Sutton Hoo Ship Burial Anglo-Saxon 625 AD Burial of a longship 90 ft - with treasures Believed to be a memorial to Raedwald, Bretwalda of East Anglia & surrounding area 263 objects of gold, garnet, silver,bronze, enamel, iron, wood, bone, textiles, feathers and fur uncovered. They even uncovered a ladybird and the crushed remains of a flowering plant. No evidence of a body or ashes

Why is it significant? Demonstrates that literary works like Beowulf accurately represent Anglo-Saxon culture Demonstrates that “Dark Ages” after the fall of the Roman Empire were not so “dark” Wealth Travel Communications Art

The Site

England & France

Eastern England

“Bid my warriors raise a splendid mound on the shore-cliffs after my funeral fire that a remembrance shall tower high on Hronesness. Sea-farers shall afterward call it Beowulf's Mound.”

The Dig

Why is it called “Sutton Hoo?” Name of the estate of Mrs. Edith Pretty Sutton is a village in Suffolk. A “hoo” is a spur of a hill. Sutton Hoo was the name of an estate near Sutton, and the burial site is named after that estate. 1937, Mrs. Pretty decided to have some of the burial mounds on her estate examined 1937 – 38, local archaeologist from Ipswich Museum begins work May, 1939, determines from placing of iron rivets that an entire ship was buried

Chronology 1939 May – archaeologist from Cambridge takes charge of dig July 21 – first piece of jewelry found August – Coroner’s Inquest determines that the treasure belongs to Mrs. Pretty August – Mrs. Pretty decides to donate the treasure to the nation August 25 – digging is concluded, all 263 items are sent to the British Museum Nine days later, war begins between Britain & Germany Treasures are stored, wrapped in damp moss, in the London Underground until after the War

The Treasure

Royal Accoutrements

37 coins 3 blanks 2 ingots

The Silver

The Bowls

Fluted Bowl with Handles - Mediterranean

Silver Bowl Set With Christian Motifs

Set of Christening Spoons – “Saulus” & “Paulus”

Bronze Coptic Bowl – Egypt

Bronze Hanging Bowl - Celtic

Wooden Tub with Iron Fittings

The hanging bowl with suspension chain Sometimes referred to as the Cauldron

Party On…

Ic wæs wæpenwiga. Nu mec wlonc þeceð geong hagostealdmon golde ond sylfore, woum wirbogum; hwilum weras cyssað. Hwilum ic to hilde hleoþre bonne wilgehleþan; hwilum wycg byreþ mec ofer mearce; hwilum merehengest fereð ofer flodas frætwum beorhtne, hwilum mægða sum minne gefylleð bosm beaghroden; hwilum ic bordum sceal, heard, heafodleas, behlyþed licgan, hwilum hongige hyrstum frætwed, wlitig on wage, þær weras drincað, freolic fyrdsceorp. Hwilum folcwigan on wicge wegað, þonne ic winde sceal sincfag swelgan of sumes bosme; hwilum ic gereordum rincas laðige wlonce to wine; hwilum wraþum sceal stefne minre forstolen hreddan, flyman feondsceaþan. Frige hwæt ic hatte. Once I was a plain warrior's weapon-- Now a stripling prince wraps my body With bright twists of silver and gold. Sometimes men kiss me, or carry me to battle Where I call my lord's companions to wage war. Bright with jewels, I am borne by a horse Over hard plains, sometimes by the sea-stallion Over storm waves. Sometimes a woman, Ring-adorned, fills my breast for the table-- Later I lie stripped of sweet treasure, to lie Hard and headless on the long boards. Clothed in gold, I may grace the wall Where men sit drinking, a soldier's gem. Wound with silver, I sometimes ride A warrior's horse, swallowing soldier's breath, Blasting battle-song. Sometimes I bring Bold men to wine, sometimes I sing caution -Or rescue thieves' catch or scatter foes For my lord. Say what I am called. Riddle 12 – The Exeter Book

Spoke then the queen of the Danes: "Receive this cup, my dear lord, giver of treasure.” l The Auroch Drinking Horns

Maple-wood Bottles

“…Day after day the music rang Loud in that hall, the harp’s rejoicing Call and the poet’s clear songs…” l

Accoutrements

The Buckle

Buckles for Sword Belt

Fittings for Sword Belt Fittings for Sword Hanger

Shoulder Cloak Clasp – one of a pair

Decorations & Bosses for Sword, Scabbard

Weapons & Armor

The Shield …”My lord Hygelac Might think less of me if I let my sword Go where my feet were afraid to, if I hid Behind some broad linden shield…” l

Bird of Prey

Dragon

Mail Shirt

The Axe

Spears OriginalsReconstructions

The Sword

cherished swords by rust eaten through, since they in earthen fathom [a] thousand winters there had lain. l

The Helm

Then a proud Danish warrior asked them: "From where have you carried these gold-inlaid shields, these shirts of mail, masked helmets, and battle shafts? I am Hrothgar's messenger and officer. Never have I seen braver strangers. I expect you're here to find adventure, not asylum.“ l

“Boar shapes flashed Above their cheek- guards, The brightly forged Work of goldsmiths, Watching over Those stern-faced men.” l

What is NOT in the burial? 1. No body or ashes of a cremated body. Raedwald converted to Christianity, then renounced it. There are non-Christian and Christian artifacts in the burial. Perhaps Raedwald’s body is buried somewhere in consecrated ground, just in case there is a heaven. But if there is a Valhalla instead, Raedwald has everything he needs.

What is NOT in the burial? 2. No rings. Anglo-Saxon Kings were supposed to be “Ring-givers,” so evidently all his rings were given out before he died: “Then that brave king gave the golden Necklace from around his throat to Wiglaf, Gave him his gold-covered helmet, and his rings, And his mail shirt, and ordered him to use them well” l

Wiglaf hurried from his wounded lord, obeyed the battle-sick one, rushed in his mail under the cave's roof. There by a seat the brave young man saw many precious jewels, shining gold on the ground, and works of art on the walls. There in the dragon's den Wiglaf saw the cups of ancient men, ornaments fallen. There were helmets, old and rusty, and many arm-rings twisted with skill. (Treasure, gold in the ground, may be easily seized by any man, hide it who will.) l