Summary
Mound 1, excavated 1939 and found to contain ship burial; probably of royal status.
Identification Images (1)
Monument Types
- SHIP BURIAL (Saxon - 601 AD to 700 AD)
- ROUND BARROW (Saxon - 601 AD to 700 AD)
Description
Mound 1 was excavated May-June 1939 by a team led by Basil Brown (exposing the length of the ship with burial chamber) and July-Sept 1939 by a team led by Charles Phillips who excavated a burial chamber and ship. A further excavation took place between 1965 and 1971 by a British Museum team led by Rupert Bruce-Mitford.
In the early seventh century a 27m long ship was placed in a trench and a chamber erected amidships. This chamber had end walls of horizontal planking laid edge-on and a plank floor and roof, probably ridged.The grave goods included weapons and regalia, feasting equipment and personal accoutrements. A body had beed laid out on some type of platform and the inside of the chamber was probably adorned with textiles. A mound of diameter approximately 36m was piled up over the ship and chamber, though this was later destroyed by ploughing. In the sixteenth century a robber pit was dug into the centre of the mound. [1]
INVENTORY OF EARLY MEDIEVAL FINDS
West wall: iron standard and support, shield, sceptre, bucket, hanging bowl and supporting nail, lyre, Coptic bowl, 3 angons, 5 spears
On the coffin lid: helmet, gaming pieces, bell, 2 silver spoons, 10 silver bowls, 2 spears, great gold buckle, purse with gold frame and gold and garnet plaques, shoulder clasps of gold and garnet, strap mounts and buckles of gold and garnet for the suspension systems for sword and purse, coins in purse, sword with gold and garnet pommel and scabbard studs, yellow cloaks, wooden bottles, 2 drinking horns, animal bone, Anastasius dish of silver
Inside the coffin, heap C: leather bag with studs, fluted silver bowl, otter-fur cap, silver ladle, 7 burrwood bottles, 4 knives with horn handles, combs, leather garment with buckles
Inside the coffin, heap B: pillow, shoes, wooden bowl, 2 hanging bowls, horn cup, leather garment, axe hammer
Inside the coffin, heap A: coils of tape, mailcoat, folded twill, wooden pegs
By east wall: 3 cauldrons, supporting nails, chain, tub, bucket
On the floor: iron lamp, pottery bottle, bucket, floor covers [2]
References
- SNA65741 - Book: Martin Carver. 1998. Sutton Hoo Burial Ground of Kings?. British Museum Press. pp180-181.
- SNA65742 - Report: Martin Carver. 2005. Sutton Hoo: a seventh century princely burial ground and its context. British Museum Press. p177.
- SZD1148 - Aerial Photograph: Cambridge University Committee for Aerial Photographs. CUCA Aerial Photographs. AP CQ 74.
- SZD48001 - Collection: Suffolk County Sites and Monuments Record. SUT 004.
- SZD48035 - Unpublished document: Brown B. Basil Brown Archive. II, 142; VII 1-76; XI 131; XIII 10-14; XXXVIII 101; XXXIX whole volume; LI 20-30; LVI.
- SZD48036 - Monograph: Bruce Mitford R. 1975,78,83. The Sutton Hoo Ship Burial. Vols 1, 2 & 3.
Other Statuses and References
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- HER/SMR Reference (External) (Suffolk HER): SUT 004
- National Monuments Record Reference: TM24NE2.1
Associated Events
- ENA7410 - Archaeological Intervention, Excavations at Sutton Hoo by Basil Brown and Charles Phillips, 1939
- ENA7411 - Archaeological Intervention, Re-excavation of Mound 1 at Sutton Hoo by Rupert Bruce-Mitford, 1965-67
- ENA7412 - Archaeological Intervention, Excavations at Sutton Hoo by Paul Ashbee, 1967-71
- ENA7407 - Archaeological Intervention, Robbery at Sutton Hoo, C16
Associated Finds
None Recorded
Related Records
None Recorded