Hello, I’m Benjamin and I’ve been doing some volunteering at the Museum. When asked to research an object this Anglo-Saxon strap end immediately caught my eye with its intriguing designs. So I did some research…
At first glance the strap end appears mysterious, with complex, intertwining motifs and strange yet vaguely familiar creatures. This “animal salad,” as described by the British Museum, is characteristic of Style II, the distinctive style of Anglo Saxon Art which places our belt somewhere from the late 6th Century to the 8th century.
The best examples of this style of art are to be found with the Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, one of the largest Early Medieval archaeological discoveries in Europe. The burial is presumed to be that of a King or Leader, and as such their grave is richly adorned with ornate grave goods, like this belt buckle (below). Just like our strap end it is covered in intertwining threads and features the forms of many animals including a “dog like creature.” This is the closest match I have been able to find to our strap end, so we can give it, with some certainty, an age range.
The belt was a key part of much Anglo-Saxon costume, used to fasten trousers and dresses as well as hold useful items like knives. Strap ends and belt buckles, the only parts of belts that will not decay, have been found in many male as well as female graves, showing that they were a common item for both sexes to wear. Belt buckles found range from simplistic metal alloy designs, to beautifully ornate gold designs like the one found at Sutton Hoo. Thus, belts were probably often used as a sign of status and personal expression, as one of the few items of Anglo-Saxon dress that could be extensively customised for most people.
So who might the strap end have belonged to? The belt strap is made of what seems to be a fairly plain and functional metal such as iron, which means it was probably primarily part of a belt used by someone every day for practical purposes. However, its intricate design means it must have been cast by a skilled metalworker, so it was probably cast with this design for personal reasons, expressing something about the owner. Perhaps it was designed to incorporate a family symbol or heirloom or maybe the creatures had a special meaning for the owner or their society. On this we can only speculate…
We have no record of where this belt may have come from, but to have a good guess, we can turn to the Burghal Hidage a document from the 10th Century. Alfred the Great ordered the creation of fortified towns or burhs, after his victory over the Danes at the battle of Edington in 878. These were often built on the foundations of old Roman towns and were usually the major commercial and administrative centres of their regions. The Burghal Hidage was drawn up to show a list of burhs in Wessex, Mercia and Hwicce, probably for Alfred’s son Edward the Elder. This document shows several burhs in the surrounding area, in Wilton, Shaftesbury and Winchester. The original owner of this belt end probably lived in a major town, so may well have lived in Wilton, as they must have had access to a professional smith. Or perhaps the strap end changed hands many times, passing through many different owners and signifying nothing, simply valued in bartering for its fascinating design.
For me, the most interesting thing about this object is its personal nature. Although we may not be able to understand the meaning of the symbols it depicts, it is a beautiful example of craftsmanship, and it is amazing to see one of the small parts of every day life 1400 years ago.
Wonderful stuff – literally. Thank you Ben.