On 29th January, Netflix released the movie 'The Dig', which tells the tale of the excavation of the Sutton Hoo archeological site on the brink of WWII. The landowner of the Sutton Hoo estate, Edith Pretty (the talented Carey Mulligan), instructed the amateur archaeologist Basil Brown (an impeccable Ralph Fiennes) to start excavating her property in the summer of1939, leading to an amazing discovery. The movie portrays a slightly more romantic, but still faithful, version of the events and the story's protagonists. Overall, it may be an unusual narrative for the mainstream public, but it was so exquisitely executed that it couldn’t help but bring many of us closer to the Sutton Hoo marvels .
‘The Dig’ starring Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes - now on Netflix
In case you have not heard of it, Sutton Hoo -‘‘Sut-ton’’ means ‘‘settlement”, while ‘‘Hoo” literally means ‘‘shaped like a hill spur”- is the site of the remains of a funerary ship and royal treasure dating back to the early 7th century.
Excavation site in 1939, Trustees of the British Museum
Alongside the 27-meter-long ship’s remains, feasting sets, ornate pieces of jewelry, and the fragments of the now-famous ceremonial iron helmet were discovered.
The grave may have belonged to Rædwald, the King of East Anglia during the period to which the coins found on site belong, although no human remains were found on the ship.
It has undoubtedly been the most important discovery of Anglo-Britain artifacts and has forced a profound revision of the prior thinking around Post-Roman Britain, which was generally thought to be a dark age of emptiness which saw the decline of splendor and civilization. Instead, the Sutton Hoo discoveries reflect a vibrant society with complex craftsmanship and widespread overseas connections, as some of the objects originated from as far away as Egypt and the Byzantine Empire.
The Sutton Hoo artifacts officially became part of the British Museum's collection after being gifted by Edith Pretty, where they were almost immediately stored underground in the tunnels of London’s rail system for safekeeping until the end of WWII. During the conflict,the newfound treasure turned into a symbol of pride and patriotism for the nation.
Today, the treasure remains on display at the British Museum, while the Sutton Hoo excavation site is under the care of the National Trust and is open to visitors.
Recently, the British Museum promoted ‘Curator's Corner’, a clever online blog space, as well as a YouTube channel, through which you can easily satisfy your curiosity by learning all about the collection’s famous iron helmet,as well as another object, a sword, from the Anglo-Britain Collection.
The Sutton Hoo Helmet,
Trustees of the British Museum
There is still much to learn about this fascinating discovery and the many secrets the burial site still holds. With an excellent Netflix movie to watch, an inestimable museum collection to visit, curator videos and blogs to check, and an archeological site to explore, there are many high-quality elements that are all great starting points for developing a good knowledge of Sutton Hoo and its compelling histories.
Written by Sofia Sireno
Curious yet? You don’t want to miss:
‘The Dig’’ on Netflix:
The National Trust - Sutton Hoo: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sutton-hoo
The British Museum - The Anglo-Saxon ship burial at Sutton Hoo: https:// www.britishmuseum.org/collection/death-and-memory/anglo-saxon-ship-burial-sutton- hoo
The British Museum Blog - Curator’s Corner ‘Eighty years (and more) of Sutton Hoo’: https://blog.britishmuseum.org/eighty-years-and-more-of-sutton-hoo/
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