![]() ![]() ![]() But who was it? And what can the Sutton Hoo excavation tell us about Anglo-Saxon society? This was clearly the grave of an important person – someone meant to be remembered. The archaeologists and landowner Edith Pretty were dumbfounded. More than a grave, it was a spectacular funerary monument on an epic scale: a 27m (88.6ft) long ship with a burial chamber full of dazzling riches.Īs Basil and a team of archaeologists dug deeper, they unearthed fine feasting vessels, deluxe hanging bowls, silverware from distant Byzantium, luxurious textiles, gold dress accessories set with Sri Lankan garnets and the iconic helmet with human mask. Click here to explore the Sutton Hoo goods at the British Museum.Amateur archaeologist Basil Brown famously made the discovery of a lifetime back in 1939, when he brushed away the Suffolk soil and revealed the richest intact early medieval grave in Europe. For more information on Edith Pretty’s life and adventures see Edith Pretty: From socialite to Sutton Hoo (pub 2006) by Mary Skelcher a nd Chris Durrant. I highly recommend the guided tour and the Tranmer House (Edith Pretty’s former home). Her motivations were probably more personal, though her donation of the extensive collection of Anglo-Saxon finds was in many ways a public act that allows the public to continue to admire and study these goods.įor anyone who finds themself in southeast England, a trip to the mounds at Sutton Hoo is well worth the trek. While there was possibly a spiritual dimension to Edith’s patronage, her dislike of public attention and rejection of the honor of the Order of Commander of the British Empire offered to her by Winston Churchill suggests that power (or at least public power) was not a motivation for her. Medieval historians tend to emphasize patronage as acts of both power and religious devotion. There were complex motivations for women’s patronage and certainly the reasons behind these acts have changed over time. Edith donated the entire discovery to the British Museum (the largest bequest during the lifetime of the giver).Įdith Pretty is a 20th century example of a long history of female patronage. An official inquest declared the items the legal property of Edith Petty. ![]() ![]() Although not a Viking Queen burial as Edith believed, by 1939, it was clear the mounds contained an exceptional find and they gained public attention. Whatever her motivation, Basil Brown, an archaeologist for the Ipswich museum, soon arrived to begin excavations. Possibly it was the sudden shift in her life after her husband’s death and struggle with her own illness. Some reports say that a friend’s sighting of a ghostly figure on the mounds or her involvement with spiritualism influenced her decision. Edith knew of an earlier investigation that uncovered a large number of ship-rivets. No one is sure what caused Edith to investigate the mounds in 1937- 11 years after the purchase of the property. Shortly afterwards, in addition to a young child and her own illness reportedly contracted while she was pregnant, Frank became very sick eventually dying in 1934. Edith discovered she was pregnant four years later. Following her father’s death and at the age of 42, Edith married Frank. After her mother’s death, she remained with her father despite reportedly repeated proposals of marriage from Frank Pretty. Upon entering the Edwardian house, visitors experience the world of Edith Pretty, the woman behind the Sutton Hoo discovery, including a view of the mounds from her sitting room windows.Įdith was born on Auginto the wealthy Dempster family, and she spent her early years extensively traveling the world. An equally interesting story, however, is told in the house located roughly 500 yards from the mound s. Although the ships had long since deteriorated, the people who constructed the mounds and their goods continue to fascinate us. The discovery was significant because while most mound burials had been looted (mounds acted as billboards declaring ‘dig your way to wealth’), these burials still contained an abundance of undisturbed goods. In the early 20 th century, two 6th century ships with elaborately adorned weapons and other goods were uncovered in burial mounds at Sutton Hoo. ![]()
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