The true origin of the Sutton Hoo helmet: Archaeologists are amazed as analysis reveals the iconic metal headpiece was NOT from Sweden after all
- READ MORE: Were the people laid to rest at Sutton Hoo really royals?
For almost a century, the Sutton Hoo burial site has offered a tantalising glimpse into Britain's ancient history.
Of the incredible riches found at the site, the most impressive of all is the Sutton Hoo helmet; considered one of the greatest treasures of the Anglo-Saxon world.
Until now, archaeologists believed that the helmet made its way to Britain from Sweden as a diplomatic gift or heirloom.
But a new discovery by a metal detectorist has cast doubt on the helmet's origins - and could re-write the story of early European history.
Of the many decorations on the shattered helmet - made sometime in the 7th century - are two small panels which show warriors riding on horseback.
According to an analysis by the National Museum of Denmark, those panels bear a striking resemblance to a small metal stamp found on the Danish island of Taasinge.
This raises the tantalising possibility that it hailed from Denmark, and not Sweden.
Peter Pentz, a curator at the National Museum of Denmark, told the Ritzau news agency: 'When the likeness is as strong as it is here, it could mean that they were not only made in the same place but even by the same craftsmen.'
The Sutton Hoo helmet is the most significant artefact from the Sutton Hoo burial site in Suffolk. Made sometime in the 7th Century, archaeologists believe the helmet may have made its way to Britain from Sweden as a diplomatic gift or heirloom. Pictured: A reconstruction of the helmet at the British Museum
Now, a discovery by Danish archaeologist Jan Hjort (pictured) suggests that the helmet might not be from Sweden
The famous helmet discovered at Sutton Hoo was shattered into hundreds of pieces, but archaeologists were able to reassemble it, revealing intricate patterns and decorations.
These include a motif of a mounted warrior riding over a prone man.
Until now, archaeologists believed this design was influenced by earlier Roman styles and may have come from Uppland in Eastern Sweden, where similar warrior motifs have been found on helmets.
However, researchers from the National Museum now say they have discovered an artefact which calls that story into doubt.
Local archaeologist Jan Hjort was scouring the fields of Taasinge in 2023 when he discovered a small, flat metal object just four centimetres by five centimetres.
After turning the find into the local museum, this piece of metal was revealed to be a type of stamp or die known as a 'patrice'.
Thin sheets of metal could be placed over the patrice and beaten with a hammer to imprint the design onto the sheet.
The design in question in this case is a man, mounted on a horse riding over a fallen figure which experts say is even closer to the Sutton Hoo design than the Swedish versions.
Mr Hjort discovered this small metal stamp on the island of Taasinge in southern Denmark. Researchers say its design bears a strong resemblance to that of the Sutton Hoo helmet
The design on the metal stamp or 'patrice' (left) is very similar to the one found on the Sutton Hoo helmet (right). According to the Danish National Museum, this suggests they may have been made at the same site or even by the same craftsmen
The Sutton Hoo ship burial dates to between around AD 610 and AD 635, when the site belonged to the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of East Anglia. It was discovered in 1939 by Basil Brown
The researchers point to details like the lines beneath the horseman's foot and the edge of the prone man's foot which are the same on both the patrice and the Sutton Hoo helmet fragments.
While Mr Pentz acknowledges that the motifs could be inspired by one another, he argues that this level of similarity cannot be dismissed as nothing more than imitation.
Some historians believe that the island of Taasinge was home to a seventh-century metal works and thin sheets of metal that could have been used in stamping foils have been found in the area.
'That could provide strong evidence that the Sutton Hoo helmet was actually made in Taasinge, which would make it an incredible find,' says Mr Penz.
However, there are several issues standing in the way of this theory - most notably that the Sutton Hoo helmet is fragmented and the patrice quite worn.
Additionally, the Taasinge stamp is such a small piece of metal that it very easily could have been transported form elsewhere.
But, if the Sutton Hoo helmet really did come from Denmark rather than Sweden, it stands to upend what historians believe about the balance of power in seventh-century Europe.
The researchers suggest that Sweden and England may have been outposts of a Danish power centre and that the helmet shows a strong connection to Denmark as the central power of the region.
The Taasinge stamp (pictured) could be evidence that the Sutton Hoo helmet came from Demark rather than Sweden. If so, this would re-write what many historians believe about seventh-century Europe
According to researchers from the National Museum of Denmark the Sutton Hoo helmet could be a sign of England's close ties to a greater power centre in Denmark. This would suggest that Denmark was much more important than previously thought
Mr Pentz says: 'It is still too early to draw any conclusions, but it does indicate that Denmark played a more important role during this period than previously assumed.
'We often attribute the uniting of the kingdom to Harald Bluetooth in the 10th century, but Denmark could have been relatively united and powerful as early as 600 CE. It is a find that challenges previous theories, and that is always exciting.'
But not everyone is convinced that this find is as revolutionary as the National Museum of Denmark suggests.
Dr Helen Gittos, a medieval historian from the University of Oxford, told MailOnline that the stamp was an 'interesting find' but that the motif was far from unique.
Dr Gittos says: 'The imagery fits with similar examples found in Valsgarde, Sweden, as well as in southern Germany and elsewhere.
'It’s always particularly helpful to find evidence for metalworking activity and it adds to the sense of quite how interconnected were the military elites of this period in north-western Europe.'
The Sutton Hoo ship burial dates to between around AD 610 and AD 635, when the site belonged to the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of East Anglia.
It was back in 1939 that amateur archaeologist Basil Brown discovered the site, when he brushed away the Suffolk soil on request of local woman Edith Pretty.
However, proving a connection may be challenging since the Sutton Hoo helmet exists in hundreds of fragments (pictured). This makes it hard to show that fine details match between the two artefacts
He uncovered evidence of an epic funerary monument – an 88.6-foot-long ship with a burial chamber full of luxury goods.
The ship's wood rotted away in the acidic soil over the course of 1,300 years, leaving only a ghostly imprint.
Later analysis detected phosphate in the soil – an indicator that a human body once lay at rest there.
The alkaline human bones were corroded, meaning we'll likely never know the identity of who was buried there.
The people buried here left no written records, so it's impossible to know exactly who they were, but historians have long claimed Sutton Hoo was the cemetery for the royal dynasty of East Anglia, the Wuffingas.
It's been said a king or great warrior of East Anglia was laid to rest surrounded by his treasures – possibly King Rædwald, according to the National Trust.
The figure's royal status is indicated by the vast collection of more than 260 artefacts found buried alongside them.
Those include items like a shield and drinking horns with connections to Scandinavia and the iconic Sutton Hoo helmet.
WHEN DID CHRISTIANITY COME TO BRITAIN?
In the first century after Christ, Britain had its own gods: Pagan gods of the Earth, and Roman gods of the sky. But soon after, Christianity came to the British Isles.
While people tend to associate the arrival of Christianity in Britain with the mission of St Augustine, who was dispatched to England by the Pope to convert the pagan Anglo-Saxon kings, in 597AD, Christianity arrived long before then in the 1st century AD.
It started when Roman artisans and traders who arrived in Britain began spreading the story of Jesus along with stories of their Pagan gods.
Marble head representing Emperor Constantine the Great, at the Capitoline Museums
At the time, Christianity was one cult among many, but unlike roman cults, Christianity required exclusive fidelity from its followers.
This led to Roman authorities persecuting Christian, who were then forced to meet and worship in secret.
But Roman Emperor Constantine saw appeal in a single religion with a single God, and he saw that Christianity could be used to unite his Empire.
From 313 AD onwards, Christian worship was permitted within the Roman Empire.
During the 4th Century, British Christianity became more visible but it had not yet become widespread. Pagan beliefs were still common and Christianity was a minority faith.
It looked as if Paganism might pervade over Christianity when, after the departure of the Romans, new invaders arrived: Angles, Saxons and Jutes.
Yet Christianity survived on the Western edges of Britain. Missionary activity continued in Wales and Ireland, and in Western Scotland Saint Columba helped to bring a distinctly Irish brand of Christianity to mainland Britain.
It can also be argued that it was St Augustine's famous mission in 597 AD from the Pope in Rome to King Aethelbert of Kent that definitively set up the future of Christianity in Britain, creating an alliance between Christianity and royals.
