An ancient helmet found in a ship burial at Sutton Hoo in England may indicate that Anglo-Saxon warriors served as mercenaries in the Byzantine Empire in the 6th century AD.. This new perspective follows recent research examining the historical connections between the early Anglo-Saxons and the Byzantine world, Live Science writes..

U Focus. Technologies has its own Telegram channel. Subscribe so you don't miss the latest and most exciting news from the world of science!

The Sutton Hoo helmet, as well as the chain mail found nearby, have unique features that indicate they are modeled after Byzantine armor. Dr Helen Gittos, a lecturer in medieval history at the University of Oxford, explains that these objects, made by Anglo-Saxon artisans, could have belonged to a warrior who served in the Byzantine army.

Artifacts indicate that the person buried - possibly Radwald, an early Anglo-Saxon king - commissioned local artisans to recreate the exquisite crafts he had encountered abroad.

Although the chainmail is now heavily damaged by corrosion, its design reflects the armor that Byzantine warriors of the era used. Also, the helmet with articulated shields on the cheeks and neck shows Roman features, despite the expressive Anglo-Saxon decorations.

Gittos' research challenges previous beliefs that such items were obtained through trade. Instead, the scholar argues that Anglo-Saxon warriors were directly involved in Byzantine military campaigns, particularly against the Sasanian Persians..

The Sutton Hoo burial site, discovered in 1939, contains many treasures that have intrigued historians for decades. However, it was the 2003 excavation of Prittlewell's grave in Essex that provided the key to understanding the connections between the Anglo-Saxons and the Byzantine world. The site, not looted by looters and dated between 580 and 605, contained artifacts such as a bronze jug and silver spoons that were likely brought back from campaigns in the eastern Mediterranean.

Gittos also highlights historical evidence describing the Byzantine Empire's recruitment of foreign mercenaries for a massive campaign against the Sasanians in the 570s.. These records detail the lucrative incentives offered to skilled fighters, including initial provision of armor and ongoing payments..

Evidence from Anglo-Saxon burials, including horse harness and horse skeletal remains, suggests cavalry experience, which would have made these warriors highly sought after.

Not all scientists agree on the significance of these findings. Ken Dark, a historian at King's College London, acknowledges the usual premise of the study, but notes the lack of direct evidence linking Western Britons to service in the Byzantine armies.

However, he points out that 6th-century Byzantine military manuals such as the Strategikon acknowledge the fighting skills of Western warriors, making the connection plausible.

Focus previously wrote why evolution took away our third eyelid.

We also told how the discovery of archaeologists rewrote the history of the city of Adrianople.