HIST 223 Medieval Europe: History Illuminated: The Sutton Hoo Gold Belt Buckle

Considered one of the greatest works of Anglo-Saxon craftsmanship, the Sutton Hoo gold belt buckle was an artifact traced to the early 7th century and was found on the Sutton Hoo ship burial in 1939. The artifacts on the ship gave a lot of insight to warrior life in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Belt buckles in Anglo-Saxon England could show off someones wealth and status depending on the type of metal and the fineness of decoration. In fact, the incredible gold on the belt buckle could signify that the person who owned this was of great importance.

The belt buckle itself consists of a hollow box that opens on a hinge underneath the loop and boasts a triple-lock mechanism. The surface of the belt buckle contains many instances of animals and beasts (which were very in fashion at the time in England) that can be highly difficult to find. For instance, there are 13 snakes that lay on the plate and the circular tongue shield. It also includes bird heads on the shoulders, four-legged beasts with extensive limbs, and two animals holding a dog-like animal in their jaws. To better see these animal designs, the creator instilled black nielo outline to contrast with the gold, tracing their bodies on the buckle. The meanings of these creatures have been lost to time, but some speculate that these images represent the beasts of God's creation or a more old-fashioned meaning where animals were a big factor.

The ship burial where the gold buckle was found in the first place was dug up by Edith Pretty, the landowner, and archaeologist Basil Brown on the Sutton Hoo property close to the coast of Suffolk. The quality and quantity (263 objects in total) of the burial astounded historians, as the ship contained even contained some Byzantine and Mideast treasures, deepening historians' knowledge of trade routes between Medieval Europe and the Anglo-Saxons. Edith eventually gave the artifacts to the British Museum in London.