A Smith in Lindsey - The Anglo-Saxon Grave at Tattershall Thorpe, Lincolnshire (The Society for Medieval Archaeology Monographs 16) (Paperback, 16th edition)

A unique early medieval assemblage of tools and associated fragments of metal and glass was found during the excavation of a prehistoric and Roman site in 1981. Post-excavation revealed that the objects were Anglo-Saxon and had been placed in wooden boxes in a grave. The tools included hammer heads, an anvil, tongs, clips and snips plus punches, files and knife blades as well as iron structural items. Ornate pieces of copper alloy and silver and garnets were also recorded. The grave possibly dates from the mid to late 7th century while some of the objects may have been in circulation for the preceding century. No other Saxon features were discovered on the site but the nature of the assemblage suggests that the person in the grave was a jeweller, possibly itinerant, who may have been skilled in ironwork as well.