A Wealth of Evidence: The Identity of the Man Commemorated at Sutton Hoo

Authors

  • Dmitri Phillips

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6017/eurj.v3i1.8979

Keywords:

Spring 2007, humanities, history

Abstract

The history of England did not begin with the Industrial Revolution and not everything supposed about the Anglo-Saxons reduces to the myth of King Arthur and the Round Table. Contrary to commonly held beliefs, the Dark Ages of the North were full of splendor and brilliance; the only thing dark about them is their enshrouded history, but that only makes them all the more fascinating. The great burial mound at Sutton Hoo in East Anglia, discovered just before World War II, shines as one of the most grandiose sepulchers in history, yet the identity of its occupant remains a mystery. Was it a wealthy merchant, a warrior from overseas, or a great king? This paper gathers, presents, and scrutinizes the evidence and arguments from ancient records, opulate grave-goods, and contemporary investigations in an attempt to determine the most likely candidate for the individual interred in Mound 1 at Sutton Hoo.

Author Biography

Dmitri Phillips

Dmitri Phillips is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Philosophy and Linguistics. Interested in all things ancient, the present work was originally developed for a presentation in Professor Nancy Netzer's Early Medieval Art of Ireland and Britain class. Though art and history are the predominant elements in this endeavor, theology, philosophy, and even philology receive their tributes-rightly-at some points in the work.

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Published

2007-04-15

How to Cite

Phillips, D. (2007). A Wealth of Evidence: The Identity of the Man Commemorated at Sutton Hoo. Elements, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.6017/eurj.v3i1.8979

Issue

Section

Articles