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Year 4 Reading Challenge- Autumn 2

Sutton Hoo

By about 600, England was divided into small Anglo-Saxon kingdoms each ruled by a king. Much of what we know about the Anglo-Saxons comes from graves like the one discovered at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk.Near the River Deben in Suffolk, at Sutton Hoo, are eleven mounds or ‘barrows’ dating back to the 7th century. In 1939 archaelogists explored the largest mound and discovered a ship buried in the mound. On a small hill above the river Deben in Suffolk is a field, covered with grassy mounds of different sizes. For several hundred years what lay under the mounds remained a mystery.

What happened at Sutton Hoo?

About 66 years ago, an archaeologist called Basil Brown started digging under the mounds. The mounds are Anglo Saxon graves and the contents show the technology and traditions of a culture that was in England 1,600 years ago. Basil discovered that the reason why it was so big. It was hiding a huge wooden ship buried under the soil. The ship had rotted away, but the shape of it was clearly left behind in the earth. The ship was 27 metres long and 4.25 meters wide at its widest point (almost ninety-feet long and fifteen-feet wide). It would have taken about 20 oarsmen on either side to row it! The ship had been put there and used as a grave. Archaeologists think that the ship was dragged to the top of the hill from the river below. It was then placed in a ditch that had been specially dug for it. A hut was built in the middle of the ship and the coffin and treasures placed inside. The ship was then completely covered with a mound of earth. The person was buried in the ship because they believed that this was the best way to reach the After Life.

What did they find?

The objects in the grave would have been the personal possessions or weapons of the person ‘buried’ with the ship to use in the afterlife. A sword was found alongside the body, by the right arm. The end of the handle of the sword was made of gold and contained a precious red jewel.  The sword was made of iron. The sword was the most important weapon in Anglo-Saxon times. It was often passed down from father to son. Warriors were buried with their swords beside them. The person in the ship was buried with lots of expensive household goods, including rich clothes, pieces for playing games, and a lyre (a bit like a guitar). This large bronze bowl is one of three that would have hung on tripods in a great hall. It was filled with wine or water, so that people could dip their cups into it, or wash their fingers after feasting. The silver from the ship burial is the largest collection of silver ever recovered from a grave. It was probably used as tableware during feasting in the great hall. The bowls were made in the Middle East in about AD 500. Finding them in the grave tells us that trade between England and the rest of Europe was common in Anglo Saxon times. The Anglo-Saxons liked to show off their wealth. This is the lid of a leather purse that would have hung from a belt. The purse, with gold decoration, is the richest one found from the Saxons time. The purse contained 37 gold coins. These coins helped to date the burial and provide some clues about who was buried in the grave. The coins date around AD 613.

Were all Anglo-Saxons buried in ships?

Ship burials were reserved for the most powerful people. Sometimes the burial ships were cast adrift in the sea, sometimes the ships were buried on land. Important men, especially if they were warriors, were buried with weapons such as a sword, spears and a shield. Most ordinary Anglo-Saxon people were cremated (burnt) after they died, their remain were placed in urns and buried in the ground. The burial was of an important Anglo-Saxon chief, probably King Raedwald who ruled East Anglia in the seventh century. He was one of the most powerful Saxon kings.

Bronze:

Who made the discovery at Sutton Hoo?

What is the purpose of this text?

List words and phrases that identify information to be historical and why?

List three things that were discovered at the Burial ground.

Silver:

What evidence is there in the text to suggest the person found at the burial was a rich warrior?

Gold:

Write a diary entry to show the feelings of the person who discovered the sight.

74 responses to “Year 4 Reading Challenge- Autumn 2”

  1. Zahraa Y.

    Bronze
    1:Basil brown
    2:sutton hoo
    3: england 1600 it tells how old england history is
    4: rotten ship,sword,coins

  2. Mohammed I.

    Bronze
    Archioligist Basil Brown
    Information about discovery of Sutton Hoo
    dating back to the 8th century, about 66 years ago, England 1600 years ago
    These phrases tell us how much old England history was found
    A wooden rotten ship, swords, coins
    Silver
    All the belongings found next to the burried persob were precious e.g a sword with golden handle and expensive hous hold goods.

  3. Mohammed I.

    Archealohist Basil Brown Who made it.
    Information about discovery of Sutton Hoo
    Dating back to the 8th century, about 66 years ago, England 600 years ago.

  4. Mehreen I.

    Bronze
    1.Archealohist Basil Brown
    2. Information about discovery of Sutton Hoo
    3. dating back to the 8th century, about 66 years ago, England 1600 years ago
    These phrases tell us how much old England history was found
    4 A wooden rotten ship, swords, coins
    Silver
    All the belongings found next to the burried persob were precious e.g a sword with golden handle and expensive hous hold goods.

  5. Eman A.

    Bronze:

    Who made the discovery at Sutton Hoo?
    1.the person who discovered Sutton Hoo was an archaeologist called Basil Brown .
    What is the purpose of this text?
    2.the purpose of this text is that it tells us information about the discovery of Sutton Hoo.
    List words and phrases that identify information to be historical and why?
    thees are the words that are to be historical:
    ‘About 66 years ago’
    ‘By about 600’
    ‘In 1939’
    ‘covered’
    ‘that was in England 1,600 years ago.’
    thees words/phrases are important because they are talking about the past and they are telling the reader when the “Sutton Hoo ” discovery happened .
    List three things that were discovered at the Burial ground.
    the three things that were discovered at the Burial ground were:
    a huge wooden rotten ship
    people who was buried in the ship
    coins which helped to date the year that it was buried
    personal possessions and weapons such as swords.
    silver

    What evidence is there in the text to suggest the person found at the burial was a rich warrior?
    the evidence in the text to suggest the person at the burial was a rich warrior is that the sword which was found alongside the body.The end of the handle of the sword was made of gold and contained a precious red jewel that might have been given to them by a king.The sword also was made of expensive iron. The sword was the most important weapon in Anglo-Saxon times , a person in the ship was also found to be buried with lots of expensive household things or jewels that they were often given to them by the king of their city this also included this persons rich clothes

  6. Seher A.

    Bronze
    Basil Brown made the discovery.

    The purpose of the text is to give information about Anglo-Saxon and Sutton Hoo.

    eleven mounds or barrows dating back to the 7th century, coins dated around AD 613,The bowls were made in the Middle East in about AD 500.

    The items discovered at the burial ground were, Sword made of iron and a Lyre similar to a guitar and a large collection of silver.

    Silver
    The person in the ship was buried with lots of expensive household goods, including rich clothes, pieces for playing games, and a lyre.

  7. Seher A.

    Bronze
    Basil Brown made the discovery.

    The purpose of the text is to give information about Anglo-Saxon and Sutton Hoo.

    Near the River Deben in Suffolk, at Sutton Hoo, are eleven mounds or barrows dating back to the 7th century, coins dated around AD 613,The bowls were made in the Middle East in about AD 500.

    The items discovered at the burial ground were, Sword made of iron and a Lyre similar to a guitar and a large collection of silver.

    Silver
    The person in the ship was buried with lots of expensive household goods, including rich clothes, pieces for playing games, and a lyre.

  8. Lexi M.

    Bronze
    Basil Brown made the discovery of sutton hoo.
    The purpose of this text is sutton hoo.
    About 66 years ago.
    .sword
    .rich clothes
    .wooden ship
    SILVER
    The evidence is that there was rich clothes.

  9. Jasiah A.

    Bronze
    1.An archaeologist called Basil Brown made the discovery at Sutton Hoo.
    2. The text gives us insights into early Anglo-Saxon England.
    3. Dating back to the 7th century, 1,600 years ago and
    about AD 500.
    All these dates are over 500 years ago.
    4. A sword
    Rich clothes
    Pieces of playing games.

  10. Aro M.

    Bronz
    Basil browen made a discovery to find Sutton hoo.
    The purpose of this text was finding information about Sutton Hook.
    About 66, 66 years ago, 1,600 year ago.
    Rich clothes
    Sword
    Found gold and jewelry

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