The Anglo-Saxons

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The Anglo-Saxons

• 449-1066

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Great Britain

• Invaded by
• Iberians (came from Iberian Peninsula)
• Celts
• Romans
• Anglo Saxons
• Vikings
• Normans
• These invasions shaped the country

3
Celts

• Known to be in England since 300 B.C.
• 700 B.C. they dominated western and central
  Europe
• Artisans introduced iron to the rest of Europe
• Farmers
• Warriors
• Language was dominant until 500 A.D.
• Language was the basis for
• Scots Gaelic, Welsh, Irish (Wales, Scotland,
  Ireland)

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Celts

• One of the groups of Celts, Brythons, formed the
  basis for the name Britain
• The legend of King Arthur was based on Celtic
  legends about one of their Chieftains
• William Butler Yeats used Celtic legends as basis
  for his poetry
• Celtic legends included strong powerful women

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Animism

• Practiced by the Celts
• Spirits/Fairies inhabit and controlled
  everything
• Priests were called Druids
• Occasionally ritual dances were necessary
• Occasionally human sacrifice was necessary
• Beliefs led the way for many fantastical stories

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Romans

• Julius Caesar leads an invasion in 55 B.C.
• Romans kept other invaders away from Britain for
  several hundred years
• Built 5,000 miles of roads
• Enabled trade, taxes, and military
• Christianity is introduced
• Left Britain in 409 A.D.

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Roman Departure

• Left Britain in 409 A.D.
• Left Britain governmentless
• Left Britain open for more invasions

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Anglo-Saxons

• Angles and Saxons came from Germany
• Jutes came from Denmark

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Anglo-Saxons

• Began as groups of families led by a chief
• Farmers
• Metal Workers
• Anglo-Saxon language became the dominant language
• Coined the name England

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Anglo-Saxons

• Not barbarians but warfare was common
• Loyalty was tantamount
• Ensured survival
• Rewarded by leaders in form of gifts
• Fame and success were gained by loyalty to the
  leader
• Success was measured by
• gifts from the leader
• Fame immortality could be found through
  recognition for heroic deeds

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King Alfred aka Alfred the Great

• Unified the many groups together to fight the
  Danes/Vikings
• Rebuilt cities that had been destroyed during
  invasions
• Revived interest in learning
• Helped spread the use of English as a common
  language which allowed it to gain respect
• Started the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a record of
  Anglo-Saxon history
• Translated and wrote works

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Anglo-Saxon Religion

• Woden
• God of death, poetry, and magic
• Led to the word Wednesday (Wodens Day)
• Could help humans communicate with spirits
• Associated with burial rites and trances
• Thunor
• God of thunder and lightning
• Led to the word Thursday (Thunors Day)

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Anglo-Saxon Virtues

• Bravery
• Rough life with constant invasions and harsh
  conditions
• Loyalty
• Rewarded because leaders needed to know they had
  help
• Generosity
• Tokens of appreciation for bravery and loyalty
• Friendship

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Dragons

• Important part of Anglo-Saxon beliefs
• Protectors of treasure
• Associated with the Vikings/Danes
• Carved on their ships
• Embodiment of evil and death

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Bards

• Scops
• Talented story tellers
• Sang stories of heroes and gods
• Sung with a harp
• As important to society as warriors
• Sang sad stories of bravery and hardships
• To be a hero of a story was the ultimate reward
  FAME
• Used common phrases to remember their stories

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Christianity

• 432 all of Ireland converted
• Irish monks formed monasteries for refugee
  scholars
• Eventually replaced the Anglo-Saxon religion
• Linked England to Europe

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Monasteries

• Centers of learning
• Preserved stories by copying them by hand

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Living QuartersMead Halls
A reconstructed Anglo-Saxon home located in West
Stow in Sussex, England

• Mead Hall
• center of life
• sleeping quarters
• dining area
• meeting place

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Sutton Hoo

• Located in Woodbridge, Suffolk, England
• Discovered in 1939
• Burial ship of an Anglo-Saxon king
• Burial site contained 41 items of solid gold
  and 37 gold coins

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Anglo-Saxon Artifacts
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Anglo-Saxon Brooch

• Anglo-Saxon pendant probably made in the 7th
  century AD
• found in garden soil at Sacriston, County
  Durham.
• made of solid gold with a goldwire or filigree
  decoration.

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• 7th century helmet
• Reconstructed from hundreds of corroded iron
  fragments

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The Lords Prayer in Old English