LONDON, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The discovery of the site of a lost Anglo Saxon royal palace was described Tuesday as of national and international significance by experts.
A major conference Saturday in Bury St Edmunds will discuss the importance of the Anglo Saxon settlement at Rendlesham in Suffolk.
The site has been described as a royal center of the old East Anglian Kingdom, dating back to around the sixth century. Remains at the 50 hectare site were identified using aerial photography and geophysical surveys.
"The conference will reveal that Rendlesham has the largest and richest settlement of its time known in England. It lies only four miles (6 km) from the famous Sutton Hoo burial ground," said a spokesman for Suffolk County Council.
Faye Minter, project co-ordinator from Suffolk County Council's archaeological unit, said: "We have discovered what we think is a large Anglo Saxon Hall, 23 meters by nine meters, which could be the palace itself or a royal hall. We're convinced we've found a royal settlement of very high status."
Dr Helen Geake of the British Museum described the discovery of the royal "palace" as incredibly exciting, saying it could be one of a number dotted around East Anglia.
She said: "There would have been quite a few of these palaces or halls dotted around. The king would have toured his kingdom in order to show his magnificence to his people, so he would have had lots of places to base himself around East Anglia."
Suffolk County Council's Archaeological Service has co-ordinated excavations in recent years at Rendlesham, with over a thousand Anglo-Saxon objects and large areas of both settlement and burials discovered.
The conference will discuss the most significant findings and explore the potential of Rendlesham, identified as a center where East Anglian kings would have stayed, feasted their followers, administered justice, and collected dues and tribute.
Professor Christopher Scull of Cardiff University and University College London, said: "The quality of some of the metalwork leaves no doubt that it was made for and used by the highest ranks of society. These exceptional discoveries are truly significant in throwing new light on early East Anglia and the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms."
