Sutton Hoo is an archaeological site located near the town of Woodbridge, in Suffolk, East Anglia, England. This site is best known for the Anglo-Saxon burial mounds that were discovered during the first half of the 20th century, including a magnificent ship burial, which is popularly believed to have belonged to an Anglo-Saxon king. This is due to the exquisite grave goods that were discovered in the ship’s burial chamber. These artifacts also allow us to gain some insights into early Anglo-Saxon England, at least with regards to its elites.
The 27-meter (88.58 ft.) ship is so well-known and valued for its archaeological significance today that it was recreated as a large steel sculpture in April 2019. BBC News writes“The National Trust said the ghostly representation was the "wow factor"” for the revamped Anglo-Saxon site. Mike Hopwood, visitor experience project manager, hopes the sculpture will help people get a better perspective on just how large and important Sutton Hoo is. He said, “When you stand next to the boat you realise what a significant achievement that was.”
The new sculpture at Sutton Hoo. (National Trust)