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The Sutton Hoo Helmet
The Sutton Hoo helmet from the ship-burial at Sutton Hoo, Mound 1, England, late 500s to early 600.
This is one of the only four complete helmets that survive from Anglo-Saxon England. It has been painstakingly reconstructed from the shattered condition in which it was found. The Sutton Hoo Helmet's exceptional survival and haunting appearance have made it an icon of the early medieval period. The helmet consists of an iron cap with a crest, neck guard, cheek-pieces, and face mask. It was originally covered with tinned copper alloy panels and decorated with animal and warrior motifs. Viewed together, the helmet's mouth, nose, and eyebrows form the image of a flying beast. Similar helmets are known from eastern Sweden, implying shared cultural traditions and interactions with East Anglia. The scarcity of surviving Anglo-Saxon helmets indicates that only those of great status could possess them.
The British Museum, London.
Questions & Answers
What are the oldest weapons in the world?
- The oldest weapons in the world are spears, specifically the spears found in Schöningen, Germany in 1995 dated to c. 400,000 BCE
What were weapons originally made of?
- Weapons were originally made of wood and stone.
What is the oldest gun in the world?
- The oldest firearm found to date is the Heilongjiang Hand Cannon from China, dated to c. 1288.
What are the oldest swords in the world?
- The oldest swords in the world were discovered only in the 1980s at Arslantepe Mound in Turkey and date to c. 3300 BCE.
