QUICK FACTS
Identify: The Alfred Jewel
What it’s: Gold-encased cloisonné gemstone with inscription
The place it’s from: Somerset county, England
When it was made: A.D. 871 to 899
In 1693, a farmer ploughing his subject in North Petherton in southwest England discovered an intriguing medieval jewel constructed from gold, enamel and rock crystal. However it’s the exceptional inscription across the edge that units the piece other than others. The jewel reads “AELFRED MEC HEHT GEWYRCAN,” an Previous English sentence which means “Alfred ordered me to be made.”
The jewel measures 2.4 by 1.2 inches (6.2 by 3.1 centimeters). Its design consists of dozens of small cells crammed with colourful enamel paste and accented by skinny strips of gold. It depicts an individual from the mid-thighs up. The Previous English inscription in capital letters across the fringe of the jewel’s bezel connects it to Alfred the Nice.
King Alfred had a repute as a savvy army chief since he helped battle off Viking invasions within the ninth century. He was additionally a extremely educated man who had quite a few spiritual texts translated from Latin into Previous English. In response to the Ashmolean Museum, Alfred distributed these spiritual manuscripts to bishops within the Anglo-Saxon kingdom together with an aestel, which was a sort of bookmark or pointer to assist hold one’s place whereas studying. The Alfred Jewel is probably going the top of an aestel.
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On the base of the jewel, in what seems to be just like the mouth of a dragon or snake, specialists have observed a cylindrical socket. This was doubtless the place the pointer itself was as soon as linked.
The Alfred Jewel was discovered close to Athelney Abbey, initially a tiny fortification. Alfred reportedly hid from Danish Vikings for a number of months at Athelney earlier than launching a profitable counter-attack in 878 that helped him increase his affect throughout southern England. Alfred then returned to ascertain a monastery at Athelney and to nominate its first abbot.
Due to its ties to England’s first king, the Ashmolean Museum has referred to as the Alfred Jewel “among the many most important of royal relics.”
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