from Beatus de Facundus: The dragon gives his power to the beast 11th century
from the Escorial Beatus
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
what goes around comes back
Book of Mulling
The momentous Staffordshire find is stirring up much excitement worldwide.
It is fascinating to read how there have been no feminine articles or domestic items recovered, and that previously dicovered Anglo Saxon hoards,such as the renowned Sutton Hoo ship burial for instance,include large amounts of cultural material meant to be worn or used by women. Staffordshire's, so far, appears to be exclusively related to masculine trophies and war gear, making it a particularly telling discovery in its own right, and sending historians' and archaeologists',(who are expecting to glean fountains of information from the mysterious objects), heads spinning. Precious knowledge will be forthcoming, they say, about a murderous, trans-formative time of which very little is known for certain.
To see the exquisite line of the small,engraved handwriting with its "misspelled" letters is very moving somehow, more so even than the delicately wrought cloisonne pieces,and perhaps even more a sign of the elite status of its wearer (in an era when there was probably not much writing being worn, much less read, by the common person), and the folded cross, (although who will ever know why, or for whatever reason it was folded?), seems to evoke such violence.
It is fascinating to read how there have been no feminine articles or domestic items recovered, and that previously dicovered Anglo Saxon hoards,such as the renowned Sutton Hoo ship burial for instance,include large amounts of cultural material meant to be worn or used by women. Staffordshire's, so far, appears to be exclusively related to masculine trophies and war gear, making it a particularly telling discovery in its own right, and sending historians' and archaeologists',(who are expecting to glean fountains of information from the mysterious objects), heads spinning. Precious knowledge will be forthcoming, they say, about a murderous, trans-formative time of which very little is known for certain.
To see the exquisite line of the small,engraved handwriting with its "misspelled" letters is very moving somehow, more so even than the delicately wrought cloisonne pieces,and perhaps even more a sign of the elite status of its wearer (in an era when there was probably not much writing being worn, much less read, by the common person), and the folded cross, (although who will ever know why, or for whatever reason it was folded?), seems to evoke such violence.
Anyway the whole thing has got me looking up every Anglo Saxon manuscript image I can find on Wikipedia.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Incredible Early Medieval hoard discovered on a farm in Staffordshire
Staffordshire hoard folded cross
Vespasian Psalter
(Above are some examples of Anglo Saxon script circa 7th to 8th century)
"The inscription, misspelled in places, is probably from the Book of Numbers and reads: "Surge domine et dissipentur inimici tui et fugiant qui oderunt te a facie tua," or "Rise up, o Lord, and may thy enemies be dispersed."
(from cnn.com 9/24/09)
Official Website of the Stafffordshire treasure includes flickr images
"There once many a man
Mood-glad, gold bright, of gleams garnished,
Flushed with wine-pride, flashing war-gear,
Gazed on wrought gemstones, on gold, on silver,
On wealth held and hoarded, on light-filled amber"
from an Anglo Saxon poem quoted by Kenneth Clark in Civilisation Episode 1 The Skin of Our Teeth
"The inscription, misspelled in places, is probably from the Book of Numbers and reads: "Surge domine et dissipentur inimici tui et fugiant qui oderunt te a facie tua," or "Rise up, o Lord, and may thy enemies be dispersed."(from cnn.com 9/24/09)
This is really big! Experts are completely bowled over at the superb quality of the metal work in the 1500 objects recovered. Possibly a royal stash buried for safekeeping with the owner or owners planning to return later....
More at Medieval.Net
from MailOnline
Videos on the treasure at Medieval.net
NPR report on monumental Staffordshire discovery
from MailOnline
Videos on the treasure at Medieval.net
NPR report on monumental Staffordshire discovery
Official Website of the Stafffordshire treasure includes flickr images
"There once many a man
Mood-glad, gold bright, of gleams garnished,
Flushed with wine-pride, flashing war-gear,
Gazed on wrought gemstones, on gold, on silver,
On wealth held and hoarded, on light-filled amber"
from an Anglo Saxon poem quoted by Kenneth Clark in Civilisation Episode 1 The Skin of Our Teeth
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
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