings’ burial proved by DNA test"}}King and Queen attend garden party in Washington DC ahead of monarch's historic Congress addressYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read more{}DNA analysis on ancient remains has revealed a rare instance of two siblings being buried together in an Anglo-Saxon grave. The grave in Cherington, Gloucestershire, contained a young boy buried with a sword and an older girl buried with a workbox. Both children had been placed on their side, with the older girl facing the younger boy in a deliberate composition which implied a familial bond. if (document.cookie.split(';').some(cookie => cookie.trim() === '__DEBUG__=true')) { console.log('Ad logs: "mpu1", renderedAtParagraph: 3'); }if (document.cookie.split(';').some(cookie => cookie.trim() === '__DEBUG__=true')) { console.log('Ad logs: "mpu1", injectedAtParagraph: 3'); }The double burial is a rare discovery in an Anglo-Saxon cemetery context, as it was a relatively uncommon practice, according to Cotswold Archaeology, which uncovered the grave. Researchers believe the joint burial suggests they died from a fast-acting infectious disease. Matt Nichol, lead archaeologist on the site, said: “Recently realising the two children buried were actually brother and sister really brings the human side of our Anglo-Saxon past much closer – it becomes more poignant, in a way we very rarely experience.”open image in gallery{"id":"trigger-autogallery-28612","index":0}Ancient DNA analysis has revealed that two children buried together in an Anglo-Saxon grave were brother and sister (Neil Emmanuel)He added: “The excavation work was also undertaken during some very wet weather conditions, which makes the work even more worthwhile. It is findings like these that remind us of the importance of archaeology when unravelling our past, and what makes the profession so fascinating.”if (document.cookie.split(';').some(cookie…
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