Anglo-Saxon CultureAnglo-Saxon CultureFocus:To discuss the dominance of Christianity.To discuss types and forms of art, literature and craftsmanship [e.g. Fuller Brooch]

ArchitectureArchitectureEarly Anglo-Saxon buildings were

generally simple – usually made of timber, with thatched roofs.

Anglo-Saxons preferred to build small towns near their means of agriculture, at fords in rivers or sited to serve as ports.

In each town a main hall was in the centre.

At least 50 churches are of Anglo-Saxon origin, which were mostly made of stone or brick.

ArtArt Art, before the time of Alfred the Great,

was a mixture of Anglo-Saxon and Celtic techniques and motifs.

The Sutton Hoo treasure is an exceptional example of early Anglo-Saxon treasure and jewelry – from a royal grave of the early 7th century.

Anglo- Saxon art is mainly known through ‘illuminated manuscripts’ – texts which are decorated in initials, borders and miniature images.

Master-pieces of the late ‘Winchester’ style was a mixture of Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, Carolingian, and Byzantine art.

Anglo-Saxon gold-smithing and embroidery were considered especially fine by contemporaries in Europe.

The best known piece of Anglo-Saxon Art was the Bayeux Tapestry.

Anglo-Saxon artists also worked with Fresco, Ivory, Stone carving, Metal work, and Enamel.

Sutton HooSutton Hoo

Bayeux TapestryBayeux Tapestry

Fuller BroochFuller Brooch A piece of late 9th century piece of Anglo-

Saxon art. Its centre roundel is decorated with

personifications of the five senses. In the centre is Sight with large staring oval eyes, surrounded by the other four senses, each in his own compartment. Taste has a hand in his mouth. Smell's hands are behind his back, and he stands between two tall plants. Touch rubs his hands together. Hearing holds his hand to his ear. This is the earliest known representation of the five senses. The outer border consists of 16 small medallions decorated with human, bird, animal and plant motifs.

The brooch has remained in remarkable condition.

LiteratureLiteratureGenres included: epic

poems, the biographies of saints, sermons, Bible translations, legal works, chronicles, riddles, and others.

There are only 400 surviving manuscripts from the period.

The most famous of these works is Beowulf, a poem of 3182 alternate lines.

Anglo Saxon RiddleAnglo Saxon RiddleWhen I am alive I do not speak. Anyone who wants to takes me captive and cuts off my head.

They bite my bare body I do no harm to anyone unless

they cut me first. Then I soon make them cry.

AnswerAnswerAn Onion

ReligionReligion The indigenous religion of the Anglo-

Saxons was of Germanic Paganism – very closely related to the Old Norse religion.

Christianity eventually superseded this belief, around the 7th and 8th century – starting with a Celtic version of Christianity but then gradually turned to Roman Catholic.

Christianity made an outright prohibition on any pagan customs in any form.

Despite this, many pre-Christian ways stayed in Anglo-Saxon culture, for example the days of the week:

Tuesday after Tiw[Tyr], Wednesday after Woden[Odin], Thursday after Þunor[Thor], and Friday after Fríge [Frigg]

Moe info on Religion

Essay- Assess the development of the Christian Church in Anglo-Saxon Society.

EXAM SKILLS