Hands on with the Sutton Hoo sword I Curator's Corner S5 Ep1

Sue Brunning and her trusty foam sword (newly dubbed Flexcalibur by commentator Pipe2DevNull) are back for another sword story. This time Sue takes us up close and personal with one of the most famous swords ever discovered.
Sue has also written a blog about Sutton Hoo available here: bit.ly/2yQkfYV
(there are lots of other great articles there too!)
#CuratorsCorner #SwordswithSue #SuttonHooSue

[@britishmuseum]

For even more from Sutton Hoo Sue, check out her blog: bit.ly/2yQkfYV

[@killerkraut9179]

in a shield wall is to be Left handed maybe a Disadvantage . if a warrior is Left handed i would i put him maybe on the right side of the formation .

[@lionbear7706]

amazing!!!

[@danip3270]

This is wonderful! Thank you. There’s nothing better than having an expert provide visuals, and an explanation of how an item lived its life.

[@Aresftfun]

eeeew, *anglos*

[@acninee]

@@killerkraut9179 yes, but this person wouldn't have been part of a shield wall. He would have been commanding.

[@dougg1075]

The sword’s owner had no idea that his sword would be viewed by people all over the world on devices we hold in our hand. Really is a trip

[@bjornjarnsida4606]

Powerful sorcery

[@davidmarawai5713]

@Doug G just imagine you live in that era some one came up to you and said that that sword will be viewed around the world couple of 100 years from now in a hand held device. Crazy wouldn't it..lol. Right now l am viewing it from Fiji, in the South Pacific...

[@lulzdragon7339]

Imagine being the one who made it. "Take your time with that blade. In 1000 years men across all the Earth will look upon it in awe."

[@tsopmocful1958]

And in fifteen hundred years time, archaeologists will reconstruct a clone from your genetic remains just to see how us poor ancient people ever managed to function with just two arms, eyes that couldn't see ultraviolet or infrared, no organic communication devices in our brains and without a living powered exoskeleton.

[@51WCDodge]

No he might well have expected to impres sthe God's and his old mates in the afterworld. If your going to spend eternity there, you want to look your best.

[@wfsm1th]

I can't believe how carelessly she handled that ancient foam sword!

[@jimmorgan21]

Surprised she didn't cut herself on it!

[@kenolsen1845]

That's funny

[@himbo754]

The Anglo-Saxon word for "foam sword" was "fāmsweord". Just thought I should add some scholarly seriousness to this conversation.

[@Andy-dz7us]

Its actually an ancient Anglo-Saxon wobble sword. Didnt know that did you !

[@bolinvolovan3060]

It can already be seen some wear on it, but it could be from the battles it had been.

[@ashleejones1690]

This may be the coolest archaeological discussion ever. I was immediately enthralled when she first mentioned the wear pattern on the pommel cap, and I got actual chills when she was talking about how it was almost like being able to touch the hand of this person whose body is long gone, whose name we will probably never know. We forget today how intimate the touching of hands can be, and how telling the wearing down of an object by a hand can be. I love these little details that can tell us so much about people who lived so long ago. We may not have statues or poetry to tell us of this person's name, life, or death, but we can still uncover such personal details as them being left-handed, and I find that amazing!

[@user-xg6ry3bt2h]

really interesting content, i will go to cagare now, thank you really much 😊

[@lorenzobriganti14]

wow, that sword was really somiglianding to a pisello di elefante😊

[@Psionetics]

Came to see the Hoo, stayed because now I'm in love with Sue ❤️

[@cheesytrees]

same lol

[@silasmarner7586]

You're a poet and don't know it!

[@tashuntka]

Yep....its officially a club. 👍🏻💖👍🏻

[@victorchen5663]

Me too. Join the club.

[@jedgrahek1426]

@@victorchen5663 Present! ; ) She's too cute

[@stumccabe]

As a person who worked in silver and gold for many years, I'm always astonished by the craftsmanship and wonderful designs of the Anglo-Saxon goldsmiths - absolute perfection!

[@Crash_Steel_]

I was looking at the gold and garnet inlay and thinking to myself it was a prop made recently ...... then i realized after stopping the video and staring at it, that it was original .... absolutely stunning. the inlay work is just amazing....

[@davidzof]

if only they'd made the whole sword out of gold

[@randomperson8695]

Stu- which shape do they make first? I can't figure out if file the garnet to fit the gold or form the gold to fit the garnet.

[@thedangerzone9399]

@@randomperson8695the approximate design is first drawn to the base and then the garnet pieces are sanded to size and laid on top of the drawing, inlays are then made when they are ready to put it all together, binding the previous garnets in place in turn. Its not hard, but time consuming depending of quality of tooling used.

[@randomperson8695]

@The Danger Zone - thank you for the explanation.

[@shanematkorah]

Being left handed has never been this exciting!

[@mrpirate3470]

Left handed melee fighters have an innate advantage

[@sugarnads]

Queens Elizabeth: meh.

[@alexandervitali1295]

i think that being left handed in dark ages war is a handicap when fighting in formation (think of the shield wall) and only and advantage in a kind of dueling situation; off course if you are a king, it is rather inconsequential unless there are some superstitions in regard to this

[@dcmhsotaeh]

@@alexandervitali1295 in the animal and bird kingdoms too the non conformist handedness (or footedness/ wingedness) animal gets eliminated by being easily caught by preying animals since they come out of the group formation easily when being chased

[@andystuckey2561]

Yeah, south paw can be a pain!

[@JPoulAndersson]

The pommel in itself is an exquisite work of art, virtually looks like a piece from Fabergé. Beautiful.

[@DerEchteBold]

Hmm... I don't know, to me it just looks like a piece of badly cut foam with a few tacks attached, really wouldn't call that exquisite.

[@YorkyOne]

@@DerEchteBold To come up with that description what on earth were you looking at? Look again, this time at 3.00.

[@DerEchteBold]

@@YorkyOne Didn't you see the foam sword?! I read this comment just after she started to use it to illustrate the explanation, so I couldn't resist.

[@BrandydocMeriabuck]

@@YorkyOne *whoosh*

[@timocreations.]

Indeed it is! I would like to see video of what were the techniques then to do so delicate work.

[@MacHamish]

Reminds me of when I've handled antique tools and noticed my wedding ring fitting perfectly into worn grooves on the tool handles.

[@rumpelpumpel7687]

xD

[@IISocratesII]

@PopesofHazard What's so unbelievable about such a statement? it's very common for carpenters to use the same chisels, planes etc their whole career.

[@naklabtimothy2462]

@Dave DDM Well said Dave DDM

[@andrewp8284]

@PopesofHazard looks like you need some remedial schooling in reading comprehension lol

[@Martyntd5]

///my wedding ring fitting perfectly into worn grooves on the tool handles/// That's interesting. It was extremely rare for men to wear wedding rings in the UK before about 1970. I'm sure such a wear pattern would be possible, but it would be very uncommon.

[@crxtodd16]

Don't mess with Sue. She will WRECK you with knowledge.

[@sirmalus5153]

Followed with a right hook to boot. Good on her.

[@bsmithhammer]

If only I could be so lucky!

[@rnedlo9909]

@@sirmalus5153 Still, I have a hard time picturing her with boxing gloves on

[@666DarkTommy]

what a fantastic host! thank you Sue!

[@FlourescentPotato]

she's wifey material 😩

[@666DarkTommy]

@@FlourescentPotato mate don't be weird.

[@666DarkTommy]

@@leoincognito1776I don't want to be a dick but please listen: she is an attractive woman in a highly competitive field. Obviously really intelligent and charming as well, but here is not the place for this. I don't think that Sue wants to hear that you would marry her. Why would she? Her presentation was great and that is all that matters. And all that should matter. Nothing with being pc and everything with being appropriate. Edit: Also I don't think that that comment makes you a sexist or anything like that. Just maybe compliment her differently. :)

[@FlourescentPotato]

@@leoincognito1776 Don't be weird leo. I was being tongue in cheek lol

[@oldfrend]

@@FlourescentPotato for real tho... dibs.

[@eraz0rhead]

"I'm not left-handed either" -- Man in Black, Princess Bride

[@OverlandOne]

History, the way Sue presents it here, is like time travel. Her vivid descriptions and in-depth knowledge of this subject made me feel like I was back in time, in another country, experiencing life as it was then. She is a fantastic presenter and I look forward to seeing and hearing more of her sharing this special knowledge with us.

[@fepatton]

I was on the fencing team in college, and the lefties definitely had an advantage - they got to practice against right-handed fencers all the time, but we seldom got to practice against left-handed ones. It really is a different experience. Interestingly, lefties had trouble against other lefties too. :-)

[@raylovelace8588]

...but the three of them ended up at the top of the class...

[@AlanCanon2222]

That would make sense: there are still more right handed opponents to face, and get used to, no matter what one's own handedness.

[@friedfish69]

Not even a controversial notion. Yes, lefties have an advantage in sports requiring quick motor response to an opponent. I'm a bit surprised the curator didn't bother to check. Just for fun, leftie fencers whooping on opponents: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGqZnIKYfbClhbs

[@engineeredlifeform]

Indeed, I used to do battle re-enactment and LARP and have had sword fights with a few lefties, and it's best to swap hands, because my disadvantage using a sword in my off hand is less than a lefty facing a lefty.

[@AHGrayLensman]

I took a fencing class in college in the early '90s. The professor was a skinny little old man in his 70s... and he could out-fence every single person in the class, *EXCEPT* the lefties. (We later found out that he had been on the US fencing team in the 1936 Olympics in Munich.) Oh, and he also taught boxing. :)

[@gazinggoat5869]

As a lefty myself, I find this to be highly compelling evidence that this sword was wielded by the coolest person in history!

[@AleisterCrowleyMagus]

Yes, everyone should watch The Dig! As a medievalist I was pleasantly surprised by how well it is done - showing how incredibly important this find was for England in 1939 (and Netflix can be hit or miss these days). It features some of Ralph Fiennes’ best work in decades as the (no longer) forgotten Basil Brown. I love your work Sue! Thanks 🙏 to you and to the British Museum for supporting these projects. I’ve visited the Sutton Hoo exhibit a number of times, and it’s always overwhelming and awe-inspiring but what fascinates me is that visitors often grow silent as they move through the exhibit (or at least I noticed the gradual “silencing” when I visited the exhibit - at busy times and at sparsely populated times). It’s wonderfully moving. There’s something beautifully haunting and melancholy about that Anglo-Saxon king, what he meant to his people and the astonishing respect and love that burial demonstrates, and his truly awesome burial with its priceless artifacts. It seems to evoke an almost religious reaction. I am a medievalist (Ph. D. in English - specialization in medieval lit), and I greatly appreciate how knowledgeable you are and how deftly you weave your knowledge and appreciation of the beautiful Anglo-Saxon culture into your presentations (I’m a nerd I suppose but it still thrills me to see the expressions on the faces of students when they realize they can understand a line from Beowulf *before* we have worked through the transition - they understand what it means to know that we speak the same language even though it has changed through time). Thank you for these lovely videos!

[@KenDanieli]

no, it sucked.

[@user-xg6ry3bt2h]

@@KenDanielicommento più sensato di tutti quelli che ho letto

[@YongSiri]

Who got here because Watching "The Dig" like me????

[@laradiano9879]

Me!

[@rafaucett]

Me too. :)

[@YongSiri]

hahaha

[@kokowin6748]

Me too

[@ink3539]

I don't know if this video was suggested to me thanks to my recent watching of The Dig or because i'm always lurking on history channels lmao

[@RyllenKriel]

What a Saxy sword. Thanks Sue for informing us on this Hoo-done-it mystery.

[@randomperson8695]

I see what you did there : )

[@RyllenKriel]

@belinda hawkins It was me! Hahahaha!

[@PalmettoNDN]

:-D

[@jasoncharles8651]

Whoo hooo?.

[@REZPUBLIKA]

I've called the police

[@HistoryBro]

Spectacular. Unique. Mesmerising. Almost beyond belief... And that's just Sue's choice of trousers.

[@MyPhobo]

Please be respectful. A cheetah died for them.

[@eddiel7635]

I’m in love 😻

[@pravoslavn]

Such an excellent presenter ! This young lady is so relaxed and comfortable with her material. She should give lessons to some of the real dunderheads who present on KZbin and drive their hearers crazy with a billion UM's and UH's. Great job, Sue, one are One-in-a-Million. The Museum should give you a golden sword for your work ! Cheers from the USA.

[@christopherr.2137]

My son is a left handed saber fencer and he believes it gives him a huge advantage against right handed fencers what is funny is when two lefty fencers face each other its like they are fighting a mirror image and it gives them fits.

[@whatgoesaroundcomesaround920]

I found as an amateur left-handed fencer I had a definite advantage over right-handed opponents.

[@TimeDefeater]

@@whatgoesaroundcomesaround920 Sport fighting (saber fencing/fistfights)has one big variable missing though, death. What if death was involved? Would it be an advantage as a left handed swordsman to bring his heart and spleen closer to his enemy? Also the shield is further away to protect these organs when it's in the right hand. Same with the spear, especially in pact combat like a shield wall a left handed fighter would expose his hearth and spleen way more than a right handed fighter. This disadvantage might be the origin of the left handed stigma.

[@paavobergmann4920]

@@whatgoesaroundcomesaround920 As an amateur right handed fencer, i absolutely loathed fighting lefties. All the ususal openings appeared in all the wrong places and all my moves went all straight into the parry...

[@paavobergmann4920]

@@TimeDefeater I don´t think so. Flipping everything around, including your stance, has you exactly as defended or mobile as your mirror image, exept it confuses the enemy. Also, the heart is pretty much in the centre line, you only feel it more on the left side, because the tip is pointing towards the left. But I am not sure if that even matters, because, with a thrusting weapon, like a foil, rapier or spear, all you go for is to puncture the thorax region somewhere, which deflates the lung in a few seconds, and leaves the victim helpless ("deflated") very soon, and dying quickly thereafter. With a slashing weapon like a broadsword, falchion, saber, etc, you probably wouldn´t get through the rib cage all that easily, your goal would be to cause blood loss, and disable the opponent by cutting muscles, nerves (armpit!), and tendons. Or gut him, but in the belly, it doesn´t really matter which side you go in, the person is done for.

[@Mainhard4]

@@TimeDefeater Lefties definitely have an advantage. There are fewer of them and they are forced to train with right-handed players all the time. Right-handed people rarely meet left-handed people, so when they do, they have a problem. The swords are on the same side and if you want to hit the body you will expose your unprotected part - the right side and back. If we look at sport fencing - lefties have this advantage. You say that death is not involved, of course it is not, but if we take into account that it was only in the 20th century that it was possible to abolish duels, from which the sport of fencing actually developed, then we can say that someone also lost his life because of defending his honor. When the development of fencing as a sport began, duels were still taking place and for many people they were also the motivation or reason to engage in sport fencing. Training for a duel with real risk, or military affairs related to the saber.

[@bruceschneider4928]

"Loud with information." What a wonderful turn of phrase.

[@NickDingle-ku6zq]

She needs to have her own channel

[@peterking8632]

Totally agree. She’s very intelligent and engaging. Very watchable.

[@DrDestroy]

But how could she access all those items ? Its because she works for the museum that she can produce this awesome content.

[@astridjl85]

Yes. Sue is so great at telling stuff.

[@AS-fn3jl]

preferably ASMR, she'll get 1M followers

[@victorchen5663]

@@AS-fn3jl OMG I thought I was the only one, I was getting massive ASMR vibes from her talking.

[@MrTorleon]

As a retired medieval historian, i had always been intrigued by the occasional, but rare reference to left handedness in manuscripts, illuminations or glass. Being left handed myself encouraged me to notice I suppose :) Sue provides a detailed, intelligent and rational explanation, together with a careful examination of pommel wear to suggest the owner was indeed left handed. Not always clear cut, as left handed individuals ( myself included ) do favour the right hand in certain situations. Excellent in every way :)

[@ZenWithKen]

As a lefty, I have no problem in a right hand world. In fact I think it's easier since we get used to using our right hand out of convenience. This was very enjoyable to watch. Thanks for sharing!

[@shable1436]

Sue talking sword fighting, boxing and science is very satisfying

[@Nikenik2001]

Talk about girlfriend material!

[@MrPants-zu6dm]

The left hand advantage is especially true for that style of sword which is meant to be used single handed with a shield.

[@narcoleptic8982]

I feel like the advantage of having your sword on the opposite side from your opponent's shield may be mitigated by your opponent's having their sword on the opposite side of your shield. It would be an interesting topic for Skallagim or Schola Gladiatoria to explore, if they haven't already. The element of surprise seems to me to be less of a factor than in the boxing example given, because the sword must be drawn in advance of the first strike, whereas in boxing the fighting stance need not be taken until the last moment before the first blow is struck. Granted the left-handed person will have a lifetime of training against right-handed fighters, and the right-handed person likely only a few moments to adjust. I'm very curious about the mechanics of an actual fight, and about how much of an advantage or disadvantage it may be. One thing I find possibly relevant is the vilification of left-handed people. Why, If being left-handed, or even ambidexterous is such an advantage, would it be suppressed? Do we have a similar situation to the banning of crossbows in medieval Europe?

[@THXn11]

@@narcoleptic8982 I've commented on my personal experiences about being a left handed combatant in the SCA a couple of comments above if you're interested. Also I'm ambidextrous which is a good advantage with the ability to wild a sword in both hands (Florentine) or sword and axe but truth betting told, if you're facing an opponent with a shield it's better to have a shield of your own as well.

[@alabastardmasterson]

@@THXn11 repost your comment

[@JonathanSharman]

@@narcoleptic8982 Matt Easton has talked about this before IIRC. You're right that there is no objective advantage since both combatants are facing a mirror-image opponent. Any advantage would have to come from experience. Left-handed combatants get to practice against right-handed combatants all the time, but not vice-versa.

[@JonathanSharman]

@Joe Blow Good point. Still advantageous in a duel though.

[@williamhart4896]

It's truly impressive that the builder of that pomel was better at garnet work for some purposes than we are doing in this 21st century

[@rogerschecter7834]

Sue, You are outstanding as a presenter. I found your presentation fascinating. I was enthralled while listening to your unveiling of this historical mystery shortly after watching The Dig!

[@IPostSwords]

One of the most fantastic examples of migration era swords in existence. The fittings are unparalleled.

[@jaybluff281]

True for many years. But I'd say many of the finds from the Staffordshire hoard, found in 2006, rival it.

[@Dirtbag-Hyena]

That metal worker was A badass,that sword is sexy,& the hilt is near mint..Amazing.

[@ColonelCM]

I'd never thought I'd give a dusty fuck about old swords haha. But this is very well presented and by someone who's passionate about what they're talking about so it becomes interesting to listen to. Good stuff!

[@miaomiaochan]

"Dusty fuck" - I like it.

[@weRarmy_weRBL]

Totally agree! not so much about the "dusty fuck" but the rest...lol

[@musheopeaus4125]

Dusty fucks are the future!

[@fridgemagnet]

this woman is amazing, the British museum has done well in securing her curatorship!!

[@bsmithhammer]

I could watch these all day long. So glad I stumbled across this channel.

[@remo1366]

"loud with information" what a great turn of phrase,thank you for an informative and entertaining piece.

[@heytreacle]

I love the exquisite example of early 21st century cobbling together with the intricate drawing-pin-in-chunk-of-foam adornment 👍

[@MusicJunky3]

"The Dig" brought me here ! Brilliant film , go and see it !

[@wylbill5236]

Thank you very much for your close-up examination of this marvelous piece. As an engineer, hobby black- smith and reenactor, I appreciate these details. I was lucky enough to see about 30 major world museums and yours is my favorite. Please show us more of your collection!

[@sabin97]

if he had a phd he could be called doctor hoo.... ok i'll show myself out

[@ziparis]

Haha!

[@paulukjames7799]

Do not forget your coat wait a minute it was really quite funny

[@uttaradit2]

and get your coat

[@nigeh5326]

V good

[@Beemer917]

Fucking Brilliant!

[@GeneralMartok100]

She nailed it, left-handed combatants have all the advantage when fighting with swords. Thank you Ms Brunning for this wonderful video.

[@mcrettable]

I can’t imagine why one side would be better than the other if it’s simply mirrored.

[@alalalala57]

@@mcrettable because right handed fighters wouldn't be used to fighting left handed ones. Different strategies when fighting someone with their shield and sword mirrored against you.

[@h.j.peters.2891]

something I learned from my reenactment years. fighting a lefty was a sod and really easily to be caught out. its harder to fight one as a righty because like you said it's all mirrored. our muscle memory and conditioning isn't normally geared up for that. as my proficiency grew I could handle lefties but more often than not I'd loose :). and so I learned to go mob handed or use a spear.

[@THXn11]

@@h.j.peters.2891 agreed, but from the other side of the coin. As a left handed combatant I had many victories for the very reasons you mentioned. That being said, it was a slight advantage and not an assurance of victory. Besides... ... There's always a bigger fish ;)

[@h.j.peters.2891]

@@THXn11 oh yeh absolutely, it's a helping hand, but like you said it's not an over all winner. was good fun though.

[@shinx-hr6uq]

I want to shake this woman's hand. Incredible work

[@sairadha674]

Just when I thought, I could not be more smitten she says she is Rookie Boxer

[@secretagent86]

i felt exactly the same!!

[@Notallowed101]

Watching all this content makes me think we should reform how we teach History in Primary and Secondary school. More!

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

I totally agree. I was lucky enough to have a brilliant history teacher, who didn't just teach it, he lived and breathed it ! By careful study of parish records and his ability to "translate" from the English of the time, he was able to determine that a man who had lived in the 14th century had suffered from Parkinson's Disease. How much more personal can you get than that ? For me, that really brought history alive. 😀

[@jontotoronto948]

We should teach them that Swordsmen can be Swordswomen

[@MikeHesk742]

@@jontotoronto948 Not sure if joking or serious, but I do think the way history is taught now is far more interesting to boys than girls. It's why there's such a huge dropoff from girls at GCSE. I'll always remember my young niece watching her brother dress as a knight and play with toy swords, clearly wanting to get involved, but she was convinced girls couldnt be knights. I say let them fight.

[@SteveAbrahall]

Love the fact that the physical intimacy of the object is considered, and of course the use of the "foam sword" thank you :-)

[@stephenr80]

Theres nothing more attractive than a well versed person talking about an interesting matter which is his/her passion.

[@Philinganes]

Sue, beautifully done. Especially I like your idea of being able to touch Raedwald's hand through time. In the early days of the NT at Sutton Hoo I was working as front of house manager when the BM artifacts were in the care of Angela Evans. On one occasion, when dismantling the exhibition at the end of the season Angela allowed a handful of us to touch some items whilst wearing appropriate gloves. I felt the same as you. The magic of touching something once held by the king so long ago. Wonderful memory.

[@6point8esspcee68]

"Loud with information" Beautiful.

[@stevestewart-sturges2159]

Seeing the Sutton Hoo treasure in London was definitely a highlight, the workmanship is beyond exquisite....

[@jadenephrite]

Thank you, Dr. Sue Brunning, for your video. Regarding 8:44, for those who are unfamiliar, a left-handed person is known as a "Southpaw" also known as a "Mollydooker".

[@johnmahoney5054]

You're a great communicator Sue, eloquent and enthusiastic. Hope to see more of your presentations

[@charlieday6425]

This is a fantastic video. I love the explanation of southpaw vs orthodox, and overcoming cultural stigma. Sue is a wonderful host; obviously a serious researcher with a wealth of knowledge, but its her infectious enthusiasm for history that should be featured in many more videos to come. The fact that she's beautiful doesn't hurt either. For your own good, British Museum, give her more screen time.

[@ascetic3312]

You remind me of the man. What man? The man with the sword. What sword? The sword of Sutton Hoo. Who do? You do. Do what? Remind me of the man.

[@guttormurthorfinnsson8758]

david bowe

[@remisteele8904]

I saw my baby

[@ascetic3312]

While you're both right that David Bowie did sing something similar to what I wrote, in _Labyrinth_ ("babe" instead of "man"), he was actually quoting from an old Cary Grant film from the 1940s called, _The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer._ Bowie quotes Grant exactly except changes "man" to "babe" and "hoodoo" to "voodoo." Since I used "man," it's better to say I'm quoting from Grant's film rather than Bowie's.

[@schleichface]

@@ascetic3312 And, if I remember correctly, in Grant's film it's "power" instead of "sword."

[@ascetic3312]

@@schleichface Bowie said "power," also. I specifically changed it to "sword" for this video. Haha.

[@DebPercy]

really interesting. I love to think about how close objects like this bring us to the people who used them many centuries ago. thank you

[@user-xg6ry3bt2h]

mi sono cagato una spada arcaica

[@lorenzobriganti14]

⁠@@user-xg6ry3bt2hi also did that but i used some vasellina di burro per farla uscire

[@PalleRasmussen]

Sue reminds me of David Fletcher of Bovington, knowledgeable and totally in love with their work. Less moustache though.

[@redletterl78]

Thank goodness 😅

[@raudi42]

I could listen for hours - She is such a great presenter. Many greetings from Hamburg, GER

[@raudi42]

@Strange Boy that answer is really strange, Strange Boy. To say the least.

[@fluphybunny930]

KZbin algorithm actually helped me find something good!

[@MrRingman57]

Sue Brunning "Puts your lights out" with her entertaining video. The British Museum must hold on to this curator at all costs.

[@Durtly]

That is a very humanizing detail, it makes the bearer seem much less distant.

[@Hoenir]

Amazing video and explanation as usual ! Can we get another deep video for the Sutton Hoo helmet ? Or maybe even for the full treasure since every piece is breathtaking

[@NefariousKoel]

More Sutton Hoo! Stunning finds.

[@cholulahotsauce6166]

Hello I'm from the future and the helmet video just dropped recently

[@5chr4pn3ll]

Love these videos. And that is my dream job right there. Sword hilts of this era are fascinating and must have had a large social significance. The way they used patterned gold foil to back-light the garnets is spectacular, and it makes one wonder about the complexity of that society. It must have been pretty stable in order to that sort of complexity and specialization to emerge. Which might not be the first thing one thinks of in post-Roman Europe. Also this is the era of Beowulf as well. Really interesting stuff.

[@Notallowed101]

And that's JUST the sword hilts. I bet one could spend a lifetime dedicating time to this niche only to feel like you've barely scratched the surface by the time the eyes close for the last time.

[@Shipwreckruns]

Indeed, the sword hilts and fittings were passed down in families and from lords to ealdorman and members of their fyrd. Look up the staffordshire hoard if you want to go down a sword fitting rabbit hole!

[@jonny-b4954]

Fantastic information. It's the little things that really make you think and wonder. I mean, mo-fo got to be buried with his entire ship. That's devotion and loyalty for people to carry out such a thing once you're dead.

[@caseyalan5398]

I love how gold doesn’t decay, rust or oxidize so it looks just amazing today as it would have thousands and thousands of years ago

[@aleinstein3223]

This dudes bling withstood the test of time. He wanted to stand out, he has. So cool

[@richardwyse7817]

excellent!

[@CarlCozyBaby]

I'm sad to see that the Flexcalibur's handle is already worn down.

[@321Mdp]

Wonderful personal analysis of a British historical treasure

[@potatopotahto4500]

12 mins isn’t enough! I could listen to A 3 hour video of her talking about anything she’s this passionate about in history easy.

[@Nipah.Auauau]

I know from personal and anecdotal experience in fencing that left-handers have an intrinsic advantage over the more common right-handers so it in fact does also apply to sword fighting. I believe that a decent number of Olympian fencers are also left-handed.

[@NefariousKoel]

@Joe Blow - Experience, pound for pound, is worth more than the rest. As any fighter pilot would tell you. So, yes, experience would be the deciding factor. Problem is.. how many opportunities did warriors get to practice fighting against numerous experienced left-handed warriors at that time? Once again, the law of supply & demand reveals imbalances.

[@qwertyman1511]

I was told the direction of circular staircases were also designed to make it easier to defend by righthanded men against right handed men. Attackers would come from the bottom, the center of the tower on their right hand side. Defenders would defend from the top, having more room because the walls of the tower are on their right hand side.

[@mikeappleget482]

When you’re the defender on the top wouldn’t the wall be on your left hand side?

[@rovercoupe7104]

Brilliant. M.

[@alabastardmasterson]

@@mikeappleget482 nope

[@dylanallison]

Also, some of the ceilings I've seen are sloped so that they are lower at the center and higher on the outer wall giving right-handed defenders a significant advantage

[@mandowarrior123]

Most castles were timber and likely had straight stairs or ladders to be fair, though the only real evidence is artistic, as people liked to burn old wood, and it rots. As for spirals, its somewhat of a disadvantage for thrusts and the defenders shield is in the way. Regardless, it may be that they did not fight over the stairs at all, as you have a disadvantage higher up. Elevation is only an advantage based on he change in inclination, and sharp pitches make legs extremely vulnerable and he opposition can easily defend their head, the only part you can reasonably reach. They can actually attack your legs before you can even reach with the same length weapon. So it isn't as simple as it seems.

[@jomesias]

Heard of the mask but never the sword! How fabulous thanks so much ❤🎉🎉

[@fredpearson5204]

There's something terribly sexy about archeological nerdiness. That pommel is beautiful.

[@the8henry]

Sue is the best!

[@abbij6090]

Sue is great on camera! Perfect amount of passion, technical information, and why we care about this item. 💓💓

[@TheHarrip]

People like this person with an enthusiasm for life is exactly why life is so wonderful ☺ Thanks person speaking.

[@peterhampson269]

I think the analogy with boxing is even more relevant. A boxer has two fists to defend or punch with, a swordsman of this era might well have had a shield in the left hand with the attack coming into his right, he would have had to reach his shield across that would negate his attacking ability with his sword, and as someone previously noted a right-hander does not get much practice against left-handers but a left-hander probably almost exclusively practices against right-handers.

[@DarthTaterson]

Wow this is absolutely incredible. History never ceases to amaze me.

[@daviddemar8749]

You're a wonderful teacher . When this video appeared in my YT recommendations I was slightly mystified as to why they YT algorithm sent it to me. It seemed to be outside my range of interests. But I took a chance on it and I am very glad I didn't skip it. 30 seconds in I was hooked and watched the whole thing. Thanks for posting it. Btw I loved your use of your fake sword 😊❤

[@bjw4859]

Now that is what I call passion, a very clever young woman into swords working at a world renowned museum & also into boxing, I feel proud of her by just watching this video, I'm also left handed.

[@kxd2591]

Thank you so much for posting. I really enjoyed your description of the left handed sword wielder. My dad was left handed, and he once told me, "If you're born left handed, you owe the Devil a day's work". Which makes me glad I have my mama's right handedness. Don't need no Devil's work 'round here! Stay safe, and keep your mitts high.

[@peglegpeete9122]

Thank you for the fantastic info I did not previously have on Sutton Hoo. My only complaint is the British Museum does not have leopard print gloves to match your skirt. yet.

[@teresahall7469]

Again, Sue is an amazing presenter making history come alive, along with the wearer of this artfully fashioned sword.

[@GingerJoberton]

Sue is my favourite being. She is wonderful.

[@rafthejaf8789]

I've just watched The Dig on Netflix and I really enjoyed it. Great acting and a riveting story. I enjoyed this chat too especially as one who saw Jimi Hendrix live twice! 😊

[@gordonmarshall7743]

Thanks Sue for another informative piece. I am now suffering from significant levels of job envy. Look forward to the next instalment.

[@kevinstreet5709]

Left handed swordsman were also better when storming castles, the spiral staircase was made to wind up to the right thereby disadvantageous to a righthand attacker climbing up

[@jontotoronto948]

Not if they put a mirror at the top and confuse them

[@kmanc8571]

but they probably had a disadvantage when defending? I wonder if garrisons were only manned by right handed people and siege armies had left handed people in them lol

[@AlanCanon2222]

@@jontotoronto948 You might enjoy looking up on KZbin the impossible mirror shot from the movie Contact, a tracking shot up a staircase and down a hallway that ends in the reflection in a mirror, a real "how the hell did they do that" moment.

[@sandymckinnon9762]

Pretty sure the Saxons did not have castles

[@jeremydavis6844]

Omg I just fell in love. She is so beautiful, and so is the sword. That accent just melts us Americans. New sub about to watch every episode

[@robertyboberty7495]

When you made the connection between the sword and it’s owner you could almost hear the battle cry and a yell from the victim.

[@rei_cirith]

This is the same in fencing. I did a bit of foil fencing in school, and we had one lefty in the class, and it was really weird to face off against here. The funny thing is when we see people who are more advanced, but haven't had as much of a chance to face a lefty face her, they never seem to know quite what to do. PS. I so appreciate your enthusiasm. It truly is exciting to get to reach through time like you say.

[@All4Grogg]

If you get a chance to fence sabre against a lefty, definitely take it, it is even more awkward than foil or epee.

[@rei_cirith]

@@All4Grogg I can imagine!

[@narcoleptic8982]

Fencing is something I wish I’d been interested in in my younger days. HEMA is more my interest lately, but fencing just somehow seems more polished and technical.

[@All4Grogg]

@@narcoleptic8982 fencing is a great sport so long as you go into it knowing that it is very much a competitive sport. I loved it, my knees, not so much. Everything happens VERY fast in fencing and every time we held an open house type of event the S.C.A. folk would show up once ....and... never again.

[@jcortese3300]

I took fencing for a tiny bit in college and stunk on ice -- but I still won a few purely because I'm left-handed. If it's enough to let a schmuck like me win, being left-handed is definitely an advantage!

[@svettnabb]

Sue is so smart, well spoken and hard working. Plus her hair is on point! A very informative video, thank you ☺️

[@rays5163]

I too find her attractive

[@roninpatriot8264]

This dude probably sniffs hair like joe biden...

[@svettnabb]

@@roninpatriot8264 - Uncalled for, good sir! I am sure she was making sure her hair looked good on camera, it was rightly deserving a compliment.

[@seanmcguire7974]

I always like to imagine going back in time in seeing these people in their prime. Must of been a site

[@Max_Griswald]

Yes, it was a site, called Sutton Hoo. It was a sight to behold, surely.

[@valarya]

I'm here after watching The Dig on Netflix and found this video SO FASCINATING I'm going through your backlog to find more. Thank you for doing these!

[@meritxellcarceller7488]

I found the movie by accident after watching the video, imagine how mindbolwing!

[@MariaFrancaSerrau]

This is fascinating! Thank you both Ms Brunning and The British Museum for this post!

[@Ottawa3453]

So the wielder of the weapon was left handed! Inspector Barnaby will be very pleased :)

[@captainskippy6622]

I found your channel today and I am hooked! Being a history buff it’s just natural to want to watch and listen to you. I am also left-handed and I found some of your remarks to be quite interesting and true. Growing up in the 60s and 70s as a left-hander was not an easy task. Nowadays many items we use daily are ambidextrous but not so then. I also boxed when I was young and later became a police officer for 28 years and was involved in scuffles and fights many many times. When I faced off with a right hander they usually had to think about what they were doing and by that time it was over. And once while handcuffing a suspect he tried to disarm me by reaching under my jacket on my right side for my firearm which of course was not there. But he soon realized the error of his ways. I guess I will be binge watching your videos for the next several days. Thank you from America and God bless.

[@solkn]

The boxing analogy is great and a similar thing happens as a cricketer, facing a left handed bowler or batsman can drastically change the trajectory of the ball and make it harder to read because you are just not as used to doing those calculations as much.

[@byronservies4043]

I enjoy these very much. Thank you! I am left handed and was a collegiate fencer. There was a small advantage, but if you want to see something really hilarious, watch 2 left handed fencers in a bout!

[@warumbel]

I used to fence, and I remember facing the rare left handed fencer was a real challenge. All your trained and ingrained reactions were suddenly a little bit off.

[@khadrtrudeau1662]

In baseball a south paw has a 400% better chance of making it to the majors.

[@alabastardmasterson]

@@khadrtrudeau1662 my math may be off but 10% of the population is left handed, while annually around 25% of big leaguers are lefties. Still crazy considering, besides pitchers and 1st base, how rare lefty infielders have become

[@khadrtrudeau1662]

@@alabastardmasterson It's the pitchers they want. Hard to find a great left handed pitcher. Another advantage is your 2 step closer to first base standing in the batters box. Step on the plate and your call out, makes bunting harder. I'm right handed, but anything with 2 hands I do left handed. Not so strange, watch a hockey game. Think playing hockey might have begun this. Hard to find golf clubs tho.

[@jameswoodard4304]

Now imagine having a shield in the other hand...

[@staninjapan07]

What a great little (short time) series I have come across! Now I have to go to series 1 episode 1 and enjoy it from the start... of course I will ration my viewing to one series per week... or not. Liked. Subscribed. Thanks.

[@DZSabre]

Your observation about the left-handed fighter having an advantage is real. In fencing, which is my sport, I was forced to learn to fence left handed due to an injury and with everyone else being right handed, they were all thrown off. Eventually, I was able to compensate quickly since everyone I fenced was right handed but the others could not quickly adjust because the only opportunity to learn to face a lefty was against me. As I talked with naturally left-handed fencers, their experience was the same that they had an advantage due tot he time it takes an opponent to adjust to the lefty which is not something the left-hander needs to worry about... unless they face another left-hander.

[@trimbaker1893]

Very nicely put. I once shared a house with a famous Chef. I have a talent for sharpening blades, and asked my friend if I could sharpen one of his Chef's knives and if so, and he liked my edge, then I would sharpen the rest of his roll of knives. Reluctantly, he passed one of his lesser knives to me...I sharpened it and when I brought it to him, I shaved a bit of my arm to show its keen edge. Then, I said, the person who sharpened it last, was left handed. My friend, squinted one eye, nodded his head and said "yes, yes he was" and he handed me the rest of his knives to sharpen. Smiling, I like your style of sharing your interest and knowledge. George.

[@thormusique]

I just stumbled upon this video, and so glad I did! What wonderful insights! I actually found this idea of learning something intimate about this great person who was buried at Sutton Hoo so incredibly moving. Thank you!

[@shahibbulanwardin]

The stairs in castle is design to be hard for right handed person i.e enemy to go up the stairs. Thus a left handed enemy going upstairs in a castle is just brilliant

[@haroldwilkes6608]

Uncle Nuar - hence the name "point man".

[@mandowarrior123]

I doubt there was much defence on the stairs as the higher person has such a reach disadvantage. I wouldn't advise it if you value your ankles. Many a battle was lost from misunderstanding the advantage of 'high ground'. There's one particular battle who's name escapes me, some bright spark put his archers on TOP of the hill and his infantry on the steep slope. Needless to say, archers couldn't fire and the infantry got their ankles hacked off. I think only a few tank battles got close to that kind of high ground blunder. (Silhouettes, under armour, and gun depression)

[@draelyc]

I absolutely love the way you capture the incredible spirit of archaeology when you say that these artifacts are "loud with information" ~ perfectly said!