The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery recently held an exhibition of the horde of Anglo-Saxon gold items recently unearthed. 
Over eighty pieces probably dating from around the mid to late 7th century or early eighth century were on display and vast and patient crowds of people from near and far queued to see them, entertained by medieval musicians, stilt walkers, readings from the heroic Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf and chats with the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Birmingham!
There are about 1600 pieces in the discovery.
Some conservators believe that it is possible that some of the pieces could be part of a larger item that has been broken up, conceivably a helmet. Time will tell as there is an immense amount of work to be done, including the jig-saw bit! This work will be carried out at the British Museum (who declined requests to extend the period of display in Birmingham) over the next year or two.
At some point there will be a display in London however while the work goes on. This work will include valuation, an almost impossible task, as a figure is required in law. In English law the discoverer and the landowner will share the value of the trove equally and funds will need to be raised by public appeal to retain the items here.
It is vital that the gold comes back permanently to the heart of Mercia
where it surely belongs, probably as a collaboration between Birmingham and other museums.
Before the unification of England, Mercia was a powerful Anglo-Saxon Kingdom that included most of central England (including, at its maximum extent, London!). Mercia’s most famous King, Offa, constructed the famous Dyke in the west and was a contemporary of Charlemagne, exchanging greetings as equals.
During the exhibit the flag of Mercia was flown outside the Council House (although there was little wind!). The flag is thought by historians to be a gold diagonal cross on a blue background.
As the exquisite quality of the craftsmanship of the artefacts reveals the term ‘dark Ages’ merely reflects our own ignorance of this heroic period. Perhaps, given the poor quality and excessive volume of media output these days, our time will come to be known as the Age of White Noise!
Over eighty pieces probably dating from around the mid to late 7th century or early eighth century were on display and vast and patient crowds of people from near and far queued to see them, entertained by medieval musicians, stilt walkers, readings from the heroic Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf and chats with the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Birmingham!There are about 1600 pieces in the discovery.
Some conservators believe that it is possible that some of the pieces could be part of a larger item that has been broken up, conceivably a helmet. Time will tell as there is an immense amount of work to be done, including the jig-saw bit! This work will be carried out at the British Museum (who declined requests to extend the period of display in Birmingham) over the next year or two.At some point there will be a display in London however while the work goes on. This work will include valuation, an almost impossible task, as a figure is required in law. In English law the discoverer and the landowner will share the value of the trove equally and funds will need to be raised by public appeal to retain the items here.
It is vital that the gold comes back permanently to the heart of Mercia
where it surely belongs, probably as a collaboration between Birmingham and other museums.Before the unification of England, Mercia was a powerful Anglo-Saxon Kingdom that included most of central England (including, at its maximum extent, London!). Mercia’s most famous King, Offa, constructed the famous Dyke in the west and was a contemporary of Charlemagne, exchanging greetings as equals.
During the exhibit the flag of Mercia was flown outside the Council House (although there was little wind!). The flag is thought by historians to be a gold diagonal cross on a blue background.
As the exquisite quality of the craftsmanship of the artefacts reveals the term ‘dark Ages’ merely reflects our own ignorance of this heroic period. Perhaps, given the poor quality and excessive volume of media output these days, our time will come to be known as the Age of White Noise!
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