Sutton Hoo is particularly relevant today because of Netflix's new film, The Dig. You can see some of the objects recovered in the hoard here in my online museum, and you can learn more about them through the below video.
The Sutton Hoo Helmet, the centrepiece of the hoard, can be compared to the below work of art, Still Life with a Volume of Wither’s ‘Emblemes’, that can be found in Tate Britain.
As explained in my video, some of the symbolism on the helmet represents life, and some death. This is the same in this work of art. The musical instruments, wine and jewels represent life, and its pleasures, while the skull and the hour-glass symbolise the inevitability of death. Artworks that depict both the pleasures of life and symbols of death are known as vanitas.
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