Ep 7. The Only Earl Is Essex

Time Team season 19 episode 7, titled "The Only Earl Is Essex," takes the team to a site in Essex, England, where they investigate a possible Anglo-Saxon burial ground. The team is joined by local experts who provide insight into the history of the area.

As the team begins their investigation, they discover that the site was once a large and powerful Anglo-Saxon settlement. Over the course of three days, they search for evidence of the burial ground and other significant features.

Using ground-penetrating radar, the team is able to identify several anomalies in the soil, which they then excavate. They uncover a number of artifacts, including fragments of pottery, animal bones, and metal objects.

As they continue to dig, the team begins to piece together the history of the settlement. They discover evidence of a large hall, which would have been the center of social and political life in the community, as well as several smaller buildings that may have been used for storage or workshops.

The team also begins to unravel the mystery of the burial ground. They find several human remains, which they carefully excavate and analyze. Through careful examination of the bones, they are able to determine that the individuals were likely of high status and may have been members of a ruling family.

As the investigation progresses, tensions rise among the team members as they struggle to interpret the evidence and make sense of the site's complex history. However, they ultimately come together to present their findings to a local audience, including descendants of the Anglo-Saxon community.

Overall, "The Only Earl Is Essex" offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of early medieval England and the lives of the people who lived there. Through careful analysis of the evidence, the team is able to piece together a complex and intriguing story of a once-thriving community.