The Age of Sutton Hoo: The Seventh Century in North-Western Europe [Paperback]

M. O. H. Carver (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 26, 2010

`The Sutton Hoo `princely' burials play a pivotal role in any modern discussion of Germanic kingship.'EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE The age of Sutton Hoo runs from the fifth to the eighth century AD - a dark and difficult age, where hard evidence is rare, but glittering and richly varied. Myths, king-lists, place-names, sagas, palaces, belt-buckles, middens and graves are all grist to the archaeologist's mill. This book celebrates the anniversary of the discovery of that most famous burial at Sutton Hoo. Fifty years ago this great treasure, now in the British Museum, was unearthed from the centre of a ninety-foot-long ship buried on remote Suffolk heathland. Included in this volume are 23 wide-ranging essays on the Age of Sutton Hoo and director Martin Carver's summary of the latest excavations, which represent the current state of knowledge about this extraordinary site. That it still has secrets to reveal is shown by the last-minute discovery of a striking burial of a young noble with his horse and grave goods.M.O.H. CARVER is Professor of Archaeology at York University, and Director of the Sutton Hoo Research Project.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Comprehensive and lavish... (the) volume's twenty-four papers provide not only an unrivalled and tantalizing preview of the most recent finds at Sutton Hoo, but also a survey of the whole context of the burial, local, national and international. ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW (J R Maddicott) The Sutton Hoo `princely' burials play a pivotal role in any modern discussion of Germanic kingship. EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPEA valuable interim report on the 1983-92 excavation... most exciting may be the parallels suggesed from Merovingian and Scandinavian Europe. A major contribution to the Sutton Hoo literature. CHOICE A major reassessment of the political and economic context of this burial ground-a very important book. MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGYA book clearly aimed at academics and university students, (but) of value to anyone seriously interested in early Anglo-Saxon England.. Martin Carver's succinct account of Sutton Hoo...explain(s) the burials in ways which go beyond traditional historical archaeological interpretation. HISTORY TODAY

Product Details

• Paperback: 456 pages
• Publisher: Boydell Press (July 26, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0851153615
• ISBN-13: 978-0851153612
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,579,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Age of Sutton Hoo, July 27, 2008

By 

Alexandro C. Telander "Alex C. Telander" (Roseville, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Age of Sutton Hoo: The Seventh Century in North-Western Europe (Paperback)

In 1938 an excavation was made at Sutton Hoo by the Ipswich Museum after years of rumors of untold gold having been buried in the area. The site was found to be that of a ship burial, possibly for an East Anglian king known as Redwald. A veritable treasure hoard was found of decayed weaponry, armor, and a variety of everyday use items - as was the norm when burying a person of stature in the early Middle Ages. Most of these items are now in the British Museum, the two most famous being a large, ...more In 1938 an excavation was made at Sutton Hoo by the Ipswich Museum after years of rumors of untold gold having been buried in the area. The site was found to be that of a ship burial, possibly for an East Anglian king known as Redwald. A veritable treasure hoard was found of decayed weaponry, armor, and a variety of everyday use items - as was the norm when burying a person of stature in the early Middle Ages. Most of these items are now in the British Museum, the two most famous being a large, solid gold Celtic knot work belt buckle and a reconstructed warrior's helmet.

In this collection of articles from Boydell & Brewer edited by Martin Carver, new insights are presented about the Sutton Hoo ship burial and the artifacts discovered there. But The Age of Sutton Hoo is much more than a dry and simple book on the burial site. It presents fascinating articles on the specific period in which the burial took place, and explains what England was like at that time, as well as Pictland (then Scotland), and Europe. Articles into the development of Old English, the Anglo-Saxon language, reveal insights into how language varied between England and Europe. Numerous articles document the undeniable similarities between Sutton Hoo and the tale of Beowulf, which, coupled together, help to create a more complete and detailed story of the fifth, sixth, and seventh centuries of medieval Europe.

A history degree is not required to understand the articles of The Age of Sutton Hoo, which are presented in a clear and concise manner, keeping the reader interested from page to page. The book is a must for any fan of Sutton Hoo, as well as anyone interested in this crucial period of history, when the continent of Europe was recreating and redefining itself.

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