The hero beowulf is never described in physical detail and remains fairly inscrutable. Sutton hoo, the kind of place beowulf would have lived. Sutton hoo has such an interesting story to tell that it is always good to read an up to date book such as this one on the archaeology of the site. Dec 07, 2010 the similarities the helmet from anglo saxon and beowulf, beowulfs helmet.
The archaeological discoveries of sutton hoo 1907 words. The archaeological discoveries of sutton hoo, the staffordshire hoard, and the book of kells, along with the epic beowulf, all analyze the connection between the present and the past time period of the anglosaxons. Beowulf is possibly the oldest surviving long poem in old english, believed to have been written between the 8th and the early 11th century. One contained an undisturbed ship burial, including a wealth of anglosaxon artefacts of outstanding arthistorical and archaeological significance, now held in the british museum in london sutton hoo is of primary importance to early medieval historians because it sheds. The kings and anglosaxon ships were all buried roughly around the 7th century. The centrepiece of the british librarys extraordinary new exhibition anglosaxon kingdoms. Sam newton draws together the sutton hoo and beowulf links with the. Philip pullman i was recently asked to visit my daughters class and talk to them about archaeology and what we can find out about past cultures from the physical remains that are left behind. There are descriptions within the epic poem which have a striking similarity to the discoveries made at sutton hoo.
Sutton hoo is the burial place of a number of anglosaxon people, one of whom might have been a. Moviebook comparison tabitha turley i would say that the biggest similarity between the book and the movie was beowulfs battle with grendel. Similarities between the west and beowulf 892 words. Beowulf and wiglaf travel to grendels mothers cave, where beowulf enters alone. Determine who is or is not buried at sutton hoo by analyzing information provided at the british museum. Sutton hoo and beowulf volume 22 issue 87 sune lindqvist. Hoo anglo saxon helmet the helmet which was found in the sutton hoo ship was a remarkable discovery and the artifacts indicate that the grave was of a high. Perhaps the paper was more prosaic than beowulf but a beautiful theory nonetheless. The comparison to beowulfs mound upon the promontory is obvious but. The sutton hoo helmet is a decorated and ornate anglosaxon helmet found during a 1939 excavation of the sutton hoo shipburial.
Beowulf s connections with the various royal houses of scandinavia follows. Sutton hoo, at sutton near woodbridge, suffolk, is the site of two 6th and early 7thcentury cemeteries. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The age of sutton hoo runs from the fifth to the eighth century ad the age which separates the fall of the roman empire from the emergence of the nationstates that have endured down to the present day.
Shortly before world war ii, archaeologists uncovered in east anglia a remarkable find. At first i saw major differences between beowulf and the hobbit. These notes terminate with the letters make them distinguishable from the authors footnotes. The story of beowulf, and the burial site at sutton hoo have strong religious ties. The similarities the helmet from anglo saxon and beowulf, beowulfs helmet. It provides good background information on the culture of the anglo saxons and the context of the beowulf epic. Discovered in 1939, this burial site contains a wealth of information about anglosaxon culture.
It does look like a boat was discovered in barrow 2 in 1938. Beowulf and sutton hoo sources for a lost world giacondas blog. We can see there are many similarities to the ship burial of sutton hoo. In 1939, a seventhcentury ship burial was excavated at sutton hoo near woodbridge in suffolk. The demon, grendel, came to king hrothgars mead hall in the middle of the night to attack.
Revisiting sutton hoo, britains mythical ship burial. Necklaces, helmets, shield mounts, coins, jewelry, eating utensils, and all manner of other symbols of germanic living have been found at the site, at an estate near woodbridge, in suffolk. Sutton hoo helmet wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. The king at sutton hoo 148 beowulf and the harp at sutton hoo 149 may have been buried elsewhere, in sacred ground. Many parallels such as the sutton hoo helmet, mead halls, warrior weapons, and other religious objects found in the staffordshire hoard also exist in the text of beowulf too, which lead many people to relate the two. Finally, the relationship of beowulf to sutton hoo is discussed. Why does beowulf, an anglo saxon epic, feature geats and. At last we come to the famous sutton hoo burial site. Sutton hoo archaeological site, built up the credentials and fame of the holder.
Cue cards learn with flashcards, games, and more for free. Comparisons between the hobbit and beowulf essay example. A number of footnotes have been added by the translator to clarify various points for english readers. As displayed in beowulf, a ship burial was the final grand event for a prominent person. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise cambridge core to connect with your account. Early medieval europe the age of sutton hoo runs from the fifth to the eighth century ad a dark and difficult age. There are many images and descriptions in beowulf of treasure and armor which are similar to the findings at sutton hoo and staffordshire. Similar to the sutton hoo burial, but without a boat. The combined treasures of beowulf and sutton hoo gave the world examples.
It is located near woodbridge in suffolk, on land that once belonged to mrs edith pretty. The actual artifacts that were dug out of sutton hoo look like the things that are described in beowulf. There is no direct connection between sutton hoo and beowulf that we know of. Hoo anglo saxon helmet the helmet which was found in the sutton hoo ship was a remarkable discovery and the artifacts indicate that the grave was of a high status, but not conclusively royal. Ive heard it speculated that the similarities between the beowulf shipburial of scyld and the sutton hoo ship burial probably of raedwald are so strong that the original author of beowulf might have witnessed the sutton hoo burial, and so the poem or its origin matter may have been composed within living memory of that event. Jan 11, 2016 beowulf and sutton hoo sources for a lost world after nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world. But they knowthey buried an important nobleman with many gifts and treasures at the burial ground at mound 1 at sutton hoo. Conclusion beowulf is a poem that is heavily influenced by the archaeological discovery of sutton hoo. Wealth, and its public display, was probably used to establish status in early anglosaxon society much as it is today. One contained an undisturbed ship burial including a wealth of anglosaxon artifacts of outstanding arthistorical and archaeological significance, now held in the british museum in london. He told his warriors to build him a bridge so he can be remembered as the.
In the 2014 book edited by leonard neidorf the dating of beowulf. Sutton hoo project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Bloomfield the christian perspective in beowulf margaret. Furthermore, the sutton hoo helmet as referenced in beowulf is worn when he is about to go off and attack grendels mother. Beowulf brings eleven men with him to face the dragon. Sutton hoo is the site of two 6th and early 7thcentury cemeteries. Oct 03, 2007 the sutton hoo anglosaxon ship burial was excavated in 1939. It was buried around 625 and is widely believed to have belonged to king r.
Brucemitford the provisional guide to the sutton hoo shipburial, published by the trustees of the british museum in 1947, has printed ten impressions and sold over 20,000 copies. Sutton hoo anglo saxon 19th century britain golf courses to go old things england country roads. Its 1,300 years old, as big as a seamans chest it has more than one thousand parchment leaves and the spine of the book is over a foot thick, and would have required the skins of 500 calves to make the vellum for its pages. Sutton hoo is an anglosaxon ship burial also described by some as a grave field that is located in england in the county of suffolk. When the beast attacks, all but one, wiglaf, flee into the forest. Among many priceless goods armor, weapons, coins, intricate gold jewelry, silver drinking horns and trinkets, textiles, byzantine treasures and fine clothes all coming from all over europe there was also the famous sutton hoo helmet dated to 600 650 ad. It is important to appreciate the historical details and accuracies of the epic poem, especially after understanding sutton hoo. The sutton hoo helmet is one of the most important anglo saxon finds of all time. The archaeological discoveries of sutton hoo 1907 words 8 pages. Some of you have probably picked up on a few of the most obvious similarities, but there might be a couple that you overlooked. Aug 30, 2012 sutton hoo, the kind of place beowulf would have lived, except on the mainland.
Sutton hoo, grid reference tm288487 near woodbridge, suffolk, is the site of two anglosaxon cemeteries of the 6th and early 7th centuries, one of which contained an undisturbed ship burial including a wealth of artefacts of outstanding arthistorical and archaeological significance sutton hoo is of primary importance to early medieval historians because it sheds light on a period of. Doc the poem beowulf and the sutton hoo burial as evidence for. Sutton hoo, at sutton near woodbridge, suffolk, is the site of two 6th and early 7thcentury. What does this site reveal about pagan burial practices. Its significance to the study of beowulf is the interesting mix of. Some of you have probably picked up on a few of the most obvious similarities, but there might be a.
One contained an undisturbed ship burial including a wealth of anglosaxon artifacts of outstanding arthistorical and archaeological significance, now held in. It is written in the alliterative verse style, which is common for old english poetry as well as works written in languages such as old high german, old saxon, and old norse. Burialground of the wuffings some of the wonders of the royal shipburial wuffing and related places of interest sites where the wuffings walked. Sutton hoo and beowulf beowulf displays at the beginning and at the end such very lavish burials that they formerly seemed to be the work of the poets imagination. This is a dark and difficult age, where hard evidence is rare, but glittering and richly varied. An early literary epic has been reclaimed from the vikings, reports david keys. In the first flush of enthusiasm sutton hoo and beowulf were promoted as the keys to. Beowulf came to the danes to help them kill the nasty, vicious demon. What similarities have you seen between the book, the hobbit, and beowulf.
Exploring beowulf and anglo saxon archeology freebooksummary. Gift giving and wealth in beowulf 1152 words bartleby. Sutton hoo, near woodbridge, in the english county of suffolk, is the site of two 6th and early 7thcentury cemeteries. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise cambridge core to. Apr 28, 2017 beowulf is an epic poem composed in old english consisting of 3,182 lines. We will begin our discussion of hibernosaxon art with an examination of the socalled sutton hoo ship burial. Pdf anglosaxon values and culture in beowulf researchgate. After more than four decades, im reading the hobbit book again, and ive seen several similarities shared by tolkiens works, the culture of the celts, the anglosaxons, and beowulf. Sutton hoo and beowulf comparison sutton who and beowulf. There are swords with decorated, twisted handles and so forth, and so there seems to be some kind of connection between whats described in beowulf and what weve found in sutton hoo.
Sutton hoo mcgill university school of computer science. It is easy to read with good illustrations and photos and i learned a lot that i didnt know already. He told his warriors to build him a bridge so he can be remembered as the greatest ruler, and the best king that has ever lived. In the book, beowulf is buried and the dragon is burned. Similarities between the east anglian and east scandinavian ma. The similarities between the epic and the archaeological findings create an understanding of the connection between the past and the.
I see the value of discussing both, and that both vendel and sutton hoo provide useful illumination to students of beowulf, though i wonder if it might be more helpful to have two sections one on connection to other burial sites, such as vendel, and one on how sutton hoo illuminates beowulf. Of course, whilst there is a definite connection between sutton hoo and beowulf, there is no concrete evidence to confirm this connection as others have also associated the poem with king alfred the great, a king of wessex, and king cnut the great, a king of denmark, england and norway. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. Take a virtual tour of the sutton hoo exhibit at the british museum. At any rate, there were no traces of a body in the ship. Objects have a symbolic resonance which increases the impact of the imagery. Beowulf, anglosaxons, and sutton hoo by bryce wilson on prezi.
Then sutton hoo changed all that by giving historic evidence supporting not only the types of burials but also many other aspects of the old. The helmet was both a functional piece of armour that would have offered considerable. The sutton hoo anglosaxon ship burial was excavated in 1939. Theodons leadership and care for his people carries a similar weight to that of beowulf and might be projected onto the historical figure of raedwald, king of the east angles who is the most probable candidate for the sutton hoo ship burial. The historical background of scandinavia in the period before the viking age is then treated. Since 1939, though, when the treasures buried at sutton hoo were unearthed, many people have been tempted to associate the poem with objects. Essay about sutton hoo and beowulf epic beowulf essays.
The poem beowulf describes how scyld, king of the danes, is buried. The burial mound at sutton hoo is believed to be that of king. The treasure ship of sutton hoo national geographic. Sep, 2011 information about the sutton hoo ship burial. The adversaries name and abuse one another, compare ancestries or. In this pagan ritual, the status of the deceased person determined the opulence of the ceremony. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. Jun 07, 2011 conclusion beowulf is a poem that is heavily influenced by the archaeological discovery of sutton hoo. The year of burial at sutton hoo is more widely debated then the date of beowulf. Whats the difference between beowulf the book and beowulf. The find at sutton hoo, in 1939, turned out to be europes largest ship burial, helping to fill a blank in the nations story weeks before the outbreak of the second world war. Sutton hoo is an anglosaxon ship burial also described by some as a grave field that. Its significance to the study of beowulf is the interesting mix of christian and pagan practices involved in the burial that mirrors a similar mix in beliefs in the poem.
In 1939 a ship was found filled with the war gear and treasure of a heroic age english king. Sutton hoo helmet the reader wiki, reader view of wikipedia. Comparisons between the hobbit and beowulf essay sample. Evidence and proof scientist have found who is mrs. It was at her request and cost that, in 1938, a local archaeologist began to excavate the burial mounds. Talking trees and dream visions and the obvious similarities between. Aug 24, 2009 information on the anglosaxons and the development of the english language. One cemetery contained an undisturbed shipburial, including a wealth of anglosaxon artefacts of outstanding arthistorical and archaeological significance, most of which are now in the british museum in london. For example, he made key observations on the similarities between funerary pottery in. Sutton who and beowulf comparison beowulf wanted to get buried and go out big. These pagan beliefs and customs are an important part of the epic beowulf. Warrior culture and christian culture from the anglosaxon time period, are apart of.
Movie book in the movie beowulf is the father of the fire breathing dragon that burns. Effectively, some of the artifacts breathe life into the events of beowulf while the poem helps explain the contents of sutton hoo. Movie in the movie grendels mother is a siren, who lures beowulf and hrothgar in to keep the evil alive book in. As the dragon flies back to heorot, it is met by a group of bowmen who attack it. Sutton hoo sutton hoo sutton hoo is an anglosaxon ship burial also described by some as a grave field that is located in england in the county of suffolk.
Its best features are the recreations, the footage of the sutton hoo site and some of its treasures, and the actual recitation of some of. Beowulf and sutton hoo sources for a lost world giacondas. Evidence mounts that beowulf was in all likelihood written in the end of the 7th or beginning of the 8th century, the time of bede. Analyze the artifacts to determine who made and owned them by completing a graphic organizer. One contained an undisturbed ship burial, including a wealth of anglosaxon artefacts of outstanding arthistorical and archaeological significance, now held in the british museum in london. Dating of beowulf beowulf, literary criticism, medieval. Beowulf is possibly the oldest surviving long poem in old english, believed to have. Woolfs final thought was that sutton hoo and vendel were, in fact, linkednot by beowulf, but indirectly through cultural reflexes of a greater danish culture that began to spread from england to norway and sweden in the sixth century. To reiterate, we hope that the this presentation, coupled with the flash program and the 3d sutton.
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