Shoulder clasps from Sutton Hoo, discovered in the burial chamber of the ship. These clasps may have been used to fasten leather armor at the shoulders. The pin slides in to lock both pieces together. The clasps are made from gold and decorated with garnet cloisonne, a method that required great skill and patience due to its fine detail. The image on the ends of the clasps is of boars, an Anglo-Saxon representation of strength.
Provenance: Sutton Hoo, England
Dates from: VIIin century