Gold Belt Buckle Sutton Hoo

Constructed from several separate pieces its body forms a hinged box with an ingenious triple lock mechanism.

Gold belt buckle sutton hoo. The sutton hoo belt buckle. One such buckle found in a 7th century grave at finglesham kent in 1965 bears the image of a naked. Unearthed suffolk treasures swept away misconceptions and. This magnificent buckle found in the ship burial was made of gold and weighs 412 7 grams.

Gold belt buckle hollow with cast ornament. This type of animal ornament was popular with many germanic speaking peoples at the time. The mourners at sutton hoo chose and arranged the. This gold belt buckle is a masterpiece of early medieval craftsmanship made using over 400g of gold with an intricate decoration of intertwining creatures inlaid with niello a black metal alloy.

Sutton hoo ship burial sutton hoo ship burial video the sutton hoo purse lid. The presence of the coin shaped blanks suggests that the number of coins was deliberately. From the sutton hoo ship burial mound 1 england uk. I created a linocut illustration of the gold belt buckle discovered at sutton hoo s ship burial mound in 1939.

It provides remarkable insights into early anglo saxon england. This gold belt buckle from sutton hoo is one of the greatest achievements of anglo saxon metalwork. Belt buckle sutton hoo early 7th century gold. The upper surface is covered entirely with zoomorphic interlace the design picked out in tiny punched circles and inlaid except on the loop in niello.

The trustees of the british museum. Gold belt buckle the metal and decoration on saxon s buckle reflected the wealth and status of their owner. Made using over 400 grams of gold its intricate decoration shows 13 intertwining creatures inlaid with niello a black metal alloy. Situated on either side of the boss at the tip of the buckle two animals grip a.

Weighing more than 400 grams the buckle is actually a hollow box that opens at the back on a hinge beneath the loop. The suttton hoo buckle is a superlative example of of this type of animal ornament which was popular with many germanic people at that time. There was a purse among the burial goods which contained 37 gold coins 3 coin shaped blanks and 2 small gold ingots. Three large plain hemispherical bosses connect with sliding catches on the back plate which opens on a hinge.

This spectacular gold buckle from the sutton hoo ship burial shows that the person commemorated there was of great importance. The intricate decoration comprises a web of 13 snakes predatory birds and long limbed.