The Staffordshire Hoard

September 24, 2009

You may have seen in the news this morning a report about the discovery of an Anglo-Saxon treasure hoard in England.  It has been tentatively dated to the 8th or 9th century. It was discovered by an amateur walking the countryside with a metal-detector, and apparently it surpasses even the famous Sutton Hoo treasure in size and interest.

The precise location of the discovery is not being publicized — no doubt to protect it from the Staffordshire Horde — but a website with beautiful photographs of the treasure has been set up.  If this doesn’t inspire you to re-read Beowulf, I don’t know what will.

4 Responses to “The Staffordshire Hoard”

  1. Janet Says:

    I wish I could go see all that beautiful stuff. I already read Beowulf, so I guess I qualify to view the artifacts.

    AMDG

  2. cburrell Says:

    When I was in London a few years ago I saw the Sutton Hoo treasure at (I think) the British Museum. This new hoard appears to be much more glamorous — more gold and silver.

    Uh-oh. I just had a thought: what if this is a dragon’s hoard? Those archaeologists and what-not are in there mucking about and moving things… Is it possible that they haven’t read Beowulf? Somebody ought to warn them, at least until we can be sure that it is safe.

  3. Janet Says:

    And now they can put a different picture on the front of Beowulf besides that helmet.

    Uh-oh. I just had a thought: what if this is a dragon’s hoard? Those archaeologists and what-not are in there mucking about and moving things…

    Might make a good movie.

    AMDG


  4. […] recent discovery in Staffordshire of a Saxon treasure-hoard inspired me to read Beowulf again.  This time I read a new (to me; it was first published in 1991) […]


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