Æthelstan’s reign was defined by his relentless efforts to unite England. The most significant of these was his military campaign against the Vikings, particularly the kingdom of York, which had been a center of Viking power. In 927, Æthelstan defeated the Viking king, Olaf Guthfrithson, at the Battle of Brunanburh, a decisive victory that ceme

Æthelstan, often hailed as the "First King of England," played a pivotal role in shaping the early English nation-state. His reign, from 924 to 939, marked a crucial turning point in the unification of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, transforming them from a fragmented collection of territories into a unified kingdom. Æthelstan's political and military

While Sutton Hoo’s discovery was a landmark event in archaeology, its significance extended far beyond the excavation site. The artifacts uncovered during our work were carefully preserved and displayed at the British Museum, where they continue to inform our understanding of Anglo-Saxon culture. The ship-burial, in particular, has become a symbo

Among the most pivotal moments of my time at Sutton Hoo was overseeing the investigation of the ship-burial. In this burial, we found an incredible wealth of items: a sword, shield, helmet, and a variety of other objects that spoke volumes about the individual buried there. The boat itself, which had long decayed, had left behind a remarkable impri