Anglo-Saxon grave goods
I can explain how archaeologists have used grave goods to make inferences about Anglo-Saxon Britain.
Anglo-Saxon grave goods
I can explain how archaeologists have used grave goods to make inferences about Anglo-Saxon Britain.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- One of the main sources of evidence archaeologists use to investigate the Anglo-Saxons are their grave goods.
- The Sutton Hoo burial mound was discovered in East Anglia in 1938; it contained the grave goods of an Anglo-Saxon king.
- Intricate gold and bronze jewellery has helped archaeologists to understand that the Anglo-Saxons were skilled artisans.
- Some pieces contain garnets that probably came from as far away as India; silver plates and bowls were from Byzantium.
- A beautiful bronze helmet, a sword and the remains of a boat show how important warfare was to Anglo-Saxon culture.
Keywords
Grave goods - grave goods are objects buried in people's graves, providing insights into their culture and daily life
Artisan - an artisan is a skilled craftsperson who creates objects by hand, often using traditional techniques and tools
Garnet - garnet is a precious gemstone that comes in various colours, often used in jewellery and decorative items
Byzantium - Byzantium is the name of an ancient Greek city which was an important centre of trade and culture, now known as Istanbul
Common misconception
Students may think that we only know about the Anglo-Saxons because of written history.
We know mostly about the Anglo-Saxons because of grave goods and other archeological finds.
To help you plan your year 5 history lesson on: Anglo-Saxon grave goods, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 5 history lesson on: Anglo-Saxon grave goods, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 2 history lessons from the The Anglo-Saxons: how do we know about life in Anglo-Saxon England? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
a country or area ruled by a king or queen
to set something up to last a very long time
a place where people choose to begin a community