New study uncovers brutal punishment and public display of medieval woman on Thames foreshore

In 1991, the remains of a woman were discovered on the early medieval foreshore of the Thames River. The skeletal remains were moved to the London Museum, where they were curated. However, the analysis of the remains and publication of the results would not occur until over two decades later.

An investigation of the remains by Dr. Madeline Mant and her colleagues has now been published in World Archaeology.

The woman's skeletal remains had been found placed between two sheets of bark, lying on a mat of reeds with moss pads placed on her face, pelvis, and knees.

At the time of excavation, it was noted that she had not been buried in a hole but rather placed on the foreshore where her remains could be viewed by the surrounding communities at high tide.

From the radiocarbon dates taken from the bark sheets, it is known she lived during the early medieval period between 680–810 AD.

When she died, she had been between the ages of 28 and 40. Stable isotope analyses revealed she had been a native of the area, likely having grown up in or near London.

Her diet consisted of terrestrial foods; however, after 5 years old, she experienced a period which led to increased stable nitrogen values.

This could indicate a change in diet, potentially incorporating more meat, or conversely, a period of starvation in which her body resorted to breaking down its fat and protein stores.

Prior to her death, she was subject to a series of brutal beatings and eventual execution.

Two weeks prior to her death, she had experienced two traumatic incidents, leading to over 50 individual signs of injury across her body. The first trauma incident resulted in hairline fractures in both her scapulae (shoulder blades); similar fractures on the scapula and spine are observed as a result of motor vehicle collisions. It is possible that for a 9th-century woman, these injuries were induced by beatings or floggings.

The second suite of injuries occurred on her torso and skull and were likely inflicted using blunt objects or a series of kicks and punches, akin to torture beatings.

A final, precise blow to the left side of her head resulted in her death.

According to Dr. Mant this form of corporal punishment could have been the result of changing law codes during the period. "Early Medieval England was a time of change regarding law codes—the law code of Æthelberht (c. 589–616) did not include corporal punishment, but that of Wihtred of Kent (690–725) outlined specific punishments, for instance, beatings for those who could not pay fines.

"Capital punishments were also included when willed by the king. As time ed, more crimes were associated with the death penalty under King Alfred (871–899). Crimes such as theft, treason, witchcraft, and sorcery could be met with the death penalty, which could be brought about by stoning or drowning.

"The burial treatment of UPT90 sk 1278 lets us know that her body was meant to be visible on the landscape, which could be interpreted as a warning to witnesses. We can tell from the osteobiography of this individual and their burial treatment that they were executed, but the specific offense is impossible to know for certain. We can only infer from the law codes of the period."

After execution, it was typical to place the remains in liminal or separate spaces, such as in execution cemeteries. However, the remains of UPT90 sk 1278 were placed on the foreshore of the Thames, where her body could be viewed by the surrounding community at high tide.

"Many scholars have examined the burial/placement of bodies in liminal spaces as an indication of the burial being unusual or indicating deviance. Criminal behavior is perceived as deviant; thus, a non-normative burial location could be a contextual clue as to how the individual was perceived during their life. The Thames foreshore could be considered a liminal space, and has been discussed as a symbolic boundary in the broader literature," explains Dr. Mant.

Despite changing law codes, executions were still relatively rare, with archaeological evidence from execution cemeteries indicating a rate of around one execution per decade. Additionally, these executions are more often associated with men, with a male-to-female sex ratio of execution cemeteries being around 4.5:1.

This makes the remains of UPT90 sk 1278 especially unique for understanding the embodiment of early Medieval law in female bodies and provides insights into the judicial contexts of isolated burials.

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