Where did the Sutton Hoo helmet come from? Archaeologists have long agreed that the iconic Anglo-Saxon artifact was likely made in Sweden. But new research—along with a “strikingly” similar archaeological discovery in Denmark—is casting some doubt on the long-held assumption.
What Is the Sutton Hoo Helmet?
In the late 1930s, English archaeologists digging in the Suffolk area came upon the remains of a medieval ship burial. Its contents forever changed our modern-day understanding of Anglo-Saxon history. Yielding over 260 artifacts dating back to the 7th century, the Sutton Hoo burial site has been described as Britain’s version of Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. The most famous of these findings, the Sutton Hoo helmet, is known as “the face of the Anglo-Saxon period,” said Laura Howarth, an archaeology and engagement manager at Sutton Hoo, now a National Trust site.
The Sutton Hoo helmet was unearthed in hundreds of fragments, and experts spent several years painstakingly reassembling it. The reconstructed helmet was found to be both a functional piece of armor and a decorative piece of metalwork. Today, it is on view at the British Museum in London.
New Research Contests Helmet’s Swedish Origins
For decades, the Sutton Hoo helmet was believed to have originated in Uppland in eastern Sweden. It may have traveled to the British Isles as a diplomatic gift. The Uppland region has been cited as a key cultural influence on the burial style of Sutton Hoo. Additionally, two figurative panels on the Sutton Hoo helmet, which depict warriors on horseback, resemble motifs found on helmets in Sweden. However, researchers at the National Museum of Denmark have found reason to challenge the helmet’s supposed Swedish origins.
Two years ago, a local archaeologist on the Danish island of Tåsinge unearthed a copper alloy stamp. Interestingly, it bore an image of a warrior on horseback. The tiny artifact was brought to Peter Pentz, a Viking specialist at the National Museum of Denmark. Pentz noted the stamp’s “striking similarity” to the Sutton Hoo helmet’s decorative motifs. “The stylistic similarities are so significant,” he explained. “This is the closest link we’ve ever seen.” Pentz suggested that the Danish-discovered stamp “comes from the same workshop, or comes from the environment of the Sutton Hoo helmet.”
Sutton Hoo History is “Not a Finished Book”
Howarth noted that the Danish archaeological discovery and accompanying research demonstrate that the history of Sutton Hoo is “not a finished book.” According to Pentz, the helmet’s potential origin in Danish territory supports the theory that Denmark was more important in medieval times than previously thought.
However, Howarth said, “It’s quite a lot to pinpoint exactly the relationship and the power dynamic that was existing between Denmark, Sweden, and the community at Sutton Hoo at this time, just based off one find.” Pentz expressed hope that 3D scanning of the motifs on the helmet and the stamp—both of which appear very time-worn to the naked eye—will offer more definitive insights into their relationship.
