Reconstructed shield from the ship burial at Sutton Hoo

The Sutton Hoo shield is the most ornate shield to have survived from this period. This reconstruction is made from a modern wooden board covered with hide, and the original metal fittings. The emblems include a bird-of-prey and a six-winged dragon with bared teeth. These beasts may have represented the warrior's strength and offered symbolic protection. At the centre is a heavy iron boss, decorated with pairs of intertwined animals.