In the middle of the ship was the wooden burial chamber itself, containing the body, surrounded by a wealth of fabulous goods, including weapons, cutlery, clothes, games, tools, drinking horns, armour, serving bowls, coins, jewelry, crosses and furniture. The ship burial took the form of a huge ship (something over 27 metres in length) buried beneath an earth mound. Suddenly, these were not fanciful skald’s tales, but very real descriptions of very impressive ceremonies. Until the discovery of Sutton Hoo, it was presumed that the descriptions of elaborate ship burials in Beowulf and other extant literature were creations of storytellers, embellishing simple internments with the trappings of mythology. The grave-goods were unlike anything that had been excavated on British soil, and it has rightly been hailed as the most important archaeological discovery on these islands. The broad consensus before this discovery was that they were a fairly primitive people whose only wealth came from borrowing and copying the metalwork and artistry of others, but suddenly it was shown that the Anglo-Saxons were sophisticated, powerful and capable of producing fabulous goods, and that their kingdoms traded far and wide throughout the world. The (very) short version is that the Sutton Hoo ship was unearthed in 1939, and turned ideas about Anglo-Saxon history on their head. The history of the Sutton Hoo excavation is an exciting story in and of itself, and I don’t have space to do it justice here. At first I thought it rather a ridiculous item, with its moustache, but the more I looked at it, the more unsettling it became. Most British schoolchildren are used to seeing Roman or medieval helmets, but the Sutton Hoo Helmet is utterly strange. When I first saw the Sutton Hoo helmet as a child, it struck me as the most bizarre piece of armour I had ever seen. He turns his head slowly, surveying your army, but from the depths of those black eye-sockets, no eyes are visible. The panels are of silver, showing scenes of mythology and heritage, and golden designs of dragons and boars run along the crest and round the face of this man. The face is covered by a metal mask, and from two eye-holes this warrior looks out. His cloak is fixed in place with enormous jeweled clasps, each of which costs a king’s ransom.īut what of the face of this king? There is no face, only a mighty helmet covering the whole head in paneled metal. At his side is a magnificent sword, whose hilt glitters with carved gold and red garnets, worn on a belt clasped with a huge golden buckle, depicting serpents writhing over each other. In his hand is a huge embossed shield, covered with intricate carving and runes. Clad all in shining mail, resplendent in furs and gleaming with gold, silver and jewels, wrought in cunning devices by master-craftsmen. For this is surely no man, but a terrible god of war from the stories of old.
It is their king, standing in the midst of their ranks, or on high ground behind his army mounted on a horse, and your blood runs cold. Perhaps the sea-mist parts or the sun suddenly glints on metal. Adrenaline rushes through you, ready for battle, to face the enemy shield-to-shield.Īnd then you see the enemy leader. The rhythm of the war-beating rolls up and down the ranks. Surely none could penetrate your shield-wall? You and your enemies shout your taunts and battle-cries, crashing your spear-hafts against your shields. Your companions stand to your left and right there is safety in your press of numbers. If you’re wealthier than your companions, you have a simple helmet of steel enclosing your head above the level of your eyes. You hold a great round shield and spear, and a straight-bladed fighting knife at your side. Let us suppose you are a soldier on a battlefield, clad in your clothes, with perhaps a leather jerkin to protect your body. Wyrm – an Anglo-Saxon word for dragon or serpent.Wargear – a kenning (descriptive phrase) meaning a warrior’s weapons, equipment and armour.Skald – a storyteller in ancient Scandinavian culture, who memorized and recited stores of legendary heroes.Helm – an older and poetic word for helmet.Haft – the handle of a weapon or tool, usually wooden.Extant – something that has survived and still exists in its original form, not being a copy or reproduction.Bretwalda – a term used to denote Anglo-Saxon kings whose influence was recognized across large swathes of Britain during their reign, often exacting tribute from other kingdoms.It is a fascinating object with a fascinating history, so let’s take a look at an item ‘worn and wielded’ by the Anglo-Saxons. The Sutton Hoo helmet is perhaps the most iconic image of the Anglo-Saxon age.
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