“The Sutton Hoo Treasures – Glitter and Understanding of a Vanished Time”

The Sutton Hoo burial ship is the largest hoard when measured comprehensively over both variety and value in the British Isles to date.  Some hoards have many more coins, broaches, or torques; others have more gold or silver, none match the range, workmanship, and embedded value found in the Sutton Hoo royal burial ship.

Aside from the exquisite workmanship of the individual accoutrements, we find the personal gameboard of the king. The name of this game is “Rebels and Thanes”. It consists as larger force of rebels who are attempting to immobilize and capture the king while his loyal thanes (royal retainers) are screening his movements as they try to reach safety in any one of four loyal fortresses.  A poignant glimpse of the 8^th century CE political landscape if there ever was one!  Equally interesting are feasting bowls and other banquet items some from as far away as Byzantium.  Nothing is forgotten, there are even pieces of a tarlike substance, bitumen, to patch the funeral boat (should it leak) and payment for the steersman, sailing master, and crew in the form of golden coins and bars. Join us for comprehensive view of these items and many others.

We will also cover the scientific methods applied to determine the markup, origin, hidden stories of particular items of the hoard.  These laboratory archeology insights will complete the picture. 

Guest Speaker:  Bill Preinitz

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!