Sutton Hoo near Woodbridge, in Suffolk, England, is the site of two early medieval cemeteries that date from the 6th to 7th centuries. One cemetery had an undisturbed ship burial with a wealth of Anglo-Saxon artefacts. Scholars believe Rædwald of East Anglia to most likely be the person buried in the ship.
About Sutton Hoo in brief
Sutton Hoo near Woodbridge, in Suffolk, England, is the site of two early medieval cemeteries that date from the 6th to 7th centuries. Archaeologists have been excavating the area since 1939. One cemetery had an undisturbed ship burial with a wealth of Anglo-Saxon artefacts; most of these objects are now held by the British Museum. Scholars believe Rædwald of East Anglia to most likely be the person buried in the ship. The ship burial has prompted comparisons with the world of the Old English poem Beowulf, which has archaeological parallels to some of the finds from Sutton Hoo. The nearby visitor centre contains original artefacts, replicas of finds and a reconstruction of the ship burial chamber. The site is in the care of the National Trust. There is evidence that Sutton Hoo was occupied during the Neolithic period, when the area was cleared by agriculturalists. Several pits contained flint-tempered earthen pots that were dug near hollows where large trees had been uprooted. The best surviving example contained a ring of upright posts up to 30 millimetres in diameter, suggesting an entrance to the south-east of the village. The area between the Orwell and the watersheds of the Alde and Deben rivers may have been an early centre of royal power, originally centred upon Rendlesham or Sutton Hoo, and a primary component in the formation of the East Anglian kingdom: In the early 7th century, Gipeswic began its growth as a centre for foreign trade, Botolph’s monastery at Iken was founded by royal grant in 654, and Bede identified Rendleham as site of Æthelwold’s royal dwelling.
The name Sutton Hoo likely derives its name from Old English. Sut combined with tun means a southern farm or village. Hoh means a hill \”shaped like a heel spur\”. Its proximity is near the parish of Sutton. It is about 7mi from the North Sea, overlooking the tidal estuary a little below the lowest convenient fording place. It formed a path of entry into East Angolia during the period that followed the end of Roman imperial rule in the 5th century. There are also 6th-century burial grounds at Rushmere, Little Bealings, and Tuddenham St Martin and circling Brightwell Heath, theSite is located close to the River Deben estuary and other archaeological sites. They appear as a group of approximately 20 mounds that rise slightly above the horizon of the hill-spur when viewed from the opposite bank. The newer burial ground, is situated on a second hill-Spur about 500 metres upstream of the first. It was discovered and partially explored in 2000 during preliminary work for the construction of an Exhibition Hall for tourists. This site also has burials, but the tops of their mounds had been obliterated by later agricultural activity. It was at first excavated under the auspices of the landowner, but when its significance became apparent, national experts took over.
You want to know more about Sutton Hoo?
This page is based on the article Sutton Hoo published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 11, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
