Come rain or shine? The social implications of seasonality and weather on the cremation rite in early Anglo-Saxon England

Cremation was one of the primary funerary rites employed during the fifth and early sixth centuries AD. However, the difficulties faced by communities to ensure that successful cremations were achieved are often overlooked by archaeologists. Weather and seasonality would have undoubtedly played a major part in the success of an open-air cremation. This paper intends to explore how early Anglo-Saxon communities dealt with a fatality during the winter months and periods of adverse weather. The effects of a death under these circumstances would have impacted these populations on a household and a communal level. An examination of the hardships faced by cremation practicing groups on both a practical and social level can provide an insight into the relationship between individuals and communities in early Anglo-Saxon England.