Anglo-Saxon paganism, sometimes termed Anglo-Saxon heathenism , Anglo-Saxon pre-Christian religion, or Anglo-Saxon traditional religion, refers to the religious beliefs and practices followed by the Anglo-Saxons between the 5th and 8th centuries AD, during the initial period of Early Medieval England. A variant of Germanic paganism found across much of north-western Europe, it encompassed a heterogeneous variety of beliefs and cultic practices, with much regional variation.
This elegantly tapering bronze pin has an unusual finial made by dividing the stem at the head and curving one stem backward into a spiral. Spiral-headed pins with two outward curling spirals have been found in Ireland and in 7th- and 8th-century Anglo-Saxon sites. This example was found at Armagh (Northern Ireland) in 1886. Armagh was an important royal site from pre-historic times into the Christian era and, from the mid-5th century AD onwards, the See of Saint Patrick, Ireland's patron saint.
SURPRISE!!!! It’s not Sunday and yet I'm already back again (you lucky lucky people) unfortunately I won't be able to get to a computer on Sunday, so here's the second post on my blog. (Downside, there will be a longer wait for my next one =[a whole 9 days!!!) SOOO here we go..... In between working hard (yes I have a job as well), cleaning bones for the Eastbourne Ancestors Project and running this blog, on Wednesday I went to a presentation and workshop with CSI: Sittingbourne (Conservation Science Investigation) which was run by Dana Goodwin-Brown. I really enjoyed the presentation which covered many methods of archaeological conservation, such as the importance of looking at grave plans, examining x-rays previous to working on any artefacts and different methods of cleaning and preserving finds. These included scalpel cleaning and air abrasion. The before and aftercare of artefacts was also discussed and we learnt about block lifting and the importance of using silica gel in the preservation of finds that needs to be kept in a dry environment, such as ferrous metal work and the fact that the gel needs to be regularly replaced. This is a photograph of an Anglo Saxon Shield Boss that was found at the Eastbourne Anglo-Saxon Village in St. Anne's Road in 1997. Many hours where spent cleaning this, with air abrasion, but due to the poor aftercare of the item, the silica gel was never replaced, and the boss now shows clear signs of severe oxidisation and pitting. The CSI: Sittingbourne site and the Eastbourne Anglo-Saxon site share a lot of similarities which enables them to work closely together in regards to the conservation of artefacts. The Sittingbourne Site, known as The Meads contained 229 burials and approximately 2500 finds making it a site of high importance. Sittingbourne like the Eastbourne Ancestors project, is community led, allowing for member of the public to get involved and help maintain and preserve the archaeology found in their towns. A hair pin found at the Eastbourne Anglo Saxon Site A brooch found at the Anglo Saxon Site in Eastbourne In the afternoon after the presentation, we got a chance to try our hand at cleaning and preserving some samples. I was 'lucky' enough to have the challenge of removing 20 year old blu tack from the back of antique thimbles, which had been used to attach it to a wooden board. (Oh how I HATE blu tack now!!), this was done using a toothpick and scalpel under a microscope (and a lot of time). After that I helped to remove sticky tape that had been used to stick a medieval pot back together. Using a cotton bud and a solvent solution I slowly removed all trace of the tape. (NOTE: NEVER use sticky tape to stick archaeological finds back together) A Medieval Pot Below are some links that you might find interesting: CSI: Sittingbourne’s Blog/Website http://anglosaxoncsi.wordpress.com/ And these are English Heritage publications on the guidelines of Conservation in Archaeology, Free Downloads are available. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/x-radiography-of-archaeological-metalwork/ http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/investigative-conservation/ So that's all for this week, and just incase you're thinking that the title of this blog is somewhat misleading, next week... there will bones :D I bid you farewell Maisie
Are you a fan of hands-on student engagement? This Greek Mythology Greek Gods learning tool is so much fun and loaded with visuals to boost your mythology teaching lessons. Students will love their Greek Gods and Goddesses pennant and sketch notes pages, with the added bonus of accessing the digital resource compatible with Google Drive. Includes: ★complete make your pennant printables for teaching Greek Mythology and Greek Gods ★complete set of sketch notes pages delivered to you via a link to a Google Drive link. Zeus Poseidon Hades Aphrodite Athena Apollo Hestia Hermes Hephaestus Ares Artemis Demeter Pan Eros Dionysus Hera ★Blank for you to add your own God or Goddess ★fill-ins, questions, facts ★Teacher directions, philosophy, and tips ★Print PDF and Paperless GOOGLE DRIVE Digital Resource Great for teaching a social studies unit on Greek Mythology, English language arts unit for The Odyssey, The Lightning Thief, The Illiad, or just for a fun mythology background unit. Awesome classroom decor. Leave the research pennant all year long. Sketchnotes can be used for: Note taking Auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners Encourages creativity Organizing thoughts Studying and memorization Visually appealing presentation of information Allows students to discover their own style Print and Digital Are you using technology? Get ready for your technology infused 21st century classroom! Your common core lessons will be alive with enthusiasm when you bring digital notebooks to your students. Educational Technology. Mobile Learning. Google Resource. Digital Classroom. You don't need to be a teacher in a 1:1 classroom to deliver digital content for your lesson plans and curriculum. Using a teaching text, or instructional web tool - like an online textbook paired with Google Drive, Google Classroom, Microsoft OneDrive, or a learning management system, is an excellent first step to try paperless classroom instructional technology methods. Elearning promotes differentiation, collaboration, improves overall learning objectives, and student growth mindset, which are proven advantages of using classroom technology. Please provide me with really appreciated feedback! GET CREATIVE! **Check out the Preview** Come Together! Connect with Me! Study All Knight Blog Study All Knight Facebook Danielle Knight (Study All Knight) on Pinterest Study All Knight on Twitter Study All Knight on Instagram Created by Danielle Knight, © Study All Knight 2017.
Anglo-Saxon art covers art produced within the Anglo-Saxon period of English history, beginning with the Migration period style that the Anglo-Saxons brought with them from the continent in the 5th century, and ending in 1066 with the Norman Conquest of England, whose sophisticated art was influential in much of northern Europe. The two periods of outstanding achievement were the 7th and 8th centuries, with the metalwork and jewellery from Sutton Hoo and a series of magnificent illuminated manuscripts, and the final period after about 950, when there was a revival of English culture after the end of the Viking invasions. By the time of the Conquest the move to the Romanesque style is nearly complete. The important artistic centres, in so far as these can be established, were concentrated in the extremities of England, in Northumbria, especially in the early period, and Wessex and Kent near the south coast.
Sth711: Woden's Pommelcap Much attention has been given to the glittering gold and garnet work of the Staffordshire Hoard, but often, plainer items can be much more informative. sth711 (nicknamed 'Dave' by conservators) is a fine example of this, foregoing gemstones in favour of fascinating images in cast relief. What are the meanings of these images, and what can they tell us about the history of this piece, the hoard itself, and the people who buried it? Nb. Observations herein are based on photographs and are intended to encourage debate. It is likely many of these observations have already been made by the team of conservators and historians working on the hoard, but given that, so far, little detailed analysis has been published for public perusal, hopefully this article will help encourage public interest in close analysis of the finds. © Images in this article have been used with the kind permission of Birmingham Museums and are subject to strict copyright (1) sth711, also known as k711 is one of a handful of items not made of gold or silver, but of copper alloy [7]. However, small glittering areas in the less exposed parts of the piece hint that this was probably originally plated with a precious metal, most of which has been worn away. sth711 conforms to the typical size and shape of pommel-caps which adorned Germanic swords during the Migration period [2] (for information on their use, click here). On one side, the piece displays a rather intriguing face or mask, surrounded by oddly stylised arms that may also represent beasts. The identity of the bearded man depicted is unknown, but a deity would seem logical; the presence of such a depiction providing apotropaic protection for the sword's owner. Though both eyes are present, one pupil appears to be absent, suggesting that eye is blind, consistent with the god Woden. Such depictions are rare, and the style of this depiction seems quite distinct from other Anglo-Saxon depictions of Woden such as the Finglesham Buckle, in terms of face-shape and the features emphasised. The other side of the pommel-cap is rather more fascinating. At the top of the pommel cap are two birds, that may be depictions of the ravens of Woden, Huginn and Muninn mentioned in the Eddas [3]. Within the design of the arms beneath, an additional two bird heads are contained. The first figures that ones attention is drawn to, however, are two boar heads facing toward the corners. Depictions of boars are also thought to have an apotropaic quality, and are found on various Anglo-Saxon finds, not least the most significant find from Mercia other than the hoard; the Benty Grange helmet. Boars are associated with the god Frey-Ing [4] ,and it is probable that such depictions would've been thought to afford the bearer his protection. Hög-Edsten Pommelcap (cc. Historiska Museet, Sweden) In some ways the appearance of boar imagery in the hoard is not surprising. Boars depictions frequently pop up in the archaeological record and we know that boar emblems were favoured by the Mercians. However, the precise boar-head arrangement closely resembles the enigmatic but strikingly beautiful gold-and-garnet pommel from Hög-Edsten in western Sweden [5], itself the subject of much academic debate. Could this indicate cultural and trade links between Geatland -the land of Beowulf, and the kingdom of Mercia, during the time this pommel--cap was made? The dating of this pommel-cap is fascinating. Comparative dating may not be a lot of use, as very few finds in this precise style have been found, and the closest approximate- Hög-Edsten, is not confidently dated either. The interlace adorning the top of the piece has been noted to resemble that of an Alemannic pommel from Schretzheim grave 366 [6], though it's not clear how significant this resemblance might be. The main images present (disembodied animal body-parts) are consistent with Salin Style-1 thought to have been gradually replaced by more heavily stylised Style-2 during the 6th century. Given most items in the hoard are dated to the 7th to early 8th century [7], sth711 is something quite special. It may be hundreds of years older than the rest of the hoard; a historical artifact even before it was buried. There's far more that is peculiar about this piece, though. First, it's apex has seen its 2+ mm deep relief completely rubbed away. It's fair to say that the top third of the pommel cap has lost all it's decoration to wear and tear. This contrasts strongly with most other items in the hoard which, though made from softer materials, do not display this kind of damage. They are mangled and bent from detachment, yes, but for the most part, they were not subject to decades or centuries of wear before they were put in the ground. We think of these items as being fairly disposable; what was fashionable in the world of sword decoration changed with time, and there is substantial evidence that swords were re-hilted to accommodate new decoration. The amount of wear on the apex of sth711 is indicative not just of age, though, but of decades or centuries of constant use; it would take many years of clothing rubbing on the apex for such wear to accumulate. By the time of the Staffordshire Hoard's deposition, this piece would've seemed old fashioned, even archaic, yet the wear (combined with its early dating) suggests it might have remained in use until a relatively short time before it was deposited. Did this piece, or the weapon it was attached to have special meaning or significance to the line of people who possessed it? Another peculiarity of this piece is that it clearly had six sturdy attachments for pins, rather than the usual four. Such pins were used to attach pommel-caps to the upper guard, penetrating through the upper plate and into the organic material in the middle of the sandwich. While later pommel-caps were attached with only two pins, or none at all (held on by the peening of a protruding tang) I know of no cases of a sword pommels being secured by six pins outside of the Staffordshire Hoard [8]. Perhaps this was an earlier approach used before smiths discovered only four pins were really necessary? The attachments are not intact, however. In fact, on one side, two are broken away, and the third on that side seems to be flatter than its opposites. In addition, next to the broken pin-holes is a dent in the side of the pommel-cap. The damage to the holes and the corner could be the result of a particularly tricky detachment, but sth711 is made of hard copper alloy and one of the few pommel-caps on the hoard that's relatively sturdily constructed. Though the aforementioned hypothesis is certainly a possibility, a rather more exciting proposition might be that this "damage" was the result of work to make the cap compatible with a ring-attachment. The two aspects of the apparent damage very closely resemble the Snösbäck pommel from Västergötland, Sweden (roughly 100 miles from the site of the Hög-Edsten find) [7] thought to have been sawn or filed down to accommodate a ring which was later removed. If the pommel-cap sth711 was indeed adapted to accommodate a ring attachment, this would support the early dating, as the piece certainly was not originally intended to be part of such an assembly. Whether such work was done in Scandinavia or in England, we will perhaps never know. Its close resemblance to Scandinavian (particularly west Swedish / Geatish) finds cannot be ignored, nor its notable dissimilarity to other finds from England. If it was indeed crafted in Scandinavia, when in its long life did it find it's way to Mercia? Was the sword of sth711 a gift from a northern thegn or king, or might it have travelled to Britain from northern Europe during the migration of the 5th and 6th centuries? What we can be sure of is that sth711 sits among the most interesting finds of the hoard, and with it's early date, represents a period of history from which archaeological finds in England are fairly thin on the ground. References (1) Birmingham Museums. Images of the Staffordshire Hoard. [Online] Available from: http://www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/ [Accessed 2012]. (2) Thompson A. Anglo-Saxon Sword Words. [Online] Available from: http://thethegns.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/anglo-saxon-sword-words.html [Accessed 2012]. (3) Thompson A. The Raven. [Online] Available from: http://thethegns.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/raven.html [Accessed 2012]. (4) Thompson A. The Boar. [Online] Available from: http://thethegns.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/boar.html. (5) Neilsen KH. Style II and all that: the potential of the hoard for statistical study of chronology and geographical distributions. The Staffordshire Hoard Symposium 2010. (6) Eriksson T. Iron-Age Curator of the National Historical Museum of Sweden - Concerning the Hog-Edsten Find. (Personal communication). (7) Fischer S, Soulat J. The Typochronology of Sword Pommels from the Staffordshire Hoard. The Staffordshire Hoard Symposium 2010. (8) Mortimer P. Concering 6-Pin Pommelcaps (Personal communication).
The internet can be pretty messy when it comes to historical costume and fashion research. When I started working on my 10th century Anglo-Saxon paper doll for
Found a problem? Check here. Levels: Level 1 – 4 (1st through 4th) Level 5 – 8 (5th through 8th) Course Description: Students will study art throughout history from ancient cave paintin…
SURPRISE!!!! It’s not Sunday and yet I'm already back again (you lucky lucky people) unfortunately I won't be able to get to a computer on Sunday, so here's the second post on my blog. (Downside, there will be a longer wait for my next one =[a whole 9 days!!!) SOOO here we go..... In between working hard (yes I have a job as well), cleaning bones for the Eastbourne Ancestors Project and running this blog, on Wednesday I went to a presentation and workshop with CSI: Sittingbourne (Conservation Science Investigation) which was run by Dana Goodwin-Brown. I really enjoyed the presentation which covered many methods of archaeological conservation, such as the importance of looking at grave plans, examining x-rays previous to working on any artefacts and different methods of cleaning and preserving finds. These included scalpel cleaning and air abrasion. The before and aftercare of artefacts was also discussed and we learnt about block lifting and the importance of using silica gel in the preservation of finds that needs to be kept in a dry environment, such as ferrous metal work and the fact that the gel needs to be regularly replaced. This is a photograph of an Anglo Saxon Shield Boss that was found at the Eastbourne Anglo-Saxon Village in St. Anne's Road in 1997. Many hours where spent cleaning this, with air abrasion, but due to the poor aftercare of the item, the silica gel was never replaced, and the boss now shows clear signs of severe oxidisation and pitting. The CSI: Sittingbourne site and the Eastbourne Anglo-Saxon site share a lot of similarities which enables them to work closely together in regards to the conservation of artefacts. The Sittingbourne Site, known as The Meads contained 229 burials and approximately 2500 finds making it a site of high importance. Sittingbourne like the Eastbourne Ancestors project, is community led, allowing for member of the public to get involved and help maintain and preserve the archaeology found in their towns. A hair pin found at the Eastbourne Anglo Saxon Site A brooch found at the Anglo Saxon Site in Eastbourne In the afternoon after the presentation, we got a chance to try our hand at cleaning and preserving some samples. I was 'lucky' enough to have the challenge of removing 20 year old blu tack from the back of antique thimbles, which had been used to attach it to a wooden board. (Oh how I HATE blu tack now!!), this was done using a toothpick and scalpel under a microscope (and a lot of time). After that I helped to remove sticky tape that had been used to stick a medieval pot back together. Using a cotton bud and a solvent solution I slowly removed all trace of the tape. (NOTE: NEVER use sticky tape to stick archaeological finds back together) A Medieval Pot Below are some links that you might find interesting: CSI: Sittingbourne’s Blog/Website http://anglosaxoncsi.wordpress.com/ And these are English Heritage publications on the guidelines of Conservation in Archaeology, Free Downloads are available. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/x-radiography-of-archaeological-metalwork/ http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/investigative-conservation/ So that's all for this week, and just incase you're thinking that the title of this blog is somewhat misleading, next week... there will bones :D I bid you farewell Maisie
Charlemagne Empire Historical Maps: An Exceptional Teaching Resource Overview: These educational maps serve as an invaluable resource for public school teachers and homeschooling parents keen on exploring the complex annals of European history. They cover historically significant events over several centuries, facilitating in-depth learning of key historical happenings. This offering is non-grade specific, fitting a wide range of learners making it a flexible tool for educators teaching students of different age groups or levels. These visually appealing maps make Social Studies more interactive by allowing students to virtually experience the historical context. Each set features line art and colored graphics that aid in understanding intricate timelines and geopolitical transformations. The topics covered include: Charlemagne's empire: Kick light on one Europe's most significant monarchs, Germany during the 10th-11th centuries: Evidencing its pivotal role in shaping contemporary Europe, Europe circa 1000AD: Demonstrating how tribal communities evolved into systematic kingdoms. In addition, these sets also highlight essential aspects like: Gothic migrations and kingdoms during late antiquity, establishing their relevance in forming medieval history, The Norman Conquest emphasizing William I's epic influence over British culture, The Anglo-Saxons: User-friendly PDF files offer teachers ease-of-use while incorporating these maps into diverse lesson plans. These could be group activities where learners study historical patterns collectively or individual tasks where pupils critically evaluate salient events denoted on maps. Final Thoughts: In essence, this remarkable teaching tool is much more than just a compilation of historical maps. It affords an interactive medium to animate crucial points of European history within learning environments. By driving spatial thinking via visual aids–these instructional assets enable students to build a profound understanding of how past worldwide occurrences shaped the world we currently inhabit, thereby enhancing their overall grasp over social studies. Charlemagne Empire Historical Maps
The surprising discovery of an Anglo-Saxon feasting hall in the village of Lyminge is offering a new view of the lives of these pagan kings
This blog is a resource for educators and parents who wish to explore the world of art with the children in their lives. Have fun, create and learn something new--together!
Find great deals on 'Belt Buckles, Merovingian Civilization, 5th-8th Century' Giclee Print at AllPosters.com, with fast shipping, easy returns, and custom framing options you'll love!
5th-8th century AD. 2.9mm rounded face band. Waisted lenticular bezel with asymmetrical circle decoration, of 9, in an irregular pattern, surrounding one. The spiritual significance is now lost. Professionally refurbished with the 24karat gold surface restored. Gift boxed with certificate of authenticity.
Archaeologists believe they have found a lost Anglo-Saxon royal palace about four miles (6km) from one of Britain's best known finds.
I don't know about you, but sometimes something that seems like it would be so easy to teach seems a little daunting. How can I make science fun and hands on? How can I make this a meaningful learning experience for my students? How can I make a lesson where the kids don't get out of control? Anyone feel me?! That is how I felt about teaching forces of energy. I knew this could be a super fun unit, and that is just what we made it...FUN! It is especially fun when you have lots of hands on things for the kids to do! For this unit, we tried to incorporate some exciting experiments for the kids so that there was a lot of "self-discovery" going on. We opened up the unit by learning about light. We had shoe boxes with a few "mystery" items inside. We requested shoe box donations from parents in advance (we got way more than we needed)! We also had the kids bring in a small flashlight. It was okay if not every child brought one in because they were working in groups! So, no one felt left out if they forgot their flashlight! The kids began by looking in their shoe boxes without a flashlight. We questioned them as they looked inside. "Wow, look at all of those mystery objects! I bet you can see them so well!" Then, a roar from the crowd, "I can't see anything!" Then, we broke out the flashlights! The kids looked through the little hole on the top of the shoe box and discovered that they could see a little more. Then, they looked through a larger hole on the side and discovered that they could see the mystery objects much better. While they were working, they wrote down what they thought the items were. Finally, we opened up the boxes and looked at the mystery items up close! The next week, we went to the science lab and did some hands on rotations about items that produce heat. The students had a lot of fun. It was perfect! Before we went, we discussed expectations like not putting our hand directly in front of the hairdryer. We also talked about what it means for items to produce their own heat. As the kids moved from station to station, they recorded if the item produced its own heat and they drew it! This was a good grade too! The day after that, the kids had a blast doing the M & M experiment where they held one in a closed hand, held one in an open hand, and laid one on their desk. Then, the kids waited 5 minutes with their hand closed to see what happened. After 5 minutes, they open up their hand and recorded what happened! The third week of learning about energy, we made a "sound wave." We prefaced this by watching this short video on how to create the sound wave. I thought this might be a little difficult, but the kids LOVED it, and it was not hard at all!! They thought it was so cool, and all of the students got involved! We demonstrated how sound waves move and echoes happen. Then, we watched a video that I found on You Tube about sound. I teach second grade and I was hoping it was not too "babyish" for them. It was not! They liked it a lot! We also discussed pitch by doing the glasses of water activity and making a straw flute! I have included the recording sheet for the glasses activity in my Energy Forces set, but we did it in our science journals. During this unit, we also made an anchor chart and the students recorded this information in their science notebooks. We did a few sorts and then ended the unit with a fun Kahoot, review to send home, and an energy test! Click the picture above for a FREEBIE! This was definitely a unit that the kids will remember and that we will do again next year! Find all of these great experiments, directions, printables, and worksheets in my TPT store within my Forms of Energy Unit! If you have some fun ideas for teaching energy, please comment below!
