From BBC
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Senior science journalist
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A medieval cemetery unearthed near Cardiff Airport is continuing to confound archaeologists, as the mysteries surrounding it are multiplying.
The discovery of the site, dating to the 6th or 7th Century, was announced last year, with dozens of skeletons found lying in unusual positions with unexpected artefacts.
Now researchers have learned nearly all of those buried in the cemetery are women, and while their bones show signs of wear and tear – indicating they carried out heavy manual work – there are also surprising signs of wealth and luxury.
Another unexpected find has been a woman tossed in a ditch, in stark contrast to all the other people who were buried with great care.
“Every time we think we understand something, something else crops up and the picture gets more intriguing,” said Andy Seaman from Cardiff University, who is leading the project.
About half the site, which lies in an unremarkable field in the grounds of Fonmon Castle, has now been excavated.
So far researchers have found 39 adult skeletons lying in graves carved out of the thick limestone bedrock. A full analysis is still ongoing, but it’s thought that all apart from one are female.
“I’m not entirely sure what it means just yet,” said Dr Seaman.
“It could be that it’s something particular about this community, or it could be that this is perhaps just one cemetery within a broader kind of landscape or it might be that there’s more men in
