The discovery at Sutton Hoo unlocked the darkest medieval age in Europe. The 1400 year old helmet was discovered in 1939 by Basil Brown on the estate of Edith Pretty in Suffolk, England. The helmet was buried in a vast Anglo Saxon grave from the 7th century.

This art history video discusses the impact the Sutton Hoo discovery had on our understanding of Anglo Saxon culture and provides a description of the helmet’s construction and symbolism.