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Anatomy of Early Anglo-Saxon Swords

25/3/2023

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Although most swords from early Anglo-Saxon burials had relatively simple, entirely or largely organic hilts, more elaborate early Anglo-Saxon swords, as well as those of similar designs from related cultures in Migration Period and Early Medieval Europe and 'pre-Viking' Scandinavia, had hilts assembled from many different components.
 
The Staffordshire Hoard, discovered in 2009, contains the remains of between 80 and 150 bejewelled sword hilts, all having been ripped from their original blades. It can be difficult to keep track of the terms for all these various components, and how they relate to each-other. To reduce confusion when discussing Anglo-Saxon sword parts, we've prepared this illustrated guide, to help. 


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From Egypt to East Anglia: design in the Sutton Hoo scabbard bosses

5/3/2023

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​Secrets in the Stones: Decoding Anglo-Saxon Art.  Part 1
​
From Egypt to East Anglia: design in the Sutton Hoo scabbard bosses

PictureSutton Hoo scabbard boss ( (C) Trustees of British Museum)
​This article is part of a series about our increasing understanding of the meanings behind the designs of Anglo-Saxon art. For other chapters click here. 

Amongst the glittering masses of gold and garnet treasure, from the Sutton Hoo royal burials in East Anglia and the Staffordshire Hoard to the smaller discoveries of furnished graves and chance finds, it can be hard to concentrate on individual pieces. In the scabbard bosses from Sutton Hoo, however, close inspection reveals an exciting possibility — that the people who created these masterpieces of jewellery not only had the most sophisticated craft skills, but also possessed mastery of classical philosophy from the Eastern Mediterranean.


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Anglo-Saxon Yule

21/11/2022

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How did folk in early medieval lowland Britain spend the coldest and darkest time of the year?  What evidence do we have for their midwinter traditions, how did they change and evolve during the period, and have any survived to influence our own festive traditions today?

In preparation for a special midwinter event and seasonal exhibition at the most famous early Anglo-Saxon archaeological site - Sutton Hoo, and building on an earlier article on this subject published in 2012, we embarked on a project to re-examine the evidence for Anglo-Saxon midwinter traditions.  Though noting the existence of a well established image of a generalized early medieval Yule based on passed-down folk traditions and logical inferences is held dear by many people today, we found that many traditions assumed to be Anglo-Saxon in origin are absent from primary sources from the period and are first documented surprisingly late. On the other hand, we found evidence for surprisingly familiar traditions established during the Anglo-Saxon period which can be thought of as distant ancestors of aspects of modern Christmas we still observe today.
So don your warmest cloak, grab a horn-full of mead, and join us on a journey through time, back to the Anglo-Saxon midwinter festival known as Yule.
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Shield of an Anglo-Saxon Prince - Part 3:  Painting

25/4/2022

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Compared to the famous shield from Sutton Hoo Mound 1, the shields from the other treasure-filled princely Anglo-Saxon burials lack ostentatious decorative fittings. In the first chapter (link) we discussed the striking similarity of these shields, which appeared to be high-performance gear for warrior princes, optimised for agility rather than ostentation. In the second chapter (link) we reported on our project to produce an authentic replica of such a shield, and explore just how light weight they could have been. 
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Despite the minimal fittings, its hard to imagine the shields of the late 6th century princely burials were entirely plain, and new evidence has come to light concerning early Anglo-Saxon paints, and the painted designs preserved from the late Iron Age, which has allowed us to more confidently wade into the painting of early Anglo-Saxon shields for the first time.
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Researching and experimenting these paints, exploring the evidenced designs, and how they relate to decorative motifs seen in other media across both Anglo-Saxon material culture and adjacent cultures, we were finally able to finish our replica princely shield with a plausible painted design.

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    Thegns Blog

    Exploring the history, archaeology and cultures of the "Anglo-Saxon Period" (encompassing the Migration and Viking Ages).

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