Table of Contents
- 1 What was the Sutton Hoo helmet used for?
- 2 What does the Sutton Hoo helmet tell us about the Anglo-Saxon world?
- 3 What is Sutton Hoo helmet made of?
- 4 What condition was the Sutton Hoo helmet in?
- 5 Why is it called Sutton Hoo?
- 6 How many helmets were found at Sutton Hoo?
- 7 What kind of helmet is the Sutton Hoo helmet?
- 8 What happened to the Anglo-Saxon helmet?
What was the Sutton Hoo helmet used for?
The helmet was both a functional piece of armour that would have offered considerable protection if ever used in warfare, and a decorative, prestigious piece of extravagant metalwork….
| Sutton Hoo helmet | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Charles Phillips |
| Present location | British Museum, London |
| Registration | 1939,1010.93 |
What does the Sutton Hoo helmet tell us about the Anglo-Saxon world?
The replica helmet at Sutton Hoo features the kind of exquisite detail that would have been seen in the real thing. The helmet can be interpreted as war gear, as a status symbol, as a clue to some of the beliefs of the Anglo-Saxons and as a triumph of craftsmanship.
What did Sutton Hoo helmet look like?
The helmet comprised an iron cap, neck guard, cheek pieces and face mask. Its form derives from Late Roman cavalry helmets. The helmet’s surfaces were covered with tinned copper alloy panels that gave it a bright, silvery appearance.
What helmet was presented to Beowulf?
Beowulf kills Grendel with his bare hands and then slays Grendel’s mother with the sword of a giant that he finds in her lair. The Beowulf Helmet is of late Anglo-Saxon/Viking design….Key Features:
| Size | Length: 25cm; Width: 22cm; Depth: 25cm; Weight: 2060g – All dimensions are approximate |
|---|---|
| Barcode | 680596430797 |
| MPN | AH6770 |
What is Sutton Hoo helmet made of?
iron
The helmet is the armoured head of a warrior, attended by gods. Made of hammered iron, proof against spear, sword and axe, it is also covered with protective metaphors. Across the face is a bird with splayed wings, its body forming the warrior’s nose, the tail his moustache and the wings his eyebrows.
What condition was the Sutton Hoo helmet in?
When found, the magnificent helmet from the Anglo-Saxon grave at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, was in hundreds of pieces. The burial chamber had collapsed and reduced the helmet to a pile of fragments. Pieces of rusted iron were mixed up with pieces of tinned bronze, all so corroded as to be barely recognizable.
What were Anglo-Saxon helmets used for?
Helmets were used to protect the head from the blow of the enemy. Helmets were not much common in Anglo-Saxon England as indicated by pieces of evidence, although the use of helmet became more widespread in the 11th century.
Where was Sutton Hoo Helmet made?
Whether this was because the Sutton Hoo helmet came from Scandinavia, whether it was made by a Swedish craftsman travelling to East Anglia, or by an Anglo-Saxon craftsman who had travelled eastwards is a riddle still to be resolved.
Why is it called Sutton Hoo?
Named after the nearby parish of Sutton, the place-name Sutton Hoo is likely derived from a combination of the Old English sut + tun, meaning south farmstead or village, and hoh, which describes a hill shaped like a heel spur.
How many helmets were found at Sutton Hoo?
four complete helmets
Only four complete helmets are known from Anglo-Saxon England: at Sutton Hoo, Benty Grange, Wollaston and York. Archaeologists discovered this helmet lying in the tomb. It was an amazing, rare find. It was also very unusual because it had a face-mask.
What condition was the Sutton Hoo Helmet in?
How was the Sutton Hoo Helmet reconstructed?
A reconstruction Pieces of rusted iron were mixed up with pieces of tinned bronze, all so corroded as to be barely recognizable. By precisely locating the remaining fragments and assembling them as if in a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle, conservators have reconstructed the helmet.
What kind of helmet is the Sutton Hoo helmet?
The Sutton Hoo helmet by The British Museum The Sutton Hoo helmet, early 7th century, iron and tinned copper alloy helmet, consisting of many pieces of iron, now built into a reconstruction, 31.8 x 21.5 cm (as restored) (The British Museum) (photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) This extraordinary helmet is very rare.
What happened to the Anglo-Saxon helmet?
Replica of the helmet made by the Royal Armories (The British Museum) (photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) When found, the magnificent helmet from the Anglo-Saxon grave at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, was in hundreds of pieces. The burial chamber had collapsed and reduced the helmet to a pile of fragments.
Who was the first person to reconstruct the helmet?
The helmet was first reconstructed by Herbert Maryon from 1945 to 1946. A retired professor of sculpture and an authority on early metalwork, Maryon was specially employed as a Technical Attaché at the British Museum on 11 November 1944. His job was to restore and conserve the finds from the Sutton Hoo ship-burial,…
How can I teach about Sutton Hoo objects?
Print out photos of about 15 Sutton Hoo objects from the British Museum website. Give one or two to each group of students and ask them to try to work out what the objects are, what they are made of, what might be missing and what they suggest about the person they were found with.