Chris Fern | Cotswold Archaeology (original) (raw)
Papers by Chris Fern
In 2000 excavations at Tranmer House in Bromeswell Parish, Suffolk, which is close to Sutton Hoo,... more In 2000 excavations at Tranmer House in Bromeswell Parish, Suffolk, which is close to Sutton Hoo, revealed an early Anglo-Saxon cemetery of approximately 30 graves; of these, 13 contained the remains of shields and other weapons. Investigative conservation and analysis of the shield fittings and associated mineralized organic remains has enabled an examination of the technical details and a reconstruction of the shields' original forms. The shields were between 380 and 690 mm in diameter and were constructed predominantly from ash (Fraxinus excelsior) planks ranging in thickness from 7 to 10 mm. Hand holes in the board were either oval or D-shaped, with the handle located in an off-centre position. All the boards were covered with a thin layer of skin product, front and back, but there is no evidence of seams, adhesive or edge stitching to secure the board covers. Examination using microscopy, X-radiography and metallographic sampling revealed that the shield bosses were probabl...
The Ritual Killing and Burial of Animals
Note on a copper-alloy, cruciform-shaped bridle fitting, decorated with a relief-cast zoomorphic ... more Note on a copper-alloy, cruciform-shaped bridle fitting, decorated with a relief-cast zoomorphic design in Salin's Style I, found during fieldwalking at South Leckaway farm near Forfar, Angus, in 2003.
Barbaric Splendour: The Use of Image Before and After Rome
Barbaric Splendour: The use of image before and after Rome , 2020
The great gold cross from the Staffordshire Hoard is one of the most iconic expressions of belie... more The great gold cross from the Staffordshire Hoard is one of the most iconic expressions of belief to survive from early Anglo-Saxon England. This paper provides a detailed account of the artefact that was found in 2009, considering especially its form and art. It is argued that it represents a distinctly Anglo-Saxon version of a crux gemmata (jewelled cross), for whilst it ultimately follows the tradition of ornate crosses developed in the late Roman period, and that was perhaps inspired by processional crosses carried by Christian missions, it combines its message of Christ in victory with the animal art of northwest Europe that was very probably rooted in ‘pagan’ pre-Christian belief. For this reason, it can be considered an object of ‘barbaric splendour’ – a syncretic object that mixes classical and non-classical influences. In addition, the cross can be compared for its combination of gold and blood-red garnets with the poetic vision of the cross in The Dream of the Rood.
S. Semple, C. Orsini and S. Mui (eds), Life on the Edge: Social, Religious and Political Frontiers in Early Medieval Europe, Neue Studien zur Sachsenforschung 6, Braunschweigisches Landesmuseum with the Internationales Sachsensymposion, 2017
The article discusses the typology, art and date of several key objects from the Staffordshire Ho... more The article discusses the typology, art and date of several key objects from the Staffordshire Hoard, as well as giving an interim statement on the research and dating of the collection as a whole. The findings are drawn from the Historic England project (no. 5892) that the author worked on 2011-17. Publication of the full report is planned for 2019.
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2016
Current Archaeology, 2014
The use of animal symbolism and ritual to convey ideology, and notions of cosmology, is well atte... more The use of animal symbolism and ritual to convey ideology, and notions of cosmology, is well attested in cultures, past and present (Pluskowski 2007; this vol.). In the Germanic Migration Period (AD 400-550), animal art and related mythologies are believed to have played a leading role in the ordering of society, by encapsulating knowledge of gods, ancestors and the supernatural world . In the early Anglo-Saxon mind the horse stands out as a motif with socio-political, heroic and spiritual significance. There is evidence for sacrifice in burial grounds, representation on artefacts, and the citation of humanhorse ancestors in the foundation myths of kingdoms and the genealogies of kings. It is argued here that horse symbolism and ritual was a major ingredient of pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon belief and cult.
Oxford journal of archaeology, Jan 1, 2006
A brooch found in 2003 near Bletchingdon, Oxfordshire. Its gilt Style II animal ornament and garn... more A brooch found in 2003 near Bletchingdon, Oxfordshire. Its gilt Style II animal ornament and garnet setting indicate that it is a high status dress-fastener, datable to the period AD 575–610. Analysis of its form and ornament suggests that it was a local experiment in the application of a new animal style.
Antiquity, Jan 1, 2011
Review of: Christopher Scull. Early medieval (late 5th–early 8th centuries AD) cemeteries at ... more Review of:
Christopher Scull. Early medieval (late 5th–early 8th centuries AD) cemeteries at Boss Hall and Buttermarket, Ipswich, Suffolk (Society for Medieval Archaeology Monograph 27).
Sue Hirst & Dido Clark. Excavations at Mucking. Volume 3: the Anglo-Saxon cemeteries, excavations by Tom and Margaret Jones. (London: Museum of London Archaeology)
Sam Lucy, Jess Tipper & Alison Dickens. The Anglo-Saxon settlement and cemetery at Bloodmoor Hill, Carlton Colville, Suffolk (East Anglian Archaeology 131)
Books by Chris Fern
In 2000, a second early Anglo-Saxon cemetery was found at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, 500m north of th... more In 2000, a second early Anglo-Saxon cemetery was found at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, 500m north of the famous royal burial-ground. The new burial-ground probably began as a 'folk' cemetery where the rites of cremation and inhumation were practiced. Nevertheless, the findings suggest a wealthy local population in the period just prior to the founding of the mound cemetery at Sutton Hoo. A small Bronze Age barrow and part of an Iron Age field system were also recorded. It is argued that these earthworks survived to at least the time of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery, and that they influenced its location and layout. Just over thirty early Anglo-Saxon graves were recorded, including thirteen weapon-burials. Grave-goods from the inhumation burials and a programme of radiocarbon dates for the cremation burials indicate that the majority date to the second half of the 6th century, just as the earliest, ritually-related funerals started at Sutton Hoo. Ultimately, this raises the possibility of an ancestral connection between the buried populations of the two cemeteries. Thus, the findings present a key new episode for our understanding of the origins of Sutton Hoo, and potentially therefore of the kingdom of East Anglia and its dynasty.
The Staffordshire Hoard: An Anglo-Saxon Treasure, 2019
The Staffordshire Hoard: An Anglo-Saxon Treasure tells the story of the Staffordshire Hoard’s dis... more The Staffordshire Hoard: An Anglo-Saxon Treasure tells the story of the Staffordshire Hoard’s discovery and acquisition, and the six-year research project that pieced its fragments back together, identified its objects and explored their manufacture. Key chapters discuss the decoration and meaning of the Hoard’s intricate ornament, the techniques of Anglo-Saxon craftsmen, the religious and historical background, and hoarding practice in Britain and Europe, to place this most exceptional find in context. Finally, the text explores the impact that the find has had locally, nationally and internationally in the twenty-first century.
The whole publication is available open access as a pdf: https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/39941
Drafts by Chris Fern
Archaeological excavations at Barbeck Quaker Cemetery, 2018
The Quaker cemetery at Barbeck in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was founded in 1666 and was in use unt... more The Quaker cemetery at Barbeck in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was founded in 1666 and was in use until 1854. Between 2009–18 development resulted in the archaeological recording of seventeen graves with the remains of eleven inhumed individuals. Altogether they provide a limited but nevertheless informative window on the burial practices of an early Quaker community.
In 2000 excavations at Tranmer House in Bromeswell Parish, Suffolk, which is close to Sutton Hoo,... more In 2000 excavations at Tranmer House in Bromeswell Parish, Suffolk, which is close to Sutton Hoo, revealed an early Anglo-Saxon cemetery of approximately 30 graves; of these, 13 contained the remains of shields and other weapons. Investigative conservation and analysis of the shield fittings and associated mineralized organic remains has enabled an examination of the technical details and a reconstruction of the shields' original forms. The shields were between 380 and 690 mm in diameter and were constructed predominantly from ash (Fraxinus excelsior) planks ranging in thickness from 7 to 10 mm. Hand holes in the board were either oval or D-shaped, with the handle located in an off-centre position. All the boards were covered with a thin layer of skin product, front and back, but there is no evidence of seams, adhesive or edge stitching to secure the board covers. Examination using microscopy, X-radiography and metallographic sampling revealed that the shield bosses were probabl...
The Ritual Killing and Burial of Animals
Note on a copper-alloy, cruciform-shaped bridle fitting, decorated with a relief-cast zoomorphic ... more Note on a copper-alloy, cruciform-shaped bridle fitting, decorated with a relief-cast zoomorphic design in Salin's Style I, found during fieldwalking at South Leckaway farm near Forfar, Angus, in 2003.
Barbaric Splendour: The Use of Image Before and After Rome
Barbaric Splendour: The use of image before and after Rome , 2020
The great gold cross from the Staffordshire Hoard is one of the most iconic expressions of belie... more The great gold cross from the Staffordshire Hoard is one of the most iconic expressions of belief to survive from early Anglo-Saxon England. This paper provides a detailed account of the artefact that was found in 2009, considering especially its form and art. It is argued that it represents a distinctly Anglo-Saxon version of a crux gemmata (jewelled cross), for whilst it ultimately follows the tradition of ornate crosses developed in the late Roman period, and that was perhaps inspired by processional crosses carried by Christian missions, it combines its message of Christ in victory with the animal art of northwest Europe that was very probably rooted in ‘pagan’ pre-Christian belief. For this reason, it can be considered an object of ‘barbaric splendour’ – a syncretic object that mixes classical and non-classical influences. In addition, the cross can be compared for its combination of gold and blood-red garnets with the poetic vision of the cross in The Dream of the Rood.
S. Semple, C. Orsini and S. Mui (eds), Life on the Edge: Social, Religious and Political Frontiers in Early Medieval Europe, Neue Studien zur Sachsenforschung 6, Braunschweigisches Landesmuseum with the Internationales Sachsensymposion, 2017
The article discusses the typology, art and date of several key objects from the Staffordshire Ho... more The article discusses the typology, art and date of several key objects from the Staffordshire Hoard, as well as giving an interim statement on the research and dating of the collection as a whole. The findings are drawn from the Historic England project (no. 5892) that the author worked on 2011-17. Publication of the full report is planned for 2019.
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2016
Current Archaeology, 2014
The use of animal symbolism and ritual to convey ideology, and notions of cosmology, is well atte... more The use of animal symbolism and ritual to convey ideology, and notions of cosmology, is well attested in cultures, past and present (Pluskowski 2007; this vol.). In the Germanic Migration Period (AD 400-550), animal art and related mythologies are believed to have played a leading role in the ordering of society, by encapsulating knowledge of gods, ancestors and the supernatural world . In the early Anglo-Saxon mind the horse stands out as a motif with socio-political, heroic and spiritual significance. There is evidence for sacrifice in burial grounds, representation on artefacts, and the citation of humanhorse ancestors in the foundation myths of kingdoms and the genealogies of kings. It is argued here that horse symbolism and ritual was a major ingredient of pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon belief and cult.
Oxford journal of archaeology, Jan 1, 2006
A brooch found in 2003 near Bletchingdon, Oxfordshire. Its gilt Style II animal ornament and garn... more A brooch found in 2003 near Bletchingdon, Oxfordshire. Its gilt Style II animal ornament and garnet setting indicate that it is a high status dress-fastener, datable to the period AD 575–610. Analysis of its form and ornament suggests that it was a local experiment in the application of a new animal style.
Antiquity, Jan 1, 2011
Review of: Christopher Scull. Early medieval (late 5th–early 8th centuries AD) cemeteries at ... more Review of:
Christopher Scull. Early medieval (late 5th–early 8th centuries AD) cemeteries at Boss Hall and Buttermarket, Ipswich, Suffolk (Society for Medieval Archaeology Monograph 27).
Sue Hirst & Dido Clark. Excavations at Mucking. Volume 3: the Anglo-Saxon cemeteries, excavations by Tom and Margaret Jones. (London: Museum of London Archaeology)
Sam Lucy, Jess Tipper & Alison Dickens. The Anglo-Saxon settlement and cemetery at Bloodmoor Hill, Carlton Colville, Suffolk (East Anglian Archaeology 131)
In 2000, a second early Anglo-Saxon cemetery was found at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, 500m north of th... more In 2000, a second early Anglo-Saxon cemetery was found at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, 500m north of the famous royal burial-ground. The new burial-ground probably began as a 'folk' cemetery where the rites of cremation and inhumation were practiced. Nevertheless, the findings suggest a wealthy local population in the period just prior to the founding of the mound cemetery at Sutton Hoo. A small Bronze Age barrow and part of an Iron Age field system were also recorded. It is argued that these earthworks survived to at least the time of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery, and that they influenced its location and layout. Just over thirty early Anglo-Saxon graves were recorded, including thirteen weapon-burials. Grave-goods from the inhumation burials and a programme of radiocarbon dates for the cremation burials indicate that the majority date to the second half of the 6th century, just as the earliest, ritually-related funerals started at Sutton Hoo. Ultimately, this raises the possibility of an ancestral connection between the buried populations of the two cemeteries. Thus, the findings present a key new episode for our understanding of the origins of Sutton Hoo, and potentially therefore of the kingdom of East Anglia and its dynasty.
The Staffordshire Hoard: An Anglo-Saxon Treasure, 2019
The Staffordshire Hoard: An Anglo-Saxon Treasure tells the story of the Staffordshire Hoard’s dis... more The Staffordshire Hoard: An Anglo-Saxon Treasure tells the story of the Staffordshire Hoard’s discovery and acquisition, and the six-year research project that pieced its fragments back together, identified its objects and explored their manufacture. Key chapters discuss the decoration and meaning of the Hoard’s intricate ornament, the techniques of Anglo-Saxon craftsmen, the religious and historical background, and hoarding practice in Britain and Europe, to place this most exceptional find in context. Finally, the text explores the impact that the find has had locally, nationally and internationally in the twenty-first century.
The whole publication is available open access as a pdf: https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/39941
Archaeological excavations at Barbeck Quaker Cemetery, 2018
The Quaker cemetery at Barbeck in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was founded in 1666 and was in use unt... more The Quaker cemetery at Barbeck in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was founded in 1666 and was in use until 1854. Between 2009–18 development resulted in the archaeological recording of seventeen graves with the remains of eleven inhumed individuals. Altogether they provide a limited but nevertheless informative window on the burial practices of an early Quaker community.