The oldest surviving example of Old English poetry, Beowulf shares with the Sutton Hoo remarkable treasures the odds of a long concealed and forgotten destiny.
In the summer of 1939, a few miles from the windy Suffolk coast, at Sutton Hoo, archaeologists made a stunning discovery: the undisturbed magnificent tomb of an Anglo-Saxon warrior chieftain. Dating back to the early seventh century, the tomb was revealed to contain a burial chamber built at the centre of a 27-meter long ship. The chamber was filled with a vast array of artefacts from different corners of the world: weapons and armour, elaborate gold jewellery, silver tableware and feasting gear, various coins, alongside other more mundane domestic objects. The diverse origin of the objects, their exceptional craftsmanship and abundance bespeak the high status of the deceased, probably a royal figure. Since no remains of a body were found, the identity of the interred man-if ever a body had been buried there-has remained a mystery. And yet, the items found in the mound are telling of the essentials of Anglo-Saxon values and culture. Loyalty, honour, bravery, duty, sacrifice were at the hub of the Anglo-Saxon warrior culture. For the Anglo-Saxons were true valiant warriors and deemed worthy adversaries by their opponents. Prowess and valour in battle, unflinching courage in the face of death, unswerving devotion to his lord were the main prerequisites that made a warrior admirable and honourable. Contrariwise, cowardice and betrayal of one's lord and peers would bring dishonour and "a life of disgrace" (Beowulf 2891) worse than death. He who had forsworn his loyalty oath and deserted his fellow warriors would be banished and disowned by his family and kindred. Had he survived his lord's demise on the battlefield, he would have been found guilty of the worst breaches of the warrior's code of honour. There were mutual obligations and benefits between a lord and his thanes (knights). For his part the lord was honour-bound to reward his warriors for their deeds of valour and bestow upon them generous gifts. High-value gifts, such as those found on the Sutton Hoo archaeological site, built up the credentials and fame of the holder. They were expressions of social status which validated both the lord's power and magnanimity together with the warrior's eminence, fidelity and audacity. Gifts were part of the owner's persona. They were to be taken in afterlife to testify to the social standing and outstanding reputation of the departed. They were emblems of power and promises of continuity. So more unfortunate the dishonoured knights who would be doomed for eternity. Another gem which had been hidden for centuries, this time in a private library, was the Beowulf manuscript. The oldest surviving example of Old English poetry, Beowulf shares with the Sutton Hoo remarkable treasures the odds of a long concealed and forgotten destiny. Moreover, they both offer invaluable glimpses into the material and spiritual culture of the Anglo-Saxons, into the values and beliefs of this pagan people whose legacy could have been lost forever.