Other graves at the site include Mound 2, where another ship burial was found. It was not as large as the main ship, and the chamber had been robbed, probably in the 1860s. Even so, imprints of the treasure buried with the body for use in the afterlife were left on the floor. Tiny fragments had been left behind by the thieves, and a shield, a drinking horn, a box and a tub were identified. The position of the body could also be established from its imprint and it was clearly a high-status burial, maybe of King Raedwald's son, King Erpwald.
 
An amazing find

In 1992, a new and remarkable undisturbed grave was discovered. Side by side beneath a single mound lay two pits, one containing a man aged about 25 with goods and weapons, in a coffin, and the other containing a horse. 

As neither was central, looters digging from above had missed them. With the man were two spears and a shield, a sword with jewelled belt-fittings, vessels with food offerings, and some lamb chops in a "kit-bag". At the top of the coffin was the horse harness. This must also have been a high-status grave, maybe that of a young warrior.

Another grave, known as Mound 5, obviously contained the cremated body of a high-ranking person, as indicated by the grave goods, including a pair of tweezers, shears, a bone comb, and a playing piece. The cremation was placed in a bronze pot and covered with cloth. 

Child graves

Near this burial, three standard seventh century burials of children were found. The best preserved was that of a child aged about four, which was found with a tiny spear and buckle, under a mound only two metres across. The kinds of goods found show that perhaps the child was part of a wealthy family.

As well as the mounds, 27 entirely different burials have been found. The circular layout of 12 of these around Mound 1 supports the theory that they were perhaps sacrificial burials made at the same time as the main ship-burial.

Violent deaths

The sand bodies archaeological site at Sutton Hoo
©TopFoto.co.uk

An interesting but sinister reflection of Anglo-Saxon society are the graves surrounding Mound 5 – the so-called "sand-men", which also appear to have been human sacrifices. This practice was known among Germanic peoples in the early Middle Ages. One explanation is that the Anglo-Saxon people of Sutton Hoo were rebelling against Christian beliefs, and making a statement about their allegiance to Scandinavia and their shunning of Christianity.

It is also possible that these people were executed for committing crimes. All that remains of them are stains in the sand, but their postures are very odd - some had their hands tied behind their backs, some were face down, and in some cases the neck was broken or the head had been cut off and placed by the hand or knee.