Final answer:
The materials and craftsmanship of the Sutton Hoo helmet and accompanying objects suggest that the person buried at the site was wealthy and powerful, as they feature expensive materials and intricate craftsmanship indicative of high status in early Anglo-Saxon society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Significance of the Sutton Hoo Helmet and Other Artefacts
The materials used to create the Sutton Hoo helmet, and other items found at the Sutton Hoo burial site, such as the purse lid adorned with gold, garnets, and enamels, strongly indicate that the person buried there was of high status, likely a wealthy and powerful individual.
The lavish items exhibit the use of expensive materials and intricate craftsmanship, which are indicative of a person who had significant wealth and the ability to commission such elaborate objects.
Given the historical context of early Anglo-Saxon society, these objects reflect the social importance of displaying wealth to establish status and power.
The inclusion of a purse lid holding gold coins, made of gold, garnet cloisonné, and millefiori glass, further supports the interpretation that these belongings were the possessions of someone with great wealth and rank.
The presence of these objects in the burial site does not necessarily imply that the individual was a skilled blacksmith, had a particular interest in fashion, or was a religious leader, but rather speaks to their socioeconomic standing.