Basil Brown rushed over and recognised it as being a ship rivet. The discovery was significant because while most mound burials had been looted (mounds acted as billboards declaring ‘dig your way to wealth’), these burials still … In addition, her friend Florence Sayce's Egyptologist uncle, Archibald Sayce; and her father excavated a Cistercian abbey adjoining their home at Vale Royal. He retained his passion for archaeology and continued to work on sites after Sutton Hoo, until he suffered a heart attack in 1965 which forced him to retire. Pretty oversaw the excavations herself for two years, and when the largest mound unearthed what looked like a huge ship burial, she knew it was of enormous historic significance. As for Basil Brown, he lived to be 89 years old and inspired a new generation of archeologists through his personal records and writings. She declined. It was a haul of treasure hailed upon its discovery as Britain's 'Tutankhamun'. Newly refurbished as part of our project to transform your visit to Sutton Hoo, Wilford is a two-bedroom flat full of period furnishings to create an elegant, spacious home-base for exploring this amazing landscape right from your front door. At this stage Charles Phillips also invited O.G.S Crawford and W.F. However, the team at Netflix went to great lengths to capture the magic of the Sutton Hoo landscape in their recreation of the Royal Burial Ground. For all of those involved, despite only being brought together for a short space of time, Sutton Hoo remained a special highlight throughout the rest of their careers and many of the relationships that they established continued. A team led by Rupert Bruce-Mitford (of the British Museum) and Paul Ashbee oversaw this work. The 86ft Anglo-Saxon burial ship at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, was unearthed in … Many of the events and characters depicted in both the film and the novel are inspired by real events and real people. Netflix’s new series The Dig revolves around the story of Edith Pretty played by Carey Mulligan who is a self-taught archaeologist who finds interesting artefacts in her plot of land known as Sutton Hoo. Evidence was given by Edith Pretty, Charles Phillips, Guy Maynard, Basil Brown and Stuart Piggott. Within Mound 3, he unearthed the remains of a cremated man, along with a corroded iron axe-head, part of a decorated limestone plaque, fragments of pottery and the lid of a Mediterranean jug. It too had been explored by vandals, but thankfully, they missed the massive treasure it … A much larger programme of excavation commenced in 1983 under the expert eye of Professor Martin Carver. What was found turned out to be one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time which she then gifted to the nation. The depth of his involvement in the excavations was revealed in 1987 when Professor Martin Carver’s team re-excavated Mound 2. The house provided a home for Land Army girls during World War Two, who left … On the 26 July the story started to appear in the press. Her husband, Major Frank Pretty, had known Edith (née Dempster) for several years. Despite his knowledge, he didn’t formally qualify in the subject until 1936 after studying at the Institute of Archaeology, where he met Peggy Preston. They regularly exchanged letters whilst he was at Sutton Hoo and she wrote personally to Edith Pretty thanking her for giving him the opportunity. Newly refurbished as part of our transformation project, Kyson is our largest flat with three bedrooms, a checkered-tile bathroom and wide sweeping views far across the Royal Burial Ground all the way round to the river and beyond. It sparked a love of history and archaeology, which would give her the vision to excavate the Sutton Hoo ship later in life. Between the 8 and 25 August they captured 400 images and an 8mm cine film. Robert was subsequently raised by his aunt and lived to be 57 years old. In August they surveyed the fossil of the ship. As part of our National Lottery Heritage Funded project, Releasing the Sutton Hoo Story, we have been able to purchase our own electrical resistance meter and a dedicated team of volunteers are now surveying further areas of the site with assistance from visitors. In 1937 Edith Pretty turned her attentions towards the curious mounds on her estate, enlisting help from Ipswich Museum. By leaving some areas undisturbed it not only means there is something for future generations to discover, it also means we can hold off whilst non-invasive techniques develop. Meetings were arranged between Edith Pretty, the British Museum, the Office of Works, Charles Phillips, Ipswich Museum and the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology to discuss how best to continue. An additional Anglo-Saxon cemetery was revealed, predating the Royal Burial Ground. Edith Pretty (1883–1942) was responsible for the excavation of the Anglo-Saxon ship burial at Sutton Hoo, one of the most important discoveries in British archaeology. Only two survived. Charles Phillips avoided Ipswich Museum until Guy Maynard retired in 1952. The film is based on a novel, also titled The Dig, written by John Preston. As war loomed materials were in short supply. Charles Phillips and Basil Brown maintained a respectful relationship throughout the excavation, although relations were strained between Charles Phillips and Ipswich Museum at times. Edith Pretty arranged the excavation of the earth mounds of her Suffolk home in 1938–1939, where the Sutton Hoo Anglo-Saxon ship burial was discovered.  Robert Pretty was just 12 when Edith Pretty passed away, at which point his aunt Elizabeth (Edith Pretty’s sister) cared for him. Prior to building our Visitor Centre during 2000, the area of another hoo peninsula was investigated by Suffolk County Council archaeology unit. Además, el tío egiptólogo de su amiga Florence Sayce, Archibald Sayce, y su padre excavaron [18] en una abadía cisterciense contigua a su casa de Vale Royal. Edith's life is a huge part of The Dig, a new movie out on Netflix which tells the story of the discovery of the Sutton Hoo treasure, which was unearthed on Edith's property in Suffolk, England in the 1930s. Born into a wealthy family, she spent her youth touring the world and witnessed several excavations which gave her a life-long interest in archaeology and history. Edith Pretty of Sutton Hoo Was Edith Pretty a Real Person? Basil Brown revisited the site in 1947 and re-united with William Spooner and John Jacobs. The inquest, held at Sutton Village Hall on 14 August, saw the return of all the objects to Suffolk. A page from one of the photo albums of Mercie Lack showing the Great Ship Burial excavation, Original photography from the National Trust collection, with thanks to the Pretty family, National Trust staff and volunteers on set with Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes, Visiting Sutton Hoo? Charles Phillips was complimentary towards the careful way Basil Brown had excavated the ship. The elation at the discovery of the finds led Edith Pretty to organise a sherry party with select guests invited to see the ship on Tuesday 25 July. This gallery charts a period of great social change that radically altered everyday life. Surveys using electrical resistance equipment, magnetometry, ground penetrating radar and lidar have all been partially undertaken at Sutton Hoo building up a picture of what lies beneath our feet. The site is important in understanding the Anglo-Sa… At the end of the day, however, he's reminded that life doesn't provide any guarantees. The Medieval Europe gallery showcases many of the world's greatest medieval treasures. Old tea chests were particularly useful for transporting the items. His father was a farmer, and Basil Brown acquired a great deal of knowledge of the soils and geology of East Anglia whilst working with him. Pretty had the vision to dig. On July 25, 1939, Pretty hosted a reception at the Sutton Hoo site to celebrate the conclusion of the dig. These tensions heightened when Charles Phillips assembled his support team of Peggy and Stuart Piggott. Items began to be sent to the British Museum for study and conservation work to commence. Field walking surveys have been undertaken along with metal detecting surveys of key areas. Mound 2 revealed pieces of iron, which he recognised as ship rivets - although having been previously scattered by grave robbers, they did not immediately suggest a ship burial. Although no planes ever crashed at Sutton Hoo, late in the Second World War a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, Little Davy II, plummeted into the River Deben not far from the site. Several cast members also visited Sutton Hoo to get a feeling of the place and the story. It was decided that Charles Phillips should oversee the work, a position he entered in to on 10 July, with Basil Brown assisting him. Naturally, the discovery of such incredible items only served to heighten the importance of the site and security became an issue. The Landlady Born Edith Dempster in 1883, Edith Pretty lived a colorful life before settling down at Sutton Hoo. Together, the team began to excavate the burial chamber and on 21 July Peggy Piggott unearthed the first items of gold in the form of the two sword pyramids. In this podcast, find out more about the excavation of Sutton Hoo in an interview with curator Sue Brunning. Relations continued to worsen between Charles Phillips and Ipswich Museum, whose involvement had become greatly restricted. The Dig (being released on 29 January) is a new film by Netflix exploring the story of the excavation of the Great Ship Burial at Sutton Hoo in 1939. Despite their lower status, it’s quite possible that these were the grandparents and great grandparents of East Anglian kings, such as those laid to rest in the Royal Burial Ground many years later. He was an experienced archaeologist and a Fellow at Selwyn College, Cambridge. The First World War took her to France where she volunteered in a Red Cross hospital. One cemetery had an undisturbed ship burial with a wealth of Anglo-Saxon artefacts; most of these objects are now held by the British Museum. Just like Edith and Basil, Robert is spiritually energized by the Sutton Hoo excavation. But there's a long history of archaeology here, from professional experts to treasure seekers. Edith Pretty died of a blood clot in 1942 at the age of 59, passing on most of her nearly £400,000 estate on to her son Robert when he was only 12 years old. Here's what you need to know, Historic image digitisation at Sutton Hoo. However, as the World War broke out, the Sutton Hoo finds were put away in … In return a few lucky members of staff and volunteers were invited to visit the film set. In recognition, Prime Minister Winston Churchill nominated Pretty for a CBE. But who was buried here? As she spent more time on her estate, she focused on a curious feature of the grounds: 18 low earth mounds lying 500 yards from her house. Click to discover more. Through his contacts he assembled a strong team of archaeologists to assist with the dig including the Piggotts, O.G.S. His other great passion in life was astronomy. So what exactly was discovered at Sutton Hoo, and why is it so significant? Grimes to assist with the excavation work. In an outstanding act of generosity, she decided to gift the entire collection to the nation. The British Museum were also informed about the finds and Guy Maynard wrote several articles on them. The massive advances in science made since the war also allowed the team to conduct further analysis of the site. Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) was the owner of the Sutton Hoo estate and instigated the first excavations of the Royal Burial Ground. The grave goods were spectacular – an enormous gold buckle, richly ornamented with niello inlay, a jewelled wooden instrument, silver bowls and gold coins, gold clasps ornamented with garnet and glass, and the iconic Sutton Hoo helmet. After a period of illness, the birth of her son and Frank's death, Pretty withdrew from her social life. Despite the large number of archaeological campaigns undertaken at Sutton Hoo there are still undoubtedly secrets hidden in the soil. Lamentablemente, Frank Pretty fallecería en 1935, con 56 años de edad, a causa de un cáncer de estómago que le fue diagnosticado meses antes. And why did they choose Sutton Hoo? Robert went to live with Edith… Pretty decided to bequeath the treasure as a gift to the nation. Stuart Piggott (Ben Chaplin) was fascinated by archaeology from a young age. Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes) was a self-taught archaeologist, born and bred in Suffolk. In the novel and the film, the photographer at Sutton Hoo is the fictional Rory Lomax (Johnny Flynn). In 1930 she gave birth to a son, Robert Pretty. For the 1939 excavations Basil Brown was joined by William Spooner (gamekeeper) and John Jacobs (gardener). These images, captured in 1939, helped record this fascinating discovery. Charles Phillips (Ken Stott), pictured on the right with Basil Brown, became involved in the excavation in 1939. Carey Mulligan as Edith Pretty and Ralph Fiennes as Basil Brown, Original photograph by Mercie Lack © Trustees of the British Museum, digital image © National Trust, Letter from Charles Phillips detailing the sword pyramids discovered by Peggy Piggott, Stuart Piggott drawing plans of the excavation, whilst W.F. The King's Mound treasure is displayed in Room 41: Sutton Hoo and Europe, AD 300-1100 at The British Museum, London. Crawford and W.F. The series is directed by Simon Stone. Edith Pretty buys the site of Sutton Hoo, and becomes fascinated by the strange mounds of earth on her land. Now 80 years on, the story continues, as we countdown to the completion of the incredible new Sutton Hoo experience... Find out more about the recent digitisation work carried out on archive images of the Great Ship Burial excavation. Their happiness as a family was short lived as Frank Pretty passed away in 1934, aged 56. She declined. Peggy and Stuart Piggott divorced in 1956. From experiencing her father's excavations at Vale Royal and from knowledge gained from her travels in Egypt, she knew that a professional excavation was needed. Security was heightened until on 31 July the last van bound for the British Museum left Sutton Hoo, shortly followed by Charles Phillips’ excavation team. In a stunning act of generosity, in 1939, Pretty donated all of the finds, including the famous Sutton Hoo helmet , to the British Museum. Grimes. Sutton Hoo es un lugar situado en Suffolk (Reino Unido) en el que se encontraron en 1939 restos de un barco funerario del siglo VII, así como diversos utensilios.. El descubrimiento ha sido de extrema importancia para los historiadores de la Edad Media, ya que aportó información sobre ese periodo en Inglaterra, periodo que hasta el hallazgo estaba muy poco documentado. Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) was the owner of the Sutton Hoo estate and instigated the first excavations of the Royal Burial Ground. She went on to gain a diploma (equivalent to a degree, which women at some universities were excluded from at the time) from the University of Cambridge in 1934 which she followed with a postgraduate diploma from the Institute of Archaeology in 1936. The excavation was a source of great excitement for young Robert Pretty, who was seen excavating with a toy spade around the site. The relationship between Charles Phillips and Basil Brown was one of mutual respect. The most impressive example of a medieval ship burial in Europe. Edith kept in touch with her fiancé, Frank Pretty, throughout the war and subsequent travels to Africa, marrying him in 1926 at the age of 42. [19] [17] [8] [4] En la finca de Sutton Hoo, a unos 500 metros de la casa de los Pretty (Tranmer House, … Discover what led Pretty to excavate her land and ultimately to reveal a wealth of Anglo-Saxon objects of remarkable artistry. The real key photographers of the excavation were Mercie Lack and Barbara Wagstaff. He maintained a strong interest in Sutton Hoo and last visited the site in June 1985 where he was able to witness work being undertaken by Professor Martin Carver. At the same time two amateur photographers, Mercie Lack and Barbara Wagstaff arrived at Sutton Hoo and arrangements were being made for the treasure trove inquest which would determine who was the legal owner of the objects.