Anglo-Saxon | people Anglo-Saxon, term used historically to describe any member of the Germanic peoples who, from the 5th century ce to the time of the Norman Conquest (1066), inhabited and ruled territories that are today part of England and Wales. According to St. Bede the Venerable, the Anglo-Saxons were the descendants of three different Germanic peoples—the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. By Bede’s account, those peoples originally migrated from northern Germany to the island of Britain in the 5th century at the invitation of Vortigern, a ruler of Britons, to help defend his kingdom against marauding invasions by the Picts and Scotti, who occupied what is now Scotland. Archaeological evidence suggests that the first migrants from the Germanic areas of mainland Europe included settlers from Frisia and antedated the Roman withdrawal from Britain about 410 ce. The peoples of each of the various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms spoke distinctive dialects, which evolved over time and together became known as Old English.
Anglo-Saxon clothes - women | Tha Engliscan Gesithas 5th to 7th centuries Women wore an under-dress of linen or wool with long sleeves and a draw-string neck. Sleeves were fastened with clasps for wealthier women, or drawn together with braid or string for poorer women. The outer dress was a tube of material, rather like a pinafore, and often called a ‘peplos’. 7th to 9th centuries Shoulder-brooches and wrist-clasps went out of fashion, and the sleeves of the over-dress now came to just below elbow-length on the arms and calf-length around the legs. 10th to 11th centuries The under-dress was now often pleated or folded, while the sleeves of the over-dress tended to flare towards the wrist. Children seem to have worn very much the same style of clothing as adults, but in smaller sizes. Making clothes was women’s work, and spinning and weaving were among the main activities of women in the Anglo-Saxon period.
Who were the Anglo-Saxons? The Angle, Saxon, and Jute are known as the Anglo-Saxons. The Angles and the Saxon tribes were the largest of the three attacking tribes and so we often know them as Anglo-Saxons. They shared the same language but were each ruled by different strong warriors. Anglo-Saxons The Anglo-Saxons were warrior-farmers and came from north-western Europe. They began to invade Britain while the Romans were still in control. The Anglo-Saxons were tall, fair-haired men, armed with swords and spears and round shields. They loved fighting and were very fierce. Their skills included hunting, farming, textile (cloth) production and leather working. How do we know about skills and occupations of the Anglo-Saxons ? We know about the Anglo-Saxons because of things we have found giving us quite detailed information about their lives. Knives and spears are often found in Anglo-Saxon men's graves. What did the Anglo-Saxons do for entertainment (leisure)?
Anglo-Saxon clothes - men | Tha Engliscan Gesithas 5th and 6th centuries Men wore wool or linen hip-length undershirts with long sleeves, and probably loin-cloths. Woollen trousers were held up with a belt threaded through loops. A tunic was pulled over the head, and reached down to the knees. 7th to 11th centuries Tunics tended to have extra pleats inserted at the front, and sleeves became fairly tight-fitting between elbow and wrist. There was undoubtedly much variation according to region, period and status. Most clothes were made at home, and would almost certainly have undergone many repairs, or have been handed down, before being eventually cut up for rags or thrown away. Underclothes were not usually dyed, but left in their natural colour, or perhaps sun-bleached.
Anglo Saxon life - Food and Drink The Anglo-Saxons loved eating and drinking and would often have feasts in the Hall. The food was cooked over the fire in the middle of the house; meat was roasted and eaten with bread. They drank ale and mead - a kind of beer made sweet with honey - from great goblets and drinking horns. After the feast a minstrel would play a harp and sing songs of battles and heroes. Anglo-Saxons ate what they grew. They grew cereals - Wheat and rye for bread, barley for brewing and oats for animal food and porridge. Exotic foods such as potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, pineapples - fruits and vegetables of the New World, were unknown to the Anglo-Saxons. Drink Barley was used to make weak beer, which was drunk instead of water. Most Anglo-Saxons were vegetarians because they could not get meat very often. Animals Pigs were important for food because they produce large litters, which would quickly mature and be ready for slaughter. Fish The Anglo-Saxons ate fish which they caught in the rivers and the seas.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Online Medieval and Classical Library Release #17 Originally compiled on the orders of King Alfred the Great, approximately A.D. 890, and subsequently maintained and added to by generations of anonymous scribes until the middle of the 12th Century. The original language is Anglo-Saxon (Old English), but later entries are essentially Middle English in tone. Translation by Rev. James Ingram (London, 1823), with additional readings from the translation of Dr. J.A. The text of this edition is based on that published as "The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" (Everyman Press, London, 1912). This electronic edition was edited, proofed, and prepared by Douglas B. [ Preparer's Note ] An Index to this Work is Available At present there are nine known versions or fragments of the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" in existence, all of which vary (sometimes greatly) in content and quality. The nine known "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" MS. are the following: This electronic edition contains primarily the translation of Rev.
Primary History - Anglo-Saxons - Anglo-Saxons at war Anglo Saxon Weapons & Armour - Angelcynn Re-Enactment Society The principle weapon of the Anglo-Saxons was the spear. Spearheads came in many styles (Swanton classified 21 different forms), but were usually leaf- or 'kite-' shaped and had a socket for attachment to the shaft. It was usually diamond-shaped or lentoid in cross section, while the socket which continued from the narrow neck of the spearhead was split on one side and usually had an iron rivet to attach it to the shaft, which was usually of ash. Spearheads vary considerably in length from a few inches to two feet or more, and the basic forms change very little throughout the whole Anglo-Saxon period. The overall length of the spear was around 6'6" - 8' (2.00 - 2.50m), and the butt of the spear was often capped with a metal ferrule. Spears are found in around 86% of the Anglo-Saxon burials that contain weapons. Swanton's Classification for Early Anglo-Saxon Spearheads Type A This type of spearhead has a barbed head with a long metal shank connected to a socket. Scramaseaxes Swords
Anglo Saxons Houses and Saxon villages We know what Saxons houses may have looked like from excavations of Anglo Saxon villages, such as the one at West Stow in the east of England. Here, an early Anglo-Saxon village (c.420-650AD) has been carefully reconstructed where it was excavated. Using clues from the what was discovered, archeologists have reconstructed the houses as they may have looked about 1,500 years ago. We know that the Saxons built mainly in wood, although some of their stone churches remain. Anglo-Saxons houses were huts made of wood with roofs thatched with straw. Much of Britain was covered with forests. There was only one room where everybody ate, cooked, slept and entertained their friends. The houses were built facing the sun to get as much heat and light as possible. The Hall The biggest house in an Anglo Saxon village was the Hall, the Chief's house. The Hall was long, wide and smoky, with the fire on a stone in the middle. The windows were slits called eye-holes. On the walls were shields and antlers.
Anglo-Saxon warfare The period of Anglo-Saxon warfare spans the 5th Century AD to the 11th in England. Its technology and tactics resemble those of other European cultural areas of the Early Middle Ages, although the Anglo-Saxons, unlike the Continental Germanic tribes such as the Franks and the Goths, do not appear to have regularly fought on horseback.[1] Evidence[edit] Although much archaeological evidence for Anglo-Saxon weaponry exists from the Early Anglo-Saxon period due to the widespread inclusion of weapons as grave goods in inhumation burials, scholarly knowledge of warfare itself relies far more on the literary evidence, which was only being produced in the Christian context of the Late Anglo-Saxon period. These literary sources are almost all authored by Christian clergy, and thus do not deal specifically with warfare; for instance, Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People mentions various battles that had taken place but does not dwell on them. Battlefield tactics[edit] See also[edit]
A workshop on the Anglo-Saxons for year 5 and 6 This workshop is designed to cover the Anglo-Saxons unit of the KS2 National Curriculum for History. It is suitable for year 5 or 6. Main Activities: 1. Learn about Anglo-Saxon weapons and armour 2. 3. 4. Note: the art activities are challenging and may not be suitable for classes of lower art and crafts abilities. Fee: £209 per class per day, maximum 34 children. The first part of this workshop on weapons and warfare is now ready as a half day. To book: contact Tony North tnorth67@hotmail.com 0161 224 6445 Introduction After the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5th century the peoples of northern Europe - Angles, Saxons and Jutes - quickly moved to fill the power void left in Britain, settling, taking control, and introducing their culture to the Britons. 1500 years later we still owe a great deal to these peoples, in our language, culture, and genetic inheritance. We will also look at replicas of a sword, shield and helmet in the morning, and replicas of jewellery in the afternoon.