Final answer:
The Anglo-Saxons respected their dead by burying them with grave goods in stone coffins under earth mounds, sometimes marked by grave stele. High-status burials such as Sutton Hoo contained elaborate goods. Christian conversion led to more modest burial practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Anglo-Saxons exhibited a deep respect for their dead through various burial rituals. These rituals often involved placing the deceased within a stone coffin at the bottom of a grave which was furnished with grave goods, personal belongings that were believed to be useful in the afterlife. The graves were commonly marked with a mound of earth and sometimes a grave stele, demonstrating honor and remembrance.
Such practices indicate a belief in life after death and a reverence for the deceased, much like other cultures throughout history. The archaeological site of Sutton Hoo is an excellent example of these practices, where an elaborate burial ship was found, indicating the high status of the individual interred there. The transformation of burial practices can be seen with the conversion of Anglo-Saxons to Christianity, where simpler burials and churchyard interments replaced the grand tombs of the pagan past.