Imagine landowners in the 1900’s, who owned a wide swath of land that has been passed down through the generations. As they look out the window, they see rolling hills and verdant fields. But when they’re strolling the property, they have an epiphany that these are not just normal hills, but man made mounds. Imagine their shock and amazement as they discover what has been under what they thought were hills for all these years. This is what Mrs. Edith Pretty must have thought as she realized that her land contained one of the most important archaeological sites of the modern world - Sutton Hoo
In order to understand the significance of this site, archeologists were called in to examine the site and excavate the artifacts. Though the work …show more content…
Edith Pretty’s private property in 1938. She asked archaeologist Basil Brown to excavate some of the largest mounds on her property. This was the first of the 3 major scientific campaigns on the Sutton Hoo burial grounds. In 1938-1939, the first scientific campaign was orchestrated by Basil Brown, excavating three of the largest mounds on the property. He excavated mounds 2, 3 and 5, finding nothing but scraps, for these mounds had been robbed. The scraps hinted the high status of the people being buried in these ships. Between 1965-1971, the second scientific campaign took place and was lead by the British Museum. Archaeologist Rupert Bruce-Mitford re excavated the trench of mound one. Rupert lifted the rivets (1965-1967) so he could have another archaeologist named Paul Ashbee to excavate the fabric of the ship (1967-1971). They made a plaster cast of the ship which is now stored by the British Museum. The excavations were done answer questions about Basil Browns excavations and to find out the relationship of the ship to the burial trench. Chemical tests were also taken to see if there were any remains of the body. what was done by the British museum was investigations of mound 5 and investigations around the prehistoric site. The last scientific campaign to excavate Sutton Hoo was the Sutton Hoo Research Trust. They excavated it between 1983-2001, excavating most of what other people had not. The Research Trust excavated …show more content…
A few of the artifacts found at Sutton Hoo are made with Swedish techniques and/or Swedish dyes. This leads people to believe that they were made by a Swedish crafts person in Britain or traded from Sweden.
One of the most famous artifact found at Sutton Hoo is the War Helmet. There are only 4 War Helmets known from Anglo-Saxon time. Tthey are located at Sutton Hoo, Benty Grange, York, and Wollaston. The helmet was badly damaged from the burial chamber collapsing but as pieces were found, conservators were able to put the helmet back together piece by piece. Because of the rarity and impact the helmet has, it has become the symbol of the early medieval period.
Other famous and very important finds at Sutton Hoo is a belt buckle, which shows that the person wearing it was of great importance. Another famous artifact a purse cover found in mound 1. There are seven gold, garnet cloisonné (work in which glass or gemstones are separated by strips of flattened wire placed edgeways on a metal backing) and millefiori glass plaques that were set into it. There was also matching shoulder pads found in the same mounds which suggests that maybe a master craftsmen made a whole
In order to understand the significance of this site, archeologists were called in to examine the site and excavate the artifacts. Though the work …show more content…
Edith Pretty’s private property in 1938. She asked archaeologist Basil Brown to excavate some of the largest mounds on her property. This was the first of the 3 major scientific campaigns on the Sutton Hoo burial grounds. In 1938-1939, the first scientific campaign was orchestrated by Basil Brown, excavating three of the largest mounds on the property. He excavated mounds 2, 3 and 5, finding nothing but scraps, for these mounds had been robbed. The scraps hinted the high status of the people being buried in these ships. Between 1965-1971, the second scientific campaign took place and was lead by the British Museum. Archaeologist Rupert Bruce-Mitford re excavated the trench of mound one. Rupert lifted the rivets (1965-1967) so he could have another archaeologist named Paul Ashbee to excavate the fabric of the ship (1967-1971). They made a plaster cast of the ship which is now stored by the British Museum. The excavations were done answer questions about Basil Browns excavations and to find out the relationship of the ship to the burial trench. Chemical tests were also taken to see if there were any remains of the body. what was done by the British museum was investigations of mound 5 and investigations around the prehistoric site. The last scientific campaign to excavate Sutton Hoo was the Sutton Hoo Research Trust. They excavated it between 1983-2001, excavating most of what other people had not. The Research Trust excavated …show more content…
A few of the artifacts found at Sutton Hoo are made with Swedish techniques and/or Swedish dyes. This leads people to believe that they were made by a Swedish crafts person in Britain or traded from Sweden.
One of the most famous artifact found at Sutton Hoo is the War Helmet. There are only 4 War Helmets known from Anglo-Saxon time. Tthey are located at Sutton Hoo, Benty Grange, York, and Wollaston. The helmet was badly damaged from the burial chamber collapsing but as pieces were found, conservators were able to put the helmet back together piece by piece. Because of the rarity and impact the helmet has, it has become the symbol of the early medieval period.
Other famous and very important finds at Sutton Hoo is a belt buckle, which shows that the person wearing it was of great importance. Another famous artifact a purse cover found in mound 1. There are seven gold, garnet cloisonné (work in which glass or gemstones are separated by strips of flattened wire placed edgeways on a metal backing) and millefiori glass plaques that were set into it. There was also matching shoulder pads found in the same mounds which suggests that maybe a master craftsmen made a whole