Syrian bitumen discovered in ancient Anglo-Saxon grave

Analysis of black organic fragments found in the Sutton Hoo boat burial has revealed they are bitumen from Syria.

Sutton Hoo in East Anglia is one of the most important archaeological sites in England. The weapons, clothing and other objects buried in the Anglo-Saxon cemeteries show that trade networks in the 6th and 7th century reached as far away as Europe and Asia. Now new research conducted at the British Museum and University of Aberdeen reveals that trading even resulted in a solid form of oil known as bitumen making its way all the way to England from what is now Syria.

Bitumen from the Middle East was used in the ancient world for many things including embalming, medicine and of course water-proofing, The Conversation writes.

The experts do not know if the fragments were part of a larger object whose other materials did not survive or the remains of small objects, BBC reports.