Sword from the ship burial at Sutton Hoo

Swords were the most highly prized weapons in the early Anglo-Saxon period. Blades from this time were made using a technique known as pattern-welding, where rods of iron are twisted and then forged to form the core of a blade to which a sharp cutting edge was added. The Sutton Hoo sword is richly furnished with a gold pommel set with garnets, gold guards and filigree clips on the grip. It was buried in a wooden scabbard which was lined with sheep wool, whose oil kept the blade bright.