[Regia-NA] BLOODY KING LINKED TO SAXON BEACH FIND

Fri, 31 Oct 2003 09:22:57 -0600

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>From another list:=20
=20
=20
http://www.iwcp.co.uk/fullstory.asp?storyid=3D1
By Richard Wright
A RARE gold sword belt ornament which could have belonged to the seventh
century Saxon king, Caedwalla, has been found on an Island beach - and =
there
could be another hidden under the sands.

Discovery of the intricate gold decoration encrusted with garnets is
regarded as being especially historically significant because it could =
have
belonged to the king reputed to have put a quarter of the Island =
population
to the sword in his attempt to convert them to Christianity.
Enthusiast Darren Trickey, 21, had gone out for a few minutes with his =
metal
detector when he came across the find of a lifetime on the beach at
Bembridge.
Removal man Darren, of Dennett Road, Bembridge, said: "It glowed like it =
was
brand new when I dug it up.
"I'm told it could be worth up to =A330,000 and I would love it if the =
IW
Council's museum service would bid for it because it would be great to =
see
it displayed on the Island with my name underneath it.
"I have been detecting since I was ten and have found coins and items of
modern jewellery but nothing like this. It is fantastic."
At an inquest on Tuesday, Island coroner John Matthews declared the =
artefact
treasure trove, which will enable museums to buy it from Darren.
IW Council archaeological officer Frank Basford told Tuesday's inquest =
the
spectacular gold pyramidal sword belt fitting was the most important
artefact to have been found on the Island since the excavation of Anglo
Saxon cemeteries of Bowcombe Down and Chessell Down in the mid 19th =
century.
"The gold fitting has an octagonal base and is decorated with 16 panels
divided into cells. Originally these were inlaid with garnets, only one =
of
which now survives.
"At the base is a bar through which a leather strap would have been
threaded.
"The eigth century historian, the Venerable Bede, credits Caedwalla with
converting the Jutish population of the Island to Christianity.
"If this is the case his conversion methods sound rather drastic, as the
Island is chronicled as having accepted Christianity some 25 years =
earlier
when it was ruled by the South Saxons.
"As it was found on the beach it may have been dropped by someone =
visiting
or even invading the Island.
"We can be confident its owner was of very high rank. The sword belt =
fitting
is particularly fine and its octagonal form makes it a unique example. =
It is
possible it belonged to Caedwalla himself and it is also possible there =
is
another under the beach because they were worn as pairs."
=B7 When other metal detecting enthusiasts had packed up and gone home, =
Terry
Orme's persistence paid off with the discovery of an important 15th =
century
ring, which could have royal significance.
An inquest decided that the ring, dug up from a Godshill field, was =
treasure
trove, which opens the way for a museum to buy it and put the ring on
display.
Half the proceeds of several thousand pounds would go to Mr Orme, 54, of
Main Road, Havenstreet, and half to the landowner.
But if the British Museum or the IW Council do not want the 95 per cent =
pure
silver gilt ring, tomato picker Mr Orme said he would like to be able to =
pay
the landowner for his half and have the ring for himself.

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<DIV><TT><SPAN class=3D391322115-31102003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2>From another list:&nbsp;</FONT></SPAN></TT></DIV>
<DIV><TT><SPAN class=3D391322115-31102003></SPAN></TT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><TT><SPAN class=3D391322115-31102003>&nbsp;</SPAN><BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.iwcp.co.uk/fullstory.asp?storyid=3D1">http://www.iwcp.=
co.uk/fullstory.asp?storyid=3D1</A><BR>By=20
Richard Wright<BR>A RARE gold sword belt ornament which could have =
belonged to=20
the seventh<BR>century Saxon king, Caedwalla, has been found on an =
Island beach=20
- and there<BR>could be another hidden under the sands.<BR><BR>Discovery =
of the=20
intricate gold decoration encrusted with garnets is<BR>regarded as being =

especially historically significant because it could have belonged to =
the=20
king reputed to have put a quarter of the Island population to the =
sword in=20
his attempt to convert them to Christianity. Enthusiast Darren =
Trickey, 21,=20
had gone out for a few minutes with his metal detector when he came =
across=20
the find of a lifetime on the beach at Bembridge. Removal man =
Darren, of=20
Dennett Road, Bembridge, said: "It glowed like it was brand new when =
I dug it=20
up. "I'm told it could be worth up to =A330,000 and I would love it =
if the=20
IW Council's museum service would bid for it because it would be =
great to=20
see it displayed on the Island with my name underneath it. "I have =
been=20
detecting since I was ten and have found coins and items of modern =
jewellery=20
but nothing like this. It is fantastic." At an inquest on Tuesday, =
Island=20
coroner John Matthews declared the artefact treasure trove, which =
will enable=20
museums to buy it from Darren. IW Council archaeological officer =
Frank=20
Basford told Tuesday's inquest the spectacular gold pyramidal sword =
belt=20
fitting was the most important artefact to have been found on the =
Island=20
since the excavation of Anglo Saxon cemeteries of Bowcombe Down and =
Chessell=20
Down in the mid 19th century. "The gold fitting has an octagonal base =
and is=20
decorated with 16 panels divided into cells. Originally these were =
inlaid=20
with garnets, only one of which now survives. "At the base is a =
bar=20
through which a leather strap would have been threaded. "The eigth =
century=20
historian, the Venerable Bede, credits Caedwalla with converting the =
Jutish=20
population of the Island to Christianity. "If this is the case his =
conversion=20
methods sound rather drastic, as the Island is chronicled as having =
accepted=20
Christianity some 25 years earlier when it was ruled by the South=20
Saxons. "As it was found on the beach it may have been dropped by =
someone=20
visiting or even invading the Island. "We can be confident its =
owner was=20
of very high rank. The sword belt fitting is particularly fine and =
its=20
octagonal form makes it a unique example. It is possible it belonged =
to=20
Caedwalla himself and it is also possible there is another under the =
beach=20
because they were worn as pairs." =B7 When other metal detecting =
enthusiasts=20
had packed up and gone home, Terry Orme's persistence paid off with =
the=20
discovery of an important 15th century ring, which could have royal=20
significance. An inquest decided that the ring, dug up from a =
Godshill field,=20
was treasure trove, which opens the way for a museum to buy it and =
put the=20
ring on display. Half the proceeds of several thousand pounds =
would go to=20
Mr Orme, 54, of Main Road, Havenstreet, and half to the =
landowner. But if=20
the British Museum or the IW Council do not want the 95 per cent =
pure silver=20
gilt ring, tomato picker Mr Orme said he would like to be able to =
pay the=20
landowner for his half and have the ring for=20
himself. </DIV></TT></BODY></HTML>

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