1. A Day in the Life of…
Anglo Saxons

2. History 5th Century: Germanic tribes invade
Angles
Saxons
Jutes
Established Anglo-Saxon presence in England (Angle-Land)
Alfred the Great: “Rex Angul-Saxonum”
Late 800s: fights away Danish invaders
Promotes sense of national identity
Converts Latin texts to Old English

3. Civilizations Anglo-Saxons settled away from old Roman cities
Strategic sites for agriculture or river ports to control land.
One-room structures of timber and thatch
Village centered around “Mead-Hall,” with central hearth.

4. Values Strength, courage, and power
Hated peace—fighting is more honorable.
Revenge taken seriously
War ended only by “wergild” or “peace-weaver.”
Worst fate: survive fellow warriors or exile.

5. Religion Beliefs carried over from Germanic Paganism
Pagan Gods: Tyr, Woden, Thor, Frigg
Christianization occurred between AD
Pagan information documented through priests set out to destroy it.
Example: St. Augustine, Kentish King, and Woden

6. Law Saxon Chiefs chopped off hands and noses to punish petty crimes.
Fear maintained control.
A good king was a fearsome king.
A good king was also generous.
Warrior gifts for acts of bravery in battle.

8. Riddle 34 A strange creature ran on a rippling road,
Ic wiht geseah    on wege feran,
A strange creature ran on a rippling road,
seo wæs wrætlice     wundrum gegierwed:
Its cut was wild, its body bowed,
hæfde feowere    fet under wombe
Four feet under belly, eight on its back,
ond ehtuwe
Two wings, twelve eyes, six heads, one track.
monn h w M wiif m x l kf wf hors qxxs ufon on hrycge; 5
It cruised the waves decked out like a bird,
hæfde tu fiþru     ond twelf eagan
But was more--the shape of a horse, man,
ond siex heafdu.    Saga hwæt hio wære.
Dog, bird, and the face of a woman--
For flodwegas;    ne wæs þæt na fugul ana,
Weird riddle-craft riding the drift of words--
ac þær wæs æghwylces    anra gelicnes 10
Now sing the solution to what you've heard.
horses ond monnes,    hundes ond fugles,
ond eac wifes wlite.    þu wast, gif þu const,
to gesecganne,    þæt we soð witan--
hu þære wihte    wise gonge.
Riddle 34

9. SHIP!

10. Riddle 69 Power and treasure for a prince to hold,
Hard and steep-cheeked, wrapped in red
Gold and garnet, ripped from a plain
Of bright flowers, wrought--a remnant
Of fire and file, bound in stark beauty 5
With delicate wire, my grip makes
Warriors weep, my sting threatens
The hand that grasps gold. Studded
With a ring, I ravage heir and heirloom
*        *    *
To my lord and foes always lovely 10
And deadly, altering face and form.
Riddle 69

11. SWORD!

12. Riddle 14 In battle I rage against wave and wind,
Strive against storm, dive down seeking
A strange homeland, shrouded by the sea.
In the grip of war, I am strong when still;
In battle-rush, rolled and ripped     
In flight. Conspiring wind and wave
Would steal my treasure, strip my hold,
But I seize glory with a guardian tail
As the clutch of stones stands hard
Against my strength. Can you guess my name?
Riddle 14

13. ANCHOR!

14. Riddle 68 Who am I who stand so boldly by the sea road--
Hightowering, cheek-bright, useful to men?
Riddle 68

15. LIGHTHOUSE!

16. Riddle 87 My head is struck by a forging hammer,
Sheared close by a shaping blade,
Honed smooth by a fierce file.
Sometimes I swallow my tempered foe,
When bound by rings, I heave from behind,
Thrust a long limb through a hard hole,
Catch hard the keeper of the heart's pleasure,
Twist with my tongue and turn back
The midnight guardian of my lord's treasure
When the conquering warrior comes to hold    
The gift of slaughter, the joy of gold.
Riddle 87

17. KEY!