ANTHONY GIBSON
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC DATING EVIDENCE The dating evidence for the deposition of relic boxes to the second half of the seventh and possible early eighth century based upon seriation of graves assemblies and scientific evidence is widely accepted Hawkes (1973, 197), Geake (1997, 35), Lucy et al (2009, 128) and Hills (2011,2015). Hawkes describes them "as one of the periods leading type fossils". The evidence has been vindicated in a recent publication by Bayliss and Hines (ed.) (2013), who with artefact typology, seriation of grave assemblies and radio carbon dating (ibld xvii) outlined a chronological framework for Anglo-Saxon grave goods of the sixth and seventh centuries, so called work boxes were included in the study. Human bones from four graves containing what are now recognised as Christian reliquaries were among those radio carbon dated (ibld Table 7.1). Castle Dyke Grave 183 (Lincolnshire) Radio carbon dated to cal. 575-650 (95% probability ). (UB 6038) Lechlade Butlers Farm Grave 14 (Berkshire) Radio carbon dated and may date from cal. 650-730 (84% probability, or cal. 740-765 (11% probability). (UB-4051) Marina Drive Grave EI and Grave E2 (Bedfordshire) Radio carbon dated to cal. 650-675 (95% probability. (UB 4550 and UB 4551) Marina Drive Grave E3 (Bedfordshire) Radio carbon dated to cal. 625-675 (95% probability). (UB 4552) Bayliss and Hines propose that, on the basis of radio carbon dating measurements and typology of grave assemblages Lechlade and Marina Drive should be assigned to a phase between AD 665-695 with a (95% posterior probability). The CastleDyke burials is certainly earlier and can, on one of the models used be dated to a phase from AD 630-660 with a (95% posterior probability). It is of interest that chronological research suggested that the end of furnished burials in Anglo-Saxon England occurred "two decades, or more before the end of the seventh century" (ibld, fig, 78.4). For a contested opinion on the latter Archibald (ibld.493-512) who on coin sequence evidence argued that furnished burials extended into the first decade of the eighth century. Based upon scientific and a closed chronological seriation the evidence is compelling that Christian reliquaries were deposited in female graves during the seventh century or during the first decade of the eighth.
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