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Sutton Hoo
“They laid then the beloved chieftain, giver of
rings, on the ship’s bosom, glorious by the mast.
There were brought many treasures, ornaments
from far-off lands. Never have I heard that a vessel
was more fairly fitted-out with war-weapons and
battle-raiment, swords and coats of mail. On his
bosom lay a host of treasures, where were to
travel far with him into the power of the flood.”
-- Beowulf
Excerpts from the Anglo-Saxon work Beowulf, which
may be found in the class textbook, The Norton Anthology
of English Literature, are the first reading assignment for
ENGL 2322. Before reading this classic poem, students should
investigate a real life archeological discovery -- made in 1938
in the southeastern part of England -- that perfectly illustrates
the culture that created Beowulf and serves to emphasize the
historical value of the work itself. On an escarpment overlooking
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the estuary of the River Deben in East Anglia, an Anglo-Saxon
burial ship was discovered among several burial mounds that
dated to Anglo-Saxon times. The timing of the discovery was
critical as World War II would break out in Europe just a few
months later. The find -- which had to be stored away until the
end of the war in 1945 -- is now recognized as the single greatest
archeological discovery ever made related to Anglo-Saxon
England. It is also considered among the greatest archeological
finds of all time for any time period, and its treasures now reside
in the British Museum.
To briefly explain the
name, Sutton is a geographic
description for the area of
England where the ship was
discovered, and “Hoo” is an east
English term for a high point of
land. In 1938, the land on which
these burial mounds resided was
owned by Mrs. Edith Pretty,
a widow. Stories and strange
occurrences had been associated
with the mounds on her property
for many years, and she finally
decided to act in 1937. She
contacted the Ipswich Museum,
which put her into contact with
an amateur archeologist named
Basil Brown. This set in motion
a series of events that would only
begin with the discovery of the
ship in 1938. One version of the
story of Sutton Hoo is available
as a video. Students should view it by
clicking on the link provided at right.
On the following pages, students may
view a sample of the treasures found at
Sutton Hoo.
The Ship:
The remains of the Sutton Hoo burial ship indicates it was
almost ninety-feet long and fifteen-feet wide, with room for
twenty rowers on a side. The interior seems to have had been
covered with a rug or mat on which were placed the possessions
of a pagan warrior king:
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The Helmet:
Fashioned from a single piece of iron to which are attached
deep ear and neck guards, the helmet was fitted with decorative
foil panels of tinned-bronze that depict animal motifs as well as
scenes from German and Scandinavian mythology. The crest is
iron, inlaid with silver wire, with
gilded-bronze terminals of stylized
animal heads. The eyebrows, too,
are of iron and silver wire with
boar’s head terminals, beneath
which is a row of small squarecut garnets. The nose, beetling
mustache, and mouth of the iron
face mask also are of gilt bronze.
Cooking Pot:
Other burial items include
many everyday items, such as
this cooking pot. Other domestic
items included buckets, tubs, and
cauldrons.
The Sword:
The hilt of the
sword has a beautiful
gold and cloisonné
garnet pommel and
gold guards. The
iron blade is heavily
corroded but was
pattern-welded, made
from eight bundles
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of thin iron rods hammered together to form a pattern of parallel
or herringbone lines in the metal. To this core, a cutting edge
of carbon steel then was forged. Such patterned swords were
highly prized and often passed as heirlooms from generation to
generation. Beowulf uses Unferth’s sword, “the curious sword
with a wavy pattern, hard of its edge” against Gendel’s mother,
but it fails him, just as his own sword Nægling of “ancient
inheritance, very keen of edge,” breaks striking the Dragon.
The Harp or Lute:
Musical
instruments like this
harp are referenced in
the poem Beowulf. It
is likely that the poem
itself was recited
accompanied by
music.
The Shield:
The leather and
linden wood shield
have rotted away,
and there is nothing
except its iron boss,
gilt fittings, and two
magnificent animal
figures: a dragon and
a bird of prey, both of
gilt-bronze decorated
with garnets.
The Gold Buckle, Shoulder Clasps, and Purse Lid
It is the smaller objects, the delicate fittings of the sword
belt and scabbard, the zoomorphic gold buckle, and jewel-like
shoulder-clasps and purse lid that are most exquisite. There was
virtually nothing else like these pieces in Europe at the time, and
their artistic virtuosity suggests a master goldsmith working on a
royal commission.
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A Great Gold Buckle:
The intricate buckle, for example, is hollow and
hinged at the back, the belt secured by three pins that
project from the underside of the bosses. The other end
is placed through the loop and held there by the tongue,
which also is hinged.
Golden Shoulder-Clasps:
The unique pair of cloisonné clasps, which are made
of gold, millefiori glass, and garnet, are curved to fit
the shoulder, the two matching halves, decorated with
intertwined boars, tightly hinged and joined by a gold
pin.
A Gold-and-Garnet Purse Lid:
The purse lid is equally artistic, if not as elaborate,
and decorated with animal and abstract designs.
Inside were found thirty-seven small gold coins, each
deliberately chosen from a different mint in Gaul.
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Symbols of Power: the Whetstone/Stag
There also were two unique, but
enigmatic, symbols of his power: a
whetstone “scepter” surmounted by a small
bronze stag on a ring and a mysterious iron
stand that may have served as a standard
for the king.
The Final Mystery
Who was either buried or memorialized
at Sutton Hoo? As noted in the video, it is
doubtful we will ever know, but the best
guess at present is Rædwald, king of East
Anglia, who died in AD 624/625. This is
the same approximate date of the latest
Merovingian coins found there. The early
historian Bede identifies Rædwald as the
fourth bretwalda (“ruler of Britain”) to
have overlordship (imperium) of the other
kingdoms south of the river Humber. He
succeeded Æthelbert, the first English king
to be converted, in AD 616 and defeated
Æthelfrith, the king of Northumbria, the
same year. It was Rædwald, too, who
reverted to paganism, says Bede, when
he returned from the court of Æthelbert,
dedicating altars in his temple both to
heathen gods and the Christian one. If
so, his defiantly pagan burial preserved,
hidden and undisturbed, some of the
greatest treasures of Anglo-Saxon art.