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 poignant and rare burial arrangement. The joint burial may indicate they died from a fast-acting infectious disease.
- ▪The grave was discovered during excavations in 2024 by Cotswold Archaeology in collaboration with Operation Nightingale.
- ▪DNA testing conducted by the Francis Crick Institute confirmed the two children were brother and sister.
- ▪The burial is considered rare in an Anglo-Saxon context, where such joint child burials were uncommon.
- ▪Lead archaeologist Matt Nichol described the discovery as bringing the human side of Anglo-Saxon history into closer focus.
- ▪The site was excavated under challenging wet weather conditions, highlighting the dedication of the archaeological team.
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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…
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