Largest Anglo-Saxon Hoard ever found

Angela

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See:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1572591780

A major study is coming out on it.

[FONT=&quot]"It is likely that the treasures, now known as [/FONT]the Staffordshire Hoard[FONT=&quot], were seized (in perhaps between three and six substantial military encounters) by the English midlands kingdom of Mercia from the kingdoms of Northumbria, East Anglia and possibly Wessex."

[/FONT]"[FONT=&quot]Instead, the study demonstrates that the material is almost exclusively military in nature. Even one of the small number of ecclesiastical objects in the hoard appears to have been of a potentially military character.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]​
[FONT=&quot]The hoard was made up of golden fittings from up to 150 swords, gold and garnet elements of a very high status seax (fighting knife), a spectacular gilded silver helmet, an impressive 30cm-long golden cross, a beautiful gold and garnet pectoral cross, a probable bishop’s headdress – and parts of what is likely to have been a portable battlefield shrine or reliquary."

There are nice pictures of some of the 700 pieces.[/FONT]
 
The items found are Fantastic, it makes you think what else is lying around undisscovered.

I believe the finds are from the combined conflicts of Kings, Oswald, Penda, Edwin, and Cadwallon, and consist of accumulated loot, from battles each had been involved with, during the 7th century.

The final accumulation may of been from the Mercian King Penda, who killed and defeated the Christian Army of Oswald, at ( Maserfield ) 642AD believed to of been near the A5 road at Oswestry, along the route of the old roman Road from the area of the find.

King Oswald had earlier defeated Cadwallen at Heavenfield 633 AD where he had a wooden cross erected prior to his victory ( the staffordshire cross no doubt could very well be the same one mounted/attached to this, or a similar carried to the Battlefield hoping for a similar result ).

The defeat of Edwin years earlier at Hatfield Chase by Penda, and Cadwallon 633AD would also include loot from his defeated army which had been supported by, East Anglian King Readwald, hence the similarity of much of the workmanship being connected with the Sutton Hoo items.

Whatever the reasons for its burial, it represents a fantastic window into our past.
 

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