The Staffordshire Hoard in Anglo-Saxon England - Essay Example

Between the 7th and the 8th centuries, there are military artifacts, and during this time in history, Mercia was expanding through battle into the neighboring kingdoms.

The Hoard Staffordshire Hoard is an assembly of artifacts that are mostly gold and silver metalwork. Most of these items have been identified with the military. There are, therefore, no domestic-related objects such as eating utensils, vessels, and feminine jewelry. There are specialized words that are important in understanding the artifacts. One of these words is archaeology. This is a term that is used to refer to the scientific study of humanity. It is primarily concerned with environmental data, material culture, and analysis (Keynes 350). Archaeologist is another important word in this aspect. It refers to a person who studies people’s behavior in the past and the things left behind. Anthropology as a specialized word in understanding artifacts refers to the study of people’s past and present in an attempt to understand the complexity of cultures across human history. A fourth specialized word is a hoard, which, in archaeology, refers to a gathering of artifacts or valuable objects, sometimes buried in the ground.

The exhibitions in this hoard are arranged in a way that more than forty-star items, including the Biblical inscription, pectoral cross, and the seahorse are set to display. In my opinion, this arrangement is made to give the visitor a summary of the items in the hoard in a single look. As a visitor, I found this arrangement interesting to look, at since I was able to see all the artifacts within the hoard. Different items were used in the past, with different social functions. For instance, the Biblical inscription evidences that, religion was a cultural factor in the past. Moreover, the presence of war tools shows that the society fought as a way of defending itself.

A Gold Pommel is one of the objects found in the Anglo-Saxon hoard. The pommel was either a knife or a sword (Keynes 349). A pommel refers to the end of the handle. The pommel in the hoard is decorated with wires that have been twisted in a technique that is known as filigree. The pommel is bright yellow, suggesting that it was pure gold with a little pink or white indicating the presence of copper and silver. The fact that the pommel is made up of gold explains why the surface is worn out in places since gold is a soft metal. I found the interior of the pommel most interesting. It had a green powdery layer, which indicated copper corrosion. The copper alloy allowed craftsmen to use a lean layer without the item being easily bent.

Beowulf refers to the title of an Old English heroic poem set in Scandinavia. The Gold Pommel in the Anglo-Saxon hoard could have been useful in this poem especially when Beowulf, the great warrior, fought the demon and its mother. This pommel would have been used by Beowulf to tear off Grendel’s arm. It would, also have been used in the cave where Beowulf attacked Grendel’s mother and slays her. Moreover, the pommel could have appeared when Beowulf fought with the dragon, which every other warrior feared. Beowulf would have had much trust in the Gold Pommel, gaining the courage to go to war with his enemies. The role of the pommel in the narrative would have been to help the hero defeat his enemies. It would have been significant as a tool for defense.