Sunday, August 9, 2009

Sutton Hoo Ink



Click image(s) to see the larger version(s).

This tattoo, of the Dancing Warriors from the Sutton Hoo Helmet, comes from the Flickrstream of Prince Heathen and is licensed under Creative Commons. It was inked by Tatu Pier.

The photo of the helmet comes from the Flickrstream of Toothycat and is also licensed under Creative Commons. If you look closely you can just make out the Dancing Warriors above the left eye on this excellent replica.

The original Sutton Hoo Helmet comes from an Anglo-Saxon cemetery, in Suffolk, England, dating to the 6th and early 7th centuries; they are rich in artifacts and of great importance to history and archaeology. According to Wikipedia:
Sutton Hoo is of a primary importance to early medieval historians because it sheds light on a period of English history which is on the margin between myth, legend and historical documentation.
The helmet was crushed when the grave roof collapsed; it was fragmented into hundreds of pieces and required extensive reconstruction. Even so, the original helmet isn't perfect and gorgeous reproductions like the one above really do the helmet justice.

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