Saxon Gold on Channel 4

There are so many things I want to blog about, but because I also want to record my impressions of the general election campaign (as seen through the media) a backlog is mounting up.

I don't really have the time to post twice per day.

But I enjoyed the Saxon Gold programme on Channel 4 last night.

Once you had got beyond the Tony Robinson narration (he has a knack of dumbing things down through use of his tone of voice alone) it was a very interesting documentary, throwing out all sorts of strange facts but without really exploring them.

For instance, the metal detector operator who found the gold claimed to have received supernatural guidance. Given the immensity of the finds, it was never really explained why he went on digging after unearthing the first hundred or so items (thus destroying the context in which they were found). He confessed to being frightened by what he had done.

Various archaeologists appeared, some in brown shoes and cords, others in bow-ties and tweed. Through "ums" and "ahs" they conveyed childish excitement at what had been discovered. Shaky amateur film was shown of the professional archaeologists carrying out a secret excavation of their own at the site.

Lots of mysteries remain about this hoard. All the items were either military or religious. "Restoration" is expected to take at least ten years.

No doubt many professional reputations will be made interpreting this discovery.

Staffordshire Hoard on temporary display

Above: I went to see some of the items from the Staffordshire Hoard on temporary display at the British Museum. Although I picked a time (just before closing) when the museum is usually fairly empty it was still difficult to get near them. In particular there was a party of elderly French people who leaned over the cabinets with no sign of moving, as if they were mesmerised by the gold.



Above: I think these are bits of a helmet (I couldn't see the caption as a French person was obstructing it). As you can see, earth is still attached to the items. According to The Times archaeologists wept when they first saw the finds.



Above: birds of prey fighting over a fish. Possibly part of a shield decoration. The military nature of the finds underlines the warrior aspect of Mercian society (and indirectly verifies Bede's "History" - one of the few Saxon texts that relates to the period).



Above: the golden inscription Rise up O Lord and may Thy enemies be dispersed and those that hate Thee be driven from Thy face. If Jung were alive today he would no doubt posit the workings of synchronicity in the appearance of this holy text (emerging from the Midlands earth after thirteen centuries) and the time of national emergency (bankrupt banks, terrorists both within the country and threatening from outside, a political class mired in the corruption of "expenses" etc). Will this Saxon hierograph have some kind of rejuvenating effect upon society?

There is much discussion about where the Staffordshire Hoard will finally be housed. It would be a disaster if the finds should end up in a corner of some existing museum in Birmingham (the Saxons were never city dwellers). In my opinion a new museum should be built especially for the treasure, preferably close to where they were found.

Context: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwm_cfRClmc

I am jibbering

I am fascinated by the Anglo-Saxon treasure found near Lichfield. I have a great desire to know more about these objects and the context in which they were found. For me this is the most important event to occur this century.

I feel I must skip work tomorrow and immediately go to Lichfield (but I won't).



And I find myself wondering how this discovery will change society. For I am in no doubt that "information" on this scale and of this magnitude will change everything we think about ourselves. Very seldom has cultural identity been so fundamentally affected - and in ways we can currently only guess at (for instance, if a trashy movie such as Braveheart can affect the self-image of a "nation", what will be the impact of a genuine archaeological/historical narrative a hundred times greater?).

But I am jibbering and will stop and go and listen to Tristrum Hunt talking about Mackinder on Radio 3 (he was discussed on the World Service recently and I have been intrigued ever since).