The world of Sutton Hoo Members and Supporters trail Contemporary cultures

The Sutton Hoo collection is one of the jewels of the British Museum. These fnds transformed the way we thought about the Anglo-Saxons – from a primitive early culture to highly skilled people with global connections.

This trail takes you on a journey through the 6th and 7th centuries AD. It explores some of the Sutton Hoo treasures as well as other contemporary objects from civilisations around the world.

We invite you to rediscover the permanent collection through our exclusive Members and Supporters Museum trail – and to learn more about some of the collection’s fascinating objects.

Objects in focus Our new suggested route through the Museum is designed for you to enjoy the Sutton Hoo objects within their wider context. The route should take approximately 60 minutes. You can fnd details of all the objects on this trail – and millions more – at britishmuseum.org/collection

Start this trail in Room 41. To get there from the Great Court, walk up the staircase on the left side of the Round Reading Room up to Level 3 (there is also priority lift access). Cross the bridge and turn left into Room 56, walk to the end of the sequence of galleries and turn left when you enter Room 59. Then follow the one-way route to Room 41. Photo by Phil Sayer. Ground foor Upper foor Level 2 95 67

Toilets North Level 2 stairs Accessible toilet Baby changing Level 1 Level 5 33a 33 33 94 93 92 Shop Café North Level 1 North stairs stairs Level 5 Ticket Desk Exit Membership Desk Montague Place Up to 94 Level -1 Level 4 A Admissions Desk 10 33b 91a 91 90 90a Lift North Level North Levels stairs -1 & 0 stairs 3 & 4 Level access lift Stairs Level 0 Level 3 30 66 1 Room numbers 9 West Down 24 8 1 Trail stop number to Room 26 27 stairs 25 (37 6161 62 63 64 65 Up only steps) Up from East West East Room 25 57 56 5455 Level 0 59 58 53 (37 steps) stairs stairs stairs Accessible 20 Down only Up only Down only entry to 7 Upper floor Level 3 Level 3 21 and Members’ Court 73 Accessible Accessible 52 6 Room entry to exit from 18 19 Great Court Café Upper floor Upper floor 35 9 4 Level 0 Shop Level 0 1 Level 1 Level 1 Decision point Accessible Accessible Accessible Accessible entry to exit from 72 entry to exit from 51 22 Rooms Rooms 25, Room 35 Room 35 Upstairs for 25, 35 and 35 and Upper floor Upper floor Egypt: mummies, 18b Prints and drawings, 18 17 23 8 1 Japan and Middle East Collections Book 71 50 (one-way) 4 Shop Shop 18a Turn right for Africa and Americas (one-way) M 10 7 4 1 70 49 18 15 Great Court A Coffee Lounge 14 Level 3 Decision point 5 43a South Grenville 13 6 Room 2 South 40 41 Turn left for stairs 69a 69 stairs 36 42 Egypt: mummies, 1-4 43 Prints and 12 6 3 68 37 3938 drawings, Asia 46 2a 47 Turn right for Greece Pizzeria 55 and Rome, Europe and Middle East 48 Level 0 Forecourt Entrance only Level 3 Café Great Russell Street Explore the wonders of Sutton Hoo

1 2 3 Sutton Hoo represents the most impressive early Gold bracelet Gold shoulder clasp Gold coins Room 41 Room 41 Room 41 medieval grave to be discovered in Europe. This gold bracelet was Made around AD 560–70 to The purse found among the discovered in Egypt and AD 610, this is one half of a burial goods at Sutton Hoo Inside the burial mound was the imprint of a originates from the Early gold shoulder clasp. Inlaid with contained 37 gold coins, decayed ship and a central chamber flled with Byzantine period, about AD garnet believed to have come three coin-shaped blanks and 600. It has a deeply intricate from Sri Lanka or India, these two small gold ingots. Each treasures. As a team of archaeologists, led by design consisting of peacocks clasps are feats of astonishing coin came from a different Basil Brown, dug deeper, they unearthed objects and swans, all surrounded by craftsmanship. They may have mint in Francia, across the of breath-taking artistry. Not only is the burial scrolls and bands of open-work been modelled on military English Channel. The lack of remarkable for the majesty of its content and lozenges. In the centre, there prototypes, used to fasten duplication suggests that they is a bust of the Virgin Mary in armour in the Roman and were not withdrawn from active its monumental scale, but it rewrote historical relief with her hands raised. Byzantine worlds. The weight circulation but were taken from understanding of the so-called ‘Dark Ages’. It was donated to the British and the rows of loops on the a treasure store. Along with ‘This single burial in a pretty corner of Suffolk Museum by Sir Augustus back of the clasps suggest the blanks and bullion, they Wollaston Franks in 1897, that they were attached to a make up the total required embodied a society of remarkable artistic who greatly enriched the thick garment made of wool or to pay the 40 oarsmen and achievement, complex belief systems and Museum’s holdings through padded linen. helmsman of the burial ship. far-reaching international connections, not to careful acquisition and the The coins cannot be dated mention immense personal power and wealth’, donation of his own vast and precisely but seem to have valuable collections. been deposited between AD says Dr Sue Brunning, Curator of Early Medieval 610 and 635. They are the European Collections. only large deposit of coins from the Anglo-Saxon period The excavations took place on the land of Edith before the introduction of an English coinage. These coins Pretty who, in an incredible act of generosity, are crucial to understanding donated all of the fnds to the British Museum in the burial at Sutton Hoo, as 1939, where they are now on permanent display they provide strong clues about when the ship and its contents Gold bracelet, found in in The Sir Paul and Lady Ruddock Gallery of were buried. Egypt. About AD 600. Sutton Hoo and Europe (Room 41). One half of a gold shoulder clasp, found at Sutton Hoo. Late 6th to early 7th century AD.

Frankish coins, France, about AD 605–615. 4 5 6 7 8

The Sutton Hoo Donkey-shaped fask Iron and copper alloy helmet Gold armlet Ceremonial ballgame mould Anastasius Dish Room 42: The Islamic world Room 52: Ancient Iran Room 52: Ancient Iran Room 27: Mexico Room 41 This donkey-shaped cage fask This helmet was excavated in This gold armlet dates This is a carved stone belt in This large silver platter was is made from opaque glass. It Nineveh, Iraq and dates from from 5th–4th century BC the form of a toad, made made in Constantinople, was crafted in Syria and was the 6th or 7th century AD in and originates from the during AD 300–1200. It was modern day Istanbul. Control created during the Umayyad the period of the Sasanian expansive Achaemenid used to mould the protective stamps on the back of the dynasty which ruled from dynasty – the longest-lived Empire, established by Cyrus leather belts worn by players dish confrm its place of AD 661–750. British Museum Iranian dynasty that ruled an II of Persia. It forms part of during a Mesoamerican origin. These stamps, similar scientists found that black empire stretching from eastern the Oxus Treasure, the most ballgame. This ballgame was to modern hallmarks, were tarry lumps in the Sutton Hoo Syria to Central Asia. It is made important collection of gold and a team sport that required applied by offcial Byzantine burial were actually pieces of from a pair of iron shells which silver to have survived from the players to keep the ball in the manufacturers. They belonged bitumen that had originated would have originally been Achaemenid period. The armlet air using only their hips. The to the Roman emperor in Syria. Originally thought to covered in decorated cloth, is similar to objects brought leather belts were worn to Anastasius I (AD 491–518) and be tar used for waterproofng riveted onto a frame of copper as tribute on reliefs at the cushion the impact of the heavy therefore, after its discovery, boats, it is now believed that alloy bands. The materials Persian centre of Persepolis. rubber ball. The outcome of it became known as the these lumps of bitumen were indicate that certain individuals, Armlets were considered gifts a match could be crucial. Not Anastasius Dish. The date of exotic grave goods originating ranks or units may have of honour at the Persian court. only might it resolve conficts these stamps show that the from a far-reaching Anglo- been distinguished by their The ends are in the form of over land and politics but platter was already up to 100 Saxon trade network. helmets. Despite its decorative winged monsters with griffn occasionally, the losers would years old when it was buried at appearance, the thickness heads. The bodies of the be sacrifced to the gods. The Sutton Hoo. It is likely to have of the metal suggests that it monsters were originally inlaid ball court itself was a symbolic been passed from hand to also held a practical protective with coloured stones, including entrance to the Underworld, hand as a gift from rulers at the purpose for a Sasanian soldier. lazulite, although no trace of represented by the toad which highest level, eventually fnding these survive. lived at the threshold. its way to Sutton Hoo.

The Sutton Hoo Anastasius Dish, Turkey, AD 491–518.

Donkey-shaped fask, Syria, 7th–8th century AD.

Iron and copper alloy helmet, found in Iraq. 6th–7th century AD.

Gold armlet, found in Tajikistan. 5th–4th century BC.

Greenstone yoke mould, found in Mexico. AD 300–1200. 9 10

Lime fask Figure of Amitābha Buddha Room 24: Living and Dying North stairs This is a lime fask (poporo) of Standing almost eight metres a seated woman, used during high, this is a white marble ritual coca chewing. It was fgure of Amitābha Buddha, the made in 500 BC – AD 700 Buddha of Infnite Light. After during the Early Quimbaya achieving the reunifcation period in Cauca Valley, of much of China by AD 581, Colombia. She is naked but the two emperors of the Sui adorned with a metal helmet dynasty (AD 581–618), both and extensive jewellery. devout Buddhists, made Unusually for a woman, she Buddhism a state religion. is seated on a ritual stool According to the inscription indicative of her high status. on the base, it was dedicated She holds spiral volutes in to the Chongguang Temple either hand which may allude to 崇光寺 in Hancui village sprigs of sprouting vegetation 韓崔村 in AD 585. Both the which could have been temple and the village can no carried or presented as part longer be identifed, but it is of seasonal fertility rites. The thought that the location was fask is made from tumbaga, an south-west of Baoding 保定 in alloy composed mostly of gold Hebei province, a region known and copper and was formed for its white marble sculptures. by lost-wax casting. Quimbaya The statue also has traces of goldsmiths used this technique pigments which suggests it to produce spectacular hollow was once covered with gilding objects, like this lime fask, and colours. which are some of the most technically complex objects found in the Americas.

Lime fask, found in Colombia. 500 BC – AD 700.

Figure of Amitābha Buddha, China, AD 585.

Photo by Phil Sayer. The British Museum Friends is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee which exists to support the British Museum.

Registered charity number 1086080 Company registration number 04133346

Front: The Sutton Hoo Helmet, England, late 6th to early 7th century AD.

Gold belt buckle, found at Sutton Hoo. Early 7th century AD.

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05/2021