Netflix’ “The Dig” has left the world abuzz with excitement about the amazing discoveries made at Sutton Hoo, and particularly the time and “lost” civilization they represents. Of course we were obsessed with the “Anglo-Saxons” long before it was cool – that diverse, swirling mix of ancient Britons and new arrivals to our shores who grew new identities and kingdoms from the decay of post-Roman Britain, made spectacular and vibrant art built on global networks of trade, laid down the foundations for the English language, literature and common law, and shepherded this rain-soaked and fractured isle on the edge of the world, to a well organised and influential state, centre of learning and culture at the heart of medieval Europe. The amazing treasures of the king’s burial at Sutton Hoo represent an early moment in this story – the pivotal 6th-7th century – when ambitious new kingdoms were just beginning to emerge, and after a period of relative isolation, were increasingly reconnecting with the world beyond. The treasures themselves illustrate this well, with goods from Scandinavia to the Middle East, materials from as far away as India, and with artwork representing a complex dance between multiple influences, identities and beliefs.

The unfolding of the story of this lost culture didn’t end in 1939 though; since then, many more wonderful treasures have been found, and older ones have been re-discovered. Here are some more treasures from Britain from the time of Sutton Hoo you might not have heard of, in no particular order, and, where you can see them.

enamel, in swirling “trumpet spiral” patterns with strongly “Celtic” affinities which would later play alongside Germanic motifs in early insular manuscript art. A counter-sunk base typically housed an additional escutcheon, often even more elaborate, on the base, and created an inner platform for another escutcheon inside, or in some cases 3D sculptures (such as a fish, raised up inside the bowl as if swimming, in the case of a bowl from Sutton Hoo).  Where did these enigmatic objects come from, and what were they used for? 
(Originally published in March 2020.)

antiquity or early medieval period would have had, and are keen to point out how wrong we are, for our variously either “too modern” or “too clichéd” haircuts. Such criticism raises two questions;  What do we really know about the hairstyles of nominally “Anglo-Saxon” and “Viking” period peoples?    What is our group’s authenticity policy with respect to this issue?
In this article we hope to address both questions with respect to male hairstyle and grooming, with a further article on womens’ hair and head-wear to follow. 
(Originally published in October 2019)