Find something on display: The Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Kent

Trapezoid “spangle” made of white washed metal sheet, with punched dots around the edges. This may have been worn on a necklace, or it could have been mounted on another object as decoration.

Necklace of 12 amber beads, of various shapes and sizes. Amber was likely imported from the Baltic, and would have been expensive to purchase; these beads would have belonged to someone very wealthy.

String of 14 amethyst beads. Amethyst beads, mainly from trade routes that led through Germany, are more commonly found in Kent than elsewhere in the country.

Brooch. This type of brooch is sometimes called a ‘caterpillar’ brooch on account of their shape.

Glass Bead.

Brass wire strung with two opaque yellow ‘annular’ beads and one unpolished cobalt blue ‘annular’ bead. This may have been a breast ornament – it would have been pinned onto a piece of clothing.

String of beads.

String of 69 beads of various colours.

Necklace containing four cylindrical (bugle) beads and what were originally quadruple pearl-like beads, some of which have since separated into single, double and triple beads.

Carinated glass Bell-Beaker with fine white trials below the rim, and on the base. As this glass has no base, it has been suggested it was used for toasts at feasts; the drink would have had to be downed in one go.

Bird brooch, silver gilt, garnet inset in eye and tail, niello inlay.

Bird brooch, silver gilt, garnet inset in eye and tail, niello inlay.

Bird shaped brooch of a Frankish type, with traces of gilt on the exterior.

Kentish bracteates. Bracteates, thin single-sided gold medals, were worn as pendants on a string around the neck. They may have been seen as a protective amulet.

‘Coptic bowl’. Bowls of this type have been found in several other Anglo-Saxon cemetaries in Kent. They were made in Egypt, and probably were imported from Alexandria in the seventh century AD, arriving to Britain via the river Rhine.
Thought to be from Wickhambreaux (1886).

Equal arm brooch, set with garnets in gilt copper.

Rare Kentish silver brooch of cruciform shape.

Bronze gilt brooch of Jutish type without a pin.

Electroform copy of bronze gilt brooch - the original is at the British Museum. The earliest Saxons regularly used almost abstract animal designs on their jewellery.

Circular silver jewelled disc brooch of Kentish work set with garnets; cloisonee work and gold wire filigree.

Bronze brooch of foreign type, possibly from Belgium or the Lower Rhine region of Germany.

Silver-gilt brooch with garnet and greenstone.

Square brooch set with garnets at each corner.

Jeweled brooch of Jutish type, set with garnets.

Circular brooch set with garnets, one is missing.

Two radiate-headed brooches with five inlaid garnets.

Handmade, burnished, handled pottery mug with round base, brownish ware. Found close to the head of a child. Burnishing (rubbing a pot with a leather cloth) would make the mug watertight and also a lot smoother to the touch.

Bucket/vat with handle, fragments inside.

Oval copper alloy buckle with buckle plate and tongue complete.

Jewelled buckle of Frankish type.

Small bronze buckle complete with tongue. The buckle loop is decorated with groups of incised lines and part of the buckle plate remains.

Buckle, broken into two pieces, with triangular plate. Such buckles were normally found in graves of high status males and are often decorated with garnets. This is a slightly cheaper version, but would still have belonged to a rich man.

Bronze buckle and buckle plate inlaid with silver.

Fragments of cloth in glass slide.
Found adhering to the remains of an Anglo-Saxon in a grave at Sarre, Kent in 1863.

Electroform copy of an Anglo-Saxon coin - the original is in the British Museum. This coin was minted in around 765AD for Ecgberht II, who ruled from 765 to 779. Not much is known about Ecgberht aside from his coins and the small number of charters in which he is mentioned; he was likely installed by Offa as a king. Offa then attempted to rule Kent more directly in 776, which prompted a rebellion under Ecgberht. Kent seems to have remained independent for several years afterwards, which suggests it was successful.

Coin minted for Archbishop Æthelheard, who was enthroned in 793. It bears the names of both the archbishop and the King. King Offa gave the Archbishops of Canterbury the right to mint their own coins, and this continued into the reign of King henry VIII.
Found by Mr David Hunt at Otford, Kent. Acquired by the Landowner with grant-aid from the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant fund, and generous contributions from Mr Hunt and from a Kent charitable trust through the friends of Canterbury Museums.

Fragment of double-sided antler comb. The comb is decorated with a series of ring-and-dot motifs in a triangular arrangement at its end.

Single-sided comb with antler handle, iron nails and bone teeth.

Worked Bone single-sided comb.

The Anglo-Saxons kept their combs in cases to stop the teeth from breaking.

Glass tumbler.

Conical glass vase.

Bronze bindings and handle of an Anglo-Saxon bucket mounted on a modern wooden copy by the London Institute of Archaeology.

Bronze buckle of Frankish type.

Donated to the museum by John Brent this relic box appears to have been found in the grave of an Anglo Saxon male. It would originally have had a lid and base and may have been used to hold oil, or ink.

Bronze gilt brooch of cruciform shape and foreign manufacture, probably from South West Germany. This type is very rarely found in England, and another example is known from Silton, Ash, Kent.

Crystal sphere in a silver sling. It is not known what these spheres were used for, but they are often found in the graves of women alongside silver spoons. It has been suggested that they may have been used to symbolically purify water.

Crystal ball suspended in silver sling, with silver wire ring through the top of the sling.

Large crystal ball without the suspender. The purpose of Anglo Saxon crystal balls is unclear: they may have been used as a magnifying glass, or perhaps even had a magical or ritual use. They are often found in the graves of women next to silver spoons.

Large crystal ball without the suspender. The purpose of Anglo Saxon crystal balls is unclear: they may have been used as a magnifying glass, or perhaps even had a magical or ritual use. They are often found in the graves of women next to silver spoons.

Ceramic mug in a brownish ware. This cup was handmade, and would have been burnished (rubbed at speed with a leather cloth) to made it more watertight.

Copper alloy disc brooch decorated with a quincunx (group of five) of cup-and-dot decorations, a favoured decorative motif in this period.

Circular silver gilt disc brooch set with 3 square and 1 round garnet

Enamelled disc, possibly from side of a hanging bowl and used to suspend it. Design is of celtic origin thrown up by red champleve enamel. It probably comes from Western England, or Wales.

Enamelled disc, similar to above.

Cast silver fish brooch with geometric decoration and garnet set eye, fins and tail.

Cone beaker, with vertical fluting and horizontal thread of opaque white glass below the rim. Cone beakers may have been used at feasts where, because they had no bases, the drinkers would have had to down the contents in one go, perhaps as a toast.

Gilded copper alloy small-long brooch or mount in four pieces.

A highly ornamented, fine gilded, bronze pin.

A highly ornamented, fine gilded, bronze pin.

Bronze girdle-hanger. This type of object, often found in Anglo Saxon women’s graves, imitates a key. It has been suggested that girdle-hangers symbolise that women controlled access to the home.

Green glass vessel, repaired.

Pendant. The central swastika, or Tetraskele, was used on many items in the Early Anglo-Saxon period.
Found by a metal detectorist near Manston in Kent. Acquired for the museum through the Portable Antiquities scheme.

Small gold pendant set with cross in centre.

Small gold pendant set with garnets, may have been used as a sword bead.
Found in Anglo Saxon cemetery at Stouting, Faversham. Collected by Mr. J. Brent.

Key with shepherd’s crook suspension loop. It was cast in bronze and finished by hand with deeply cut out carving.

Bronze mount, partly gilded, with an animal design.

String of 68 beads, of various colours.

Fragment with gilt front; chip carved decoration showing a stylised owl.

Triangular gold pendant.

Oval gold pendant.

Bracteate. Bracteates, thin single-sided gold medals, were worn as pendants on a string around the neck. They may have been seen as a protective amulet.

Coin. Minted in Canterbury for Archbishop Aethelheard during the reign of King Offa. We can date the coin to within just a few years, as Aethelheard became Archbishop in 793 and Offa died in 796.

Copper Alloy pin with a garnet set into the head. There is a piece of gold foil behind the garnet to enhance the colour of the stone.

Five worked bone double-ended pinbeaters. Pinbeaters were used while weaving to adjust the placement of threads on the loom.

Three worked bone pins. These may have been used to hold a hair style, or perhaps to secure an item of clothing.

Radiate brooch, cast bronze.

Radiate brooch, cast bronze, ring and dot and chevron decoration on bow and foot.

Rune stone. One of the only two surviving pagan grave markers from the period. (The other is to the left of the case). They may have been made by invading Scandinavian warriors to commemorate comrades who fell in battle.

Rare gilded bronze saucer brooch of West Saxon type, one of a pair.

Coin. Probably known as ‘pennies’ when they were in use, these coins were minted in Kent, Frisia and Jutland. The earliest sceatta in Britain were minted in Kent and the Thames estuary.

Coin. Probably known as ‘pennies’ when they were in use, these coins were minted in Kent, Frisia and Jutland. The earliest sceatta in Britain were minted in Kent and the Thames estuary.

Iron shield boss. Found 9” from the grave floor and 15” from the head of the grave, suggesting that the width of shield was not more than 30”.

Portion of silver twisted ring.

Silver gilt spoon with swastika in niello on junction of bowl and handle. Found between knees of skeleton.

Copper alloy brooch with cup and dot decoration at head and foot. This type of brooch was generally worn in a pair.

Copper alloy brooch. This type of brooch was generally worn in a pair.

Bone spindle whorl with incised decoration. Spindle whorls were used when spinning wool into yarn. Attached to the spindle, they helped maintain the speed of the spin used to twist the raw wool into a long thread. Using a spindle whorl helped maintain the same thickness of the wool as it was spun.

Two bone Spindle whorl.

Spindle whorl of very dark blue or green glass with inlaid white glass decoration. Anglo-Saxon Eastry appears to have been a place of some size and much importance. The Kings of Kent had a palace, and often held court there.

Two Ceramic spindle whorls.

Square headed brooch decorated with the ring-and-dot motifs popular in the early Saxon period. This type of brooch is one of the most common worn by the Anglo-Saxons, and was used to secure clothing.

Square-headed brooch fragment with gilding

Small square headed brooch, silver gilt.

Small square headed brooch, silver gilt.

Silver-gilt square-headed brooch of a cruciform shape, jeweled and set with 9 garnets.

Square-headed silver-gilt brooch.

Square-headed silver-gilt brooch with an undivided foot and a motif decorating footplate which shows rampant animals either side of the foot reaching up to the bow.