Sutton Hoo Sword, 7th century

Early Anglo-Saxon Sutton Hoo Sword with Scabbard, 7th century

The archaeological site of Sutton Hoo, located in the English region of East Anglia, contains numerous burial mounds. The most famous among them is the ship burial, from which remarkably well-preserved and valuable artefacts dating to the early 7th century were excavated in 1939. Among the best-known finds from this grave (widely believed to be the final resting place of King Rædwald of East Anglia) are the famous Great Gold Buckle and the Helmet of Sutton Hoo – both significant testimonies to the quality of Anglo-Saxon craftsmanship.

The magnificent one-handed sword offered here is based on a sword – more precisely on fragments of a finely crafted sword hilt with a golden cocked-hat pommel inlaid with garnets – which was discovered in the same burial chamber. The surviving parts of this prestigious weapon are now displayed at the British Museum in London.

The blade of this detailed reconstruction of the Sutton Hoo sword is a classic Germanic blade from the early medieval period (broad, straight, double-edged). It is made from EN45 spring steel and features a broad fuller running almost the entire length on both sides. The parallel edges are unsharpened.

Like the original artefact, the richly decorated hilt is composed of several parts riveted together. The grip consists of a wooden core wrapped in leather and decorated with antiqued brass clips or brackets. The composite pommel and guard both share the same three-part construction – a wooden layer inserted between two brass plates. The pommel cap made of brass and red enamel faithfully replicates the intricate pattern of the museum original.

This early medieval one-handed sword comes complete with a brown wooden scabbard covered with leather, with a wooden suspension loop (max. belt width 5 cm) and an antiqued brass chape.

The sword is designed as a collector’s or decorative piece.

• Material: EN45 spring steel blade (high-carbon steel, not stainless), leather-wrapped wooden grip with brass fittings, guard and pommel base made of wood and brass, brass and enamel pommel cap

• Overall length: approx. 89 cm

• Blade length: approx. 74 cm

• Blade thickness: approx. 4.5 mm (edges approx. 1 mm)

• Hilt length: approx. 15 cm (grip approx. 11 cm)

• Maximum blade width: approx. 5 cm

• Point of balance: approx. 17 cm from the guard

• Includes wooden scabbard with genuine leather cover, wooden suspension loop and antiqued brass fittings

• Weight without scabbard: approx. 1.2 kg

• Weight with scabbard: approx. 1.6 kg

The steel used is not stainless and may show slight surface discoloration in places. We recommend maintaining the blade and scabbard regularly, for example using Ballistol Universal Oil, which is ideal for steel care.