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What was Anglo-Saxon culture like?

An Anglo-Saxon storyteller captivates his audience around the camp fire at night
Image caption,
A storyteller played music on a small harp or a lyre to accompany their stories and poems.

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.

An Anglo-Saxon storyteller captivates his audience around the camp fire at night
Image caption,
A storyteller played music on a small harp or a lyre to accompany their stories and poems.
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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.

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 4, A rusty Anglo Saxon helmet., Pieces of this helmet were found at Sutton Hoo. They have been placed together and reconstructed in this photo. There are boars' heads on the end of each eyebrow and a dragon head above the nose. Together they make the shape of a bird with outspread wings.
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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.

A red dragon with yellow eyes.

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.

An Anglo-Saxon cartoon in armour with a sword and shield.

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.

An Anglo-Saxon cartoon in armour with a sword and shield.
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Watch: The story of Beowulf

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What games and sports were there?

Three children playing games on an Anglo-Saxon farm

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.

Three children playing games on an Anglo-Saxon farm
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Was Anglo-Saxon Britain in the 'dark ages'?

A cartoon Anglo-Saxon village in the countryside.

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.

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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?

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Activity 2: Quiz 鈥 Anglo-Saxon art and culture

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Bitesize Primary games. game

Play fun and educational primary games in science, maths, English, history, geography, art, computing and modern languages.

Bitesize Primary games
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