A pillow formed from grass placed beneath the head is a specific burial practice that has been documented in medieval contexts, though it is not universally common.

It may reflect local custom, specific religious practice, or the personal wishes of whoever prepared Conquest Man’s body for burial.

The chalk blocks placed on either side of the skull to keep it from rolling are a practical measure.

Keeping a head in the correct position during burial was something that concerned the people responsible for interment.

The use of local chalk is significant: it grounds the burial in the specific material environment of the Humber region, where chalk is a common geological feature.

And then there were the apple wood staffs.