Year 8 Assessment Task – Exposition Using Sources
Using all of the Sources, explain why the burial site found at Sutton Hoo, was most likely the burial
site of a Saxon King. (Support or justify your argument with evidence from the Sources.)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Write this essay in class.
- You can use this collection of resources when you write the essay, but no other notes.
- Before you do this task, your teacher will show you how to use sources in an essay; how to briefly quote from
the sources to support or justify your argument.
- Also on a day before you do the task, your teacher will read through and discuss the following sources with
you in class:- In this lesson you can underline and then put in a chart, any words that provide evidence to
support your argument in your essay; The argument that the grave belonged to a Saxon King.
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Sources on an Anglo-Saxon Burial:
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Source A – Burial mounds
In 1939 at Sutton Hoo, on the south -eastern coast of England, archaeologists excavated the greatest
find in English history - the tomb furniture of a Saxon King believed to have reigned in East Anglia in
the seventh century AD.
The area contains at least 16 funeral mounds, made of sand and covered with turf and bracken. At that
time the land belonged to a Mrs. Pretty who was curious as to what lay beneath the mounds. In 1938
she persuaded archaeologists to begin work. They started with the smaller mounds in order to determine
their structure and age before attempting the larger and presumably more important ones. In the process
they uncovered cremated remains and objects, proving the mounds to be Anglo-Saxon.
Finally in July 1939, after numerous minor discoveries, they unearthed the remains of a ship-burial in the largest mound
(which was nearly 3 metres high). The ship and treasure preserved within it are now ranked with the greatest of the
world’s archaeological discoveries. (From: Preston, L. Saxon Burials in England, 1979)
Source B –Photograph of the Excavated Ship
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Source C - Dimensions of the ship
The ship was a true sea-going vessel. Despite the fact all the timbers had perished, an image of the ship
remained on the sand, together with the iron nails embedded exactly in position. From these clues the
archaeologists were able to determine the dimensions and equipment of the ship, including the following:
Over 27 metres long , 25 metres across at the widest point, 1.3 metres deep in the middle.
Source D - Grave Goods
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Within the perished cabin, archaeologists found an incredible array of objects. Gold items were plentiful
they do not perish. Many of the other metallic goods (including silver, bronze and iron) had decayed badly. Of
the wood and leather nothing remained, apart from a stain on the sand or a virtually unrecognisable shrunken
substance.
Despite the decay, many objects were recovered and restored.
The most important of these were:
 helmet of sheet iron decorated in silver and bronze, with a shield of iron (both had been used in battle and
made in Sweden)
 purse flap of gold, garnets and glass found with 40 French coins
 large silver dish from Byzantium (Turkey), probably an heirloom, dating back to AD 491-518
 Silver bowls from the Middle East
 Silver spoons from Byzantium.
 large silver bowl with a Roman head in the centre, probably made in Alexandria (Egypt)
 Other silver bowls decorated with a cross
 Celtic hanging bowls
 Iron standard and sceptre (symbol of power)
 Gold decorative shoulder clasp
 drinking horns decorated with silver.
These items, plus many others, comprised a priceless discovery. It is important to note the many different
origins of the goods; treasures of both Europe the Middle East were found, which suggests a rich and
thriving civilisation.
Source F – Sutton-Hoo burial site from the side
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Source F – Royal helmets of iron found in the
7th Century burial
Source G - Whose grave?
Analysis of various objects, particularly the coins, has dated the burial to around All 630. The term `burial' is
misleading, however, as no body was found in the grave. It seems unlikely that a body was ever intended to
be laid in the ship. This type of burial is known as a cenotaph, which means that the actual remains lie
elsewhere. Without the body it is more difficult to identify the owner of the grave. However, the dates do
correspond to King Raedwald, known to have been King of East Anglia at that time. It seems almost certain that
this greatest English archaeological find was King Raedwald's cenotaph.
Source H – Shoulder clasp made of gold and
decorated with garnets and millefore coloured
glass.
Source.I
“…tribal groups of Saxons often formed small "kingdoms," with the dominant cheiftain becoming a
King. Amongst these, the most dominant King appears to be refered to as Bretwaldas (sometimes
Brytenwaldas) meaning "Britain King". … It is likely that the Bretwaldas were cheiftains who by force of
personality or arms managed to gain a dominant position over the other kingdoms...The famous Monk and
historian Bede, is reported as listing seven Bretwaldas (Saxon Kings) :
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Aelle of Sussex, late 5th Century
Ceawlin of Wessex in the 6th Century
Ethelbert of Kent (d AD 616) in the early 7th Century
Raedwald of East Anglia (undated, but probably 7th Century)
Edwin of Northumbria (undated) (reigned AD 616 - 632)
Oswald of Northumbria (undated) (reigned AD 634 - 641)
Oswy of Northumbria (undated) (reigned AD 641 - 654) ”
From Saxons and Vikings in Britain on the web site http://saxons.etrusia.co.uk/saxons_kings.php
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