Anglo Saxon Gold - Kingdom of Mercia

[Philidor]

A massive haul of Anglo-Saxon gold has been found on farmland in western England. It consists of about 1,500 pieces of gold and silver, some inlaid with precious stones.

The hoard is going to transform our view of early Anglo-Saxon England: its political, religious, economic and cultural history. It is unique — not just for Anglo-Saxon England, but for early medieval Western Europe — in its size, its wealth and the remarkable nature of its contents...

The hoard comes from the heartland of the kingdom of Mercia, which we know to have been a power in the ascendant during the later years of the 7th century, under a succession of aggressive and ruthless kings, including Penda, Wulfhere and Æthelred.

Times

[Florestan]

This is really an amazing and very exciting find.

Imagine finding something like that....




Utterly, utterly incredible

[marquis66]

(and yes, I know... that is a screen cap from a different scene. But there aren't any from the right one, I swear.)

[Stlukesguild]

I'll need to follow this story closely. I've long been enamored of Anglo-Saxon/Celtic medieval art. Just today I picked up a great book, Treasures of Early Irish Art, for next to nothing at a used book store.

[fivelive]

Thank you for posting the pictures Philidor. I haven't had a chance to look since the news broke. They are just so amazing. I wonder if the rest of the hoard is of the same quality?

[Philidor]

Originally Posted by fivelive

Thank you for posting the pictures Philidor. I haven't had a chance to look since the news broke. They are just so amazing. I wonder if the rest of the hoard is of the same quality?

Hey, you're welcome. Interestingly, there's big public interest, with people queueing round the block to see it.





"Rise up O Lord, and may thy enemies be dispersed and those who hate thee"

[Florestan]

Originally Posted by Philidor

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them....

[Philidor]

I love the way this gold gives a glimps into pre-Arthurian England. The Romans had gone, the rule of law had shrunk to a few petty kingdoms, it was an anarchical, Hobbesian, pre-Leviathan land of virgin forest (out of which blue-painted Welshmen emerged to murder and pilage the English before disappearing back into the trees) a melding of Christian, Roman and ancient British beliefs, the whole place God-intoxicated, the landscape dotted with Pictish symbol stones and megalithic stone circles, the Saxons (who only arrived in the 3rd century) living alongside the ancient Britons, Celts, Picts and Vikings.

Who were these people with this great stash of gold? Where did they get it? Why did they abandon it? How Powys would have loved the find!

[Florestan]

Originally Posted by Philidor

How Powys would have loved the find!

Oh god, yes.

It is absolutely magical. I especially like the Jammy Dodger.

[stephen w]

Originally Posted by Philidor

I love the way this gold gives a glimps into pre-Arthurian England. The Romans had gone, the rule of law had shrunk to a few petty kingdoms, it was an anarchical, Hobbesian, pre-Leviathan land of virgin forest (out of which blue-painted Welshmen emerged to murder and pilage the English before disappearing back into the trees) a melding of Christian, Roman and ancient British beliefs, the whole place God-intoxicated, the landscape dotted with Pictish symbol stones and megalithic stone circles, the Saxons (who only arrived in the 3rd century) living alongside the ancient Britons, Celts, Picts and Vikings.

Who were these people with this great stash of gold? Where did they get it? Why did they abandon it? How Powys would have loved the find!

And Rosemary Sutcliffe too (another currently underrated writer..) your exciting evocation of the period could have been written by her..
Like others, I'm thrilled by this post - and will be watching for further news about it.