Year 5 - History
Anglo-Saxon grave goods
The Anglo-Saxons: how do we know about life in Anglo-Saxon England?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils develop their understanding of the link between sources and historical knowledge. They learn about some of the main historical sources that exist for the Anglo-Saxon period and how historians have used these to present arguments about life in Anglo-Saxon
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain how archaeologists have used grave goods to make inferences about Anglo-Saxon Britain.
Key Notes
- One of the main sources of evidence archaeologists use to investigate the Anglo-Saxons are their grave goods.
- The Sutton Hoo burial mound was discovered in East Anglia in 1938; it contained the grave goods of an Anglo-Saxon king.
- Intricate gold and bronze jewellery has helped archaeologists to understand that the Anglo-Saxons were skilled artisans.
- Some pieces contain garnets that probably came from as far away as India; silver plates and bowls were from Byzantium.
- A beautiful bronze helmet, a sword and the remains of a boat show how important warfare was to Anglo-Saxon culture.
Vocabulary To Learn
- grave goods: grave goods are objects buried in people's graves, providing insights into their culture and daily life
- artisan: an artisan is a skilled craftsperson who creates objects by hand, often using traditional techniques and tools
- garnet: garnet is a precious gemstone that comes in various colours, often used in jewellery and decorative items
- Byzantium: Byzantium is the name of an ancient Greek city which was an important centre of trade and culture, now known as Istanbul
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Students may think that we only know about the Anglo-Saxons because of written history.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
One of the main sources of evidence archaeologists use to investigate the Anglo-Saxons are their grave goods. The Sutton Hoo burial mound was discovered in East Anglia in 1938; it contained the grave goods of an Anglo-Saxon king.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'grave goods'
grave goods are objects buried in people's graves, providing insights into their culture and daily life.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Students may think that we only know about the Anglo-Saxons because of written history. Correction: We know mostly about the Anglo-Saxons because of grave goods and other archeological finds.
More Lessons In This Unit
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