What was Anglo-Saxon culture like?
The Anglo-Saxons were great craft workers. They made intricate jewellery, musical instruments and homemade toys and games.
They were also keen storytellers. They would gather together in feasting halls and tell thrilling stories.
Often their stories would be accompanied by music played on a string instrument called a lyre.
The Saxons liked to play with words too. They amused themselves by telling clever riddles.
What did their art and treasure look like?
Anglo-Saxon jewellers made brooches, beads and gold ornaments. 鈥疉t first, their artwork was pagan, but after the conversion to Christianity in the AD600s astonishing artwork was made for churches.
Take a look below鈥痑t these Anglo-Saxon treasures.
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What kind of stories did they tell?
Written work was in Latin, the language of the Church, or in Old English. Very few Anglo-Saxons could read or write.
All their stories were told to them by their friends and family. Anglo-Saxons loved tales about brave warriors and their adventures.
On dark winter days, people gathered in the great hall around a log fire. They鈥痩istened鈥痶o stories and poems,鈥痜easted鈥痑nd鈥痵ang songs. They ate roast meats with bread and fruit, and they drank ale or a strong drink made from honey called鈥mead.
A favourite story told how鈥Beowulf, a heroic prince, battled the fierce man-eating monster鈥Grendel. The story of Beowulf was first written down around the 8th or 9th century, but long before that the story was told around the fire.
Watch: The story of Beowulf
What games and sports were there?
Children played with **homemade toys.**They had鈥痳ag dolls鈥痑nd carved鈥痺ooden toys, as well as games that used counters and dice.
From finds in graves, we know children also had鈥痵pinning tops鈥痑nd played tunes on鈥pipes鈥痬ade from reeds or animal bones.
Anglo-Saxon men enjoyed sporting pastimes, like鈥痺restling,鈥痺eight-lifting鈥(using heavy rocks) and鈥痟orse-racing. These sports kept them fit for work and strong for war.
Was Anglo-Saxon Britain in the 'dark ages'?
Some people thought that after Rome, Britain went into a simple and gloomy 鈥榙ark age鈥. It is true that town life was abandoned. However, the skill of Anglo-Saxon art, metal-work and manuscripts does not suggest a 鈥榙ark age鈥 at all.
Archaeology is revealing new treasures, most famously with Sutton Hoo in 1939. The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest hoard of gold and silver jewellery, discovered in 2009 and dating to 650-675 AD.
Objects from Sutton Hoo and the Staffordshire Hoard came from as far afield as Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Greece, Turkey and Syria, suggesting a big trade network.
Activities
Activity 1: Anglo-Saxon riddle
The Anglo-Saxons liked to tell each other riddles. Can you work out the answer to this one?
I appear on the ground like a blanket and melt in the midday sun. What am I?
Did you get it right? The answer is snow!
Why not have a go at making your own riddle? You can test it out with a friend or grown-up and see if they guess correct.
Activity 2: Quiz 鈥 Anglo-Saxon art and culture
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