A THREE-week archaeological dig at a Saxon burial mound on Salisbury Plain by Wessex Archaeology with veterans from Operation Nightingale and under the guidance of MOD Senior Archaeologist Richard Osgood has produced some truly amazing finds including an intact Saxon lang seax or sword.

The site, Barrow Clump, close to Fighledean, has been excavated before because of damage being caused by badgers, but this dig was under an often-used track which sees heavy armoured vehicles on it to see if the activity was damaging the artefacts.

The site consisted of some 20 graves cut into the chalk and a series of cremation vessels. “The reason we are here is because the cemetery lies under a military track,” said Richard Osgood. “We need to gather evidence to see if military vehicles going up and down this area were having a detrimental effect on the integrity of the archaeology of the area,”

“The answer is no, they are not, even though the burials are just a few centimetres below the surface. We have uncovered skulls and pots and they are not damaged at all which was a bit of a surprise but great news.”

“The graves are a mix of adult males, females and children all with grave goods, the males have spears, swords and shields, the women jewellery. The lang seax that we have uncovered maybe the first of its kind to be uncovered in Britain, it is very exciting and the fact that we are working with military veterans of the 21st century excavating warriors of the sixth century, it is a really lovely thing to watch.

On the last day a ’simply superb’ warrior grave was uncovered a fine long sword complete with bronze scabbard mouth. He also had a spear, tweezers, long pin, knife or razor, and a belt with buckle.

I spoke to Veteran Paul Barnsley, 47, who used to serve with Tidworth based 19 Regiment, Royal Artillery left the Army in 2002 and was later diagnosed with PTSD who was one of the veterans on the dig and was excavating the site: “I did my first dig last November, on the Clump, it was very cold. I have always been interested in history since I was a child and I find digging up the past fascinating,” he said.

“Getting away really helps with my PTSD, while you are doing the archaeology you are not focussed solely on your PTSD, it puts you in a good place. Excavating the warrior graves is really interesting, I was a warrior and there is a link. I found excavating a child’s grave very moving, he was about the same age as my own eight-year-old son, it made you stop and think.

“Looking around behind me you can see a path to an Observation Post set up on a recent exercise, this is 1500 years of military history.”