Cambridge University archaeologists and students uncovered a 9th century CE mass burial pit during a training dig at Wandlebury Country Park. The discovery, announced in early February, revealed at least 10 individuals, including a decapitation and a six-foot-tall man with a trepanned skull.

Researchers believe the pit dates to a period of conflict between the Saxon-run kingdom of Mercia and the kingdom of East Anglia, which was conquered by the Vikings around 870 CE. The remains, mostly young men aged 17-24, were thrown into the pit without care, suggesting they may have been recipients of corporal punishment or displayed as trophies.

The excavation was led by Dr. Oscar Aldred from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit. Among the findings was a man with a trepanned head - an ancient surgical procedure where a hole is drilled through the skull. Dr. Trish Biers theorized the man's unusual height could have been caused by a tumor affecting his pituitary gland, with the trepanning possibly attempted to alleviate headaches.