Sutton Hoo

Sutton Hoo is the site of two Anglo-Saxon cemeteries dating to the 6th and early 7th centuries CE that is located near Woodbridge, Suffolk, England. One contained an undisturbed ship burial including a wealth of Anglo-Saxon artefacts of outstanding art-historical and archaeological significance, which are now held in the British Museum in London. Other sites had produced significant finds, but had previously been looted.

The restored ceremonial helmet is one of the most iconic finds from Sutton Hoo.

A ghostly impression of the buried ship was revealed during excavations in 1939. Much later a plaster cast was taken, from which a fibre-glass shape was produced.

The ship-burial, probably dating from the early 7th century and excavated in 1939, is one of the most magnificent archaeological finds in England for its size and completeness, its meaning, the quality and beauty of its contents, and for the profound interest of the burial ritual itself.

References

• R.L.S. Bruce-Mitford et al., The Sutton Hoo ship-burial (3 Vols in 4) British Museum, London 1975, 1978, 1983.

Other websites

Media related to Sutton Hoo at Wikimedia Commons