Sutton Hoo & Syria: The Anglo-Saxons who served in the Byzantine Army?

Abstract

The Sutton Hoo ship burial is the most famous example of what we now call princely burials. The recent publication of the example from Prittlewell (Essex) has brought our knowledge of them into sharper focus but some questions remain. Here I want to focus on one of them: why were these men buried with so many objects from the East Mediterranean? The conventional view is that they probably acquired them as gifts or through trade. But I want to argue for another explanation which opens up a new view on this period of early Anglo-Saxon history.

The Medieval Seminar Series is sponsored by the World Archaeology Section at the UCL Institute of Archaeology and the British Museum. All meetings start at 6.15pm at the UCL Institute of Archaeology. 

• The programme for the 2022-23 Institute of Archaeology/British Museum Medieval Seminar Series is available here»

Seminar Series Convenors:

• Sue Brunning (British Museum)
• Andrew Reynolds (Institute of Archaeology)

Meetings Secretary:

• Iain MacDonald (Institute of Archaeology)