The Alfred Jewel is a piece of Anglo-Saxon goldsmithing work made of enamel and quartz enclosed in gold. It was discovered in 1693, in North Petherton, Somerset, England and is now one of the most popular exhibits at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
What was the Alfred Jewel used for?
Found in 1693 at North Petherton, in Somerset, it is likely that the late 9th century ‘Alfred Jewel’ was the head of an aestel (pointer), used to follow lines of text in a manuscript.
What is the Alfred Jewel worth?
The hoard was declared Treasure by the coroner for Oxfordshire in February 2016 and subsequently valued at £1.35 million by the Treasure Valuation Committee. It was discovered on private land near Watlington by metal-detectorist James Mather on 7 October 2015.
Who created the Alfred Jewel?
The Alfred Jewel is a masterpiece of goldsmith’s work formed around a tear-shaped slice of rock crystal. Its inscription: AELFRED MEC HEHT GEWYRCAN – ‘Alfred ordered me to be made’ – connects the jewel with King Alfred the Great (r. 871–899) making it among the most significant of royal relics.
When was the Alfred Jewel found?
The Alfred Jewel is one of the most celebrated objects surviving from Anglo-Saxon England. Inscribed +ÆFLRED MEC HEHT GEWYRCAN (‘Alfred ordered me to be made’), it was found in 1693 at North Petherton, a few miles from King Alfred’s fortress and monastery at Athelney, in Somerset.
Do Saxons still exist?
No, since the tribes which could have considered themselves actually Angles or Saxons have disappeared over the last thousand years or even before, but their descendants still inhabit the British Isles, as well as other English speaking countries, like the US, Canada and New Zealand, and others which have seen …
What is a Saxon astell?
An aestel is a pointer designed for the reading of manuscripts and most were commissioned by Alfred the Great, famous warrior king of England and one of history’s great champions of learning, justice and civilisation.
What is an Astel?
astelnoun. An arch or ceiling of boards placed above the workers’ heads in a mine. Etymology: Old English astelle piece of wood, astele splinter, shaving, attelle, astelle: compare astula, diminutive of assis board.
How was Anglo Saxon Jewellery made?
Necklaces and bracelets were made from glass beads, amber and amethyst, and women fastened their clothing with brooches. … Women of high rank or who were wealthy wore necklaces made from silver or gold. Some of the finest examples of Anglo-Saxon jewellery were found in the burial site at Sutton Hoo in East Anglia.
How old is the Alfred Jewel?
The Alfred Jewel, which is believed to be more than 1,000 years old, was found in the county in 1693. It is owned by Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum, but is being loaned to the Museum of Somerset in Taunton. The museum’s director said it was “thrilling to think it’s back near its homeland… albeit for a brief time.”
Who created the Fuller brooch?
1949,0702.1) was brought to the British Museum. On the advice of Sir Thomas Kendrick the Fuller brooch was traced by Mr. Bruce-Mitford and after laboratory examination it was acquired by the British Museum.
Is Bebbanburg a real place?
Yes! Last Kingdom fans will be glad to know that Bebbanburg is a real place and you can follow in the footsteps of Uhtred if you wanted to! Although the Saxon Kingdom of Northumbria has long since fallen, you can find Uhtred’s precious Bebbanburg in the county of Northumberland in England today.
Are Vikings and Saxons the same?
Vikings were pirates and warriors who invaded England and ruled many parts of England during 9th and 11the centuries. Saxons led by Alfred the Great successfully repulsed the raids of Vikings. Saxons were more civilized and peace loving than the Vikings. Saxons were Christians while Vikings were Pagans.
Who lived in England before the Anglo-Saxons?
Briton, one of a people inhabiting Britain before the Anglo-Saxon invasions beginning in the 5th century ad.
What was Anglo-Saxon jewellery like?
The Anglo-Saxons wore jewellery, including brooches, beaded necklaces and bracelets, made from gold, silver, bronze and copper. These adornments were important status symbols, worn to show their wealth and rank.
Who wore Anglo-Saxon jewellery?
Jewellery was worn by both Anglo-Saxon women and men. Gemstones such as amethyst and amber and glass beads were used to make simple bracelets and necklaces. Women fastened their dresses at the shoulder with a pair of brooches. Men fastened cloaks with brooches and had elaborate belt buckles.
Did Anglo-Saxon men wear jewelry?
Anglo-Saxon dress refers to the clothing and accessories worn by the Anglo-Saxons from the middle of the fifth century to the eleventh century. … Women’s dress changed frequently from century to century, while men’s dress changed very little. Women typically wore jewellery, men wore little or no jewellery.
Why is the Fuller brooch so famous?
The elegance of the engraved decoration depicting the Five Senses, highlighted by being filled with niello, makes it one of the most highly regarded pieces of Anglo-Saxon art.
Where was the Franks casket found?
It was first recorded in the possession of a family at Auzon in the Auvergne, during which time it was… dismantled. The right-hand end became separated from the rest around this time, and passed eventually into the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence, where it remains.
What does the Fuller brooch represent?
The meaning of this brooch would have been easily understood by King Alfred the Great (died 899), soldier, administrator, and Christian scholar who wrote about gaining inner wisdom through the “eyes of the mind.” It may have been made in his court workshop.
Who built Bebbanburg?
Bamburgh then became the property of the reigning English monarch. Henry II probably built the keep as it was complete by 1164. Following the Siege of Acre in 1191, and as a reward for his service, King Richard I appointed Sir John Forster the first Governor of Bamburgh Castle.
Was there really an uhtred of Bebbanburg?
However, unlike many other characters in the book series who correspond closely to historical figures (e.g. Alfred the Great, Guthrum, King Guthred), the main character Uhtred is fictitious: he lives in the middle of the 9th century – being aged about ten at the battle of York (867) – i.e. more than a hundred years …
Where is Wessex now?
Wessex, one of the kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England, whose ruling dynasty eventually became kings of the whole country. In its permanent nucleus, its land approximated that of the modern counties of Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, and Somerset.
Are Danes Vikings?
Danes come from Denmark, and they are also called Vikings because some of them went vikingr, that is to say exploring/trading/raiding. Viking is not a race, it’s an activity. Irish and Scots raiders were also called Vikings, as were other Scandinavians. The Danes were a Germanic tribe originally in Scania.
Did the Danes take over England?
Danish laws formed the basis of the Dane Law, and gave the name “The Danelaw” to an area in north and east England that came under Danish control in the latter half of the 9th century. The Viking raids culminated in 1013 CE when the Viking King Sweyn Forkbeard conquered the whole of England.
What is a Dane in England?
A Danish family in England. The Danish settlement of England was the gradual process by which the Danes (a group of seafaring Scandinavian peoples) settled in England from the late 9th to early 11th centuries AD.