Sutton Hoo treasures reveal ancient global connections - with Sue Brunning

The Sutton Hoo treasures, discovered in an excavation in the south-east of England in 1939 at the outbreak of WW2, changed our understanding of the early Middle Ages, sometimes described as the Dark Ages. Since being donated to the Museum these treasures have been researched, scientifically studied and even been in a particle accelerator, as they continue to add to our knowledge of that time. We’ve given a handful of Sutton Hoo buttons, belt buckles and sword mounts, each finely bejewelled in garnet, their own Passport. And stamp by stamp, we fill in locations, dates, research, science and other information to build a fuller picture of how far reaching and well-connected this early Medieval world was and how skilled and cultured its people really were. By following the chronology of research into the objects from the moment they were found to the present day, Sue Brunning the Curator of Early Medieval European Collections explores how new discoveries continue to transform our understanding of the world at this time. 0:00 Intro 00:41 Discoveries from the Sutton Hoo ship burial 01:36 Sutton Hoo jewelled shoulder clasp 03:25 Sutton Hoo jewelled button and sword strap mount 05:05 The excavation of the Sutton Hoo mounds in 1939 08:00 Comparing the garnet finds with other discoveries 10:18 Why garnet cloisonne is special 15:45 Where did the garnets come from and how do we know? 16:36 Scientific testing of the garnets using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) 17:08 A Particle Accelerator (PIXE) reveal where they came from 19:44 Conclusion #suttonhoo #history #darkagesunveilled