Bring up the Bones II

Surprisingly archaeologists found the remains of Anglo Saxon princess in 2010. Now the extensive scientific results of the work of more than 40 specialists have been published in a highly praised book.

Queen Editha or Edgitha – as she is called in German – was an Anglo-Saxon princess, Eadgyth. She was born around 910. In 929 she was together with her sister offered as a bride to be to the German king, later emperor, Otto the Great. Both were sent to the German court, where the king chose Eadgyth. Her sister, Edgiva, was sent on to Burgundy, where she married the brother of Rudolf II (a daughter of whom Otto later married after the death of his first wife). At her marriage she was given the income from the bishopric of Magdeburg as Bridal Gift or Dos. After having given birth to a son and daughter, she died in 946 and was buried in Magdeburg in the monastery of St. Mauritius. In 1510 she was reburied in the Cathedral of Magdeburg in a stone sarcophagus.

For a long time this was thought to be an empty renaissance memorial. However, in 2008 archaeologists discovered a leaden coffin with what was later determined to be the remains of a female from the 10th century. Since then a very large team of scientists and scholars such as historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, forensic experts, botanists and entomologists have worked to uncover some facts about this queen. Recently the results were published in Germany in a much acclaimed book.

The first part of the book analyses the historical and archaeological context as witnessed in chronicles, diplomas and not least the extensive archaeological excavations of Ottonian Magdeburg, which were carried out in the second half of the 20th century. The second part presents the scientific discoveries appertaining to the bones, the textiles, which she had been wrapped in evidence presented from the plants and the insects in the grave. Especially the leftovers from the beetles have yielded priceless information. By characterising the different types of beetles, a German Archaeologist, Edith Schmidt, was able to tell something about when and how the queen died and how she was later reinterred in 1510. According to this research she died in a warm room (18 – 28 C0) and probably late in the evening. At the end she was plagued with bedbugs. Probably candles surrounded her bed, as witnessed by yet another kind of insect drawn by the burning wax. At or after her death she was laid to rest on a bed of straw. Her body was washed in salty water and afterwards wrapped or dressed in silks coloured red aCover_EdithaGrablegen_ArchäoSB18-e1358255987847nd linen. At least six different types of textiles have been found in her grave, where also she was laid to rest on a pillow probably filled with grain.

More than 500 years later other insects tells the story of how her coffin was opened and probably carried around the church in a procession before she was laid to rest in the new stone memorial. This must – again thanks to the diligent researcher and her insects – have taken place during a summer evening.

Studies of her skeleton have also been carried out. According to those she was 1.57 meter high and between 30 and 40 years old, when she died. Isotopic analysis has shown that the individual in the casket had spent her youth in England. Between 10 and 14 she had either suffered hunger or been serious ill. At that time (919) she was banned from court together with her mother and went to live in a monastery. Apart from her youth she seems to have enjoyed a rich diet of proteins and fish and had the pleasure of soft bread. Her thighs showed signs of her main form of transportation: on horseback.

Not far from the main entrance to the cathedral lies a grey building, formerly used as the national Bank of DDR. The hope is to be able to organise a new museum there with a permanent exhibition on the lives and times of Otto the Great and his queen, Editha. Until then anyone interested in her have the possibility to get the highly recommendable scientific publication.

READ MORE:
Königin Editha und ihre Grablegen in Magdeburg.

In: Archäologie in Sachsen-Anhalt, Sonderband 18
Harald Meller, Wolfgang Schenkluhn and Boje E. Hans Schmul (ed)Halle (saale) 2012.
ISBN: 978-3-939414-84-1

SUBSCRIBE

Get our Medieval News with links to our premium content

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.