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Video: The tiny artefact that shakes up Sutton Hoo helmet's origin story: Die stamp found in Kent suggests the Anglo-Saxon treasure was manufactured nearby - and NOT in Scandinavia

The history of an iconic British treasure could be rewritten after a tiny artefact was unearthed in a field in Kent.

For decades the Sutton Hoo helmet - which was buried with a Suffolk king around 1,400 years ago - has been suspected of being an import from Sweden.

But the ‘extraordinary’ discovery of a small object suggests it may have been made much closer to home.

A copper-alloy die stamp, unearthed by a metal detectorist in a field near the Kent village of Lynsted, dates from the late 6th or early 7th century.

It appears to have been used to press decorative panels for high-status Anglo-Saxon military equipment, such as helmets.

Analysis reveals it is closely comparable in size and design to panels on the famous Sutton Hoo headgear.

Crucially, it is the only confirmed example of its kind found in Britain – and indicates that helmets previously thought to be Scandinavian may have actually been made in England.

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Video: The tiny artefact that shakes up Sutton Hoo helmet's origin story

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