Sutton Hoo and the Goths

with Dr Sam Newton

in The Old Court, Sutton Hoo (map)
on Sutton Hoo, 4th February 2012

We begin with a look at some of the treasures from Sutton Hoo and the art historical connections they reveal between the Wuffings and the peoples of Europe, especially the Goths. We shall reconsider the epic story of the rise and tragic fall of the Goths, and how their reputation in the history of Christendom has been overshadowed by the propaganda of their greatest enemy, Byzantium, which has led since to their association with darkness. We shall see how differently they were remembered in Old English and related heroic verse, where they were often held in high honour. Through texts such as the extraordinary Old English poem Widsith, we can glimpse something of a lost Gothic golden age. This may point to possible answers to some of the questions raised by the art historical connections revealed at Sutton Hoo.

Sam Newton was awarded his Ph.D at UEA in 1991 and is the author of The Origins of Beowulf and the pre-Viking Kingdom of East Anglia (1993) and The Reckoning of King Rædwald, (2003). He has lectured widely around the country as an independent scholar and has contributed to many radio and television programmes. He is also a Director of Wuffing Education, NADFAS lecturer, and Time Team historian.

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