We can now see the Sutton Hoo treasures

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A.� Yes - and that's great news. The priceless Anglo-Saxon treasures discovered in 1939 went on display for the first time last week.< xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

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Q.� So where we they found

A.� At Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, in a 1,400-year-old ship hidden in a warrior chief's burial mound. Stars of the exhibition are a magnificent ornate shield and sword. Other treasures include the remains of intricate jewellery, spears, knives, a sword belt and scabbard, and the only known Anglo-Saxon hanging pot.

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However, Sutton Hoo's most famous find, a regal helmet and war-mask, will not be on show. It is staying at the British museum. But visitors will be able to see a �10,000 replica of it. A half-size model of the 89ft longship will also be featured.

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Q.� Was this the only grave found

A.� No. Sutton Hoo, near Woodbridge, was the burial ground of Anglo-Saxon kings of East Anglia. Its discovery created a sensation. Hundreds of metal artefacts, including weapons, Byzantine silver, gold ornaments and jewels, were found in 17 burial mounds. The site contained two ship burials and the grave of a warrior who had been buried alongside his horse.

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The mounds were created over 50 years and the ship burial dates from about 625. The helmet and shield are believed to have belonged to King Raedwald, King of the East Anglians.

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Q.� It's a new museum

A.� A new �5 million exhibition and visitor centre. It was opened by Seamus Heaney, the Nobel laureate poet who translated the 7th-century Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf into modern verse.

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Sutton Hoo has been described as 'page one of British history', a site rich in evidence of the early Anglo-Saxon settlement. But in recent years, only about 5,000 people visit the site annually. The National Trust hopes the new centre will boost that figure significantly.

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Q.� Why so important

A.� Apart from the beauty and number of the artefacts, it's the information they bring. Charles Nunneley, chairman of the National Trust, said the burial mounds and treasure hoard defined the beginning of Englishness. 'This and Stonehenge are probably the two iconic sites of early English history. I consider that the Anglo-Saxons are my ancestors and I have a considerable interest in them,' he said. 'They are a highly significant civilisation, the memory of which was obliterated by their successors. We are only now remembering how significant and splendid they were.'

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Steve Cunningham