Sutton Hoo

Sutton Hoo, near Woodbridge, Suffok, is the site of two 6th- and 7th-century cemeteries.One contained an undisturbed ship burial, including a wealth of Anglo-Saxon artefacts, most of which are now in the British Museum in London. Sutton Hoo is of primary importance because it sheds light on a period of English history that is on the margin between myth, legend, and historical documentation.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, far-reaching connections, the quality and beauty of its contents.The most significant artefacts from the ship-burial, displayed in the British Museum, are those found in the burial chamber, including a suite of metalwork dress fittings in gold and gems, a ceremonial helmet, shield and sword, a lyre, and many pieces of silver plate from Byzantinum. The ship-burial has, from the time of its discovery, prompted comparisons with the world described in the heroic Old English poem Beowulf, which is set in southern Sweden,especially at Vendel. Of the two grave fields found at Sutton Hoo, one had long been known to exist because it consists of a group of approximately 20 earthen burial mounds  that rise slightly above the horizon of the hill-spur when viewed from the opposite bank. The other, called here the "new" burial ground, is situated on a second hill-spur close to the present Exhibition Hall, about 500 m upstream of the first.The site has a visitor centre, with many original and replica artefacts and a reconstruction of the ship burial chamber, and the burial field can be toured in the summer months and at weekends and school holidays year-round.