Kingston Brooch History

Britain has been the source of a uniquely beautiful brand of artistry which can be identified in the jewelry making of the historic Anglo-Saxons. Among the most brilliant of artifacts ever found was uncovered in 1771 by the Reverend Brian Faussett who unearthed the most renowned brooch ever discovered on the island with roots in the Anglo-Saxon period. Found on Kingston Downs in Kent County, the brooch, known famously as the Kingston Brooch, is the largest and finest ever found for its time, and in Faussett’s own words from his official report of the dig it was: “altogether one of the most curious and, for its size, costly pieces of antiquity ever discovered in England” . Even when held to contemporary standards, the brooch’s artistry is nothing …show more content…
The grave found on Kingston Down is no exception as it was quite clear that the woman buried was a member of the elite class told by the not only sizeable grave and coffin as covered earlier, but also the number of valuable items that were buried with her. One of these items was a golden amulet an eighth of an inch in diameter which was pinned carefully on her waist by two silver safety pins. A number of receptacles were also found in the grave, among which being a red, ceramic, wheel thrown urn etched with a line pattern, a thirteen inch wide four and a half inch deep hanging bowl which held inside a smaller bowl, and a four inch trivet, the latter three being made from a copper alloy. The smaller of the two bowls in particular had “three coin-like pieces soldered on the outside” which indicate that it was not intended for heating as this would melt the coins. Finally, there rested a “beautiful green glass urn, finely coated both inside and outside with armatura or electrum.” A few things can be speculated about the individual when their grave goods are considered; most obviously is that the woman was wealthier than most other people. Secondly, the burying of grave goods is …show more content…
A great deal of understanding can be drawn from the brooch as well as the burial as a whole, the first being the amount skill would have been required for construction of a piece like this. Second is that there had to be trade relations between the Anglo-Saxons and other medieval European peoples which would have been required to construct a brooch with the foreign stone decoration it is made with. Finally insight into the social structure is given, as items like the Kingston brooch are incredibly rare which only prestigious members of society would have the status and wealth required. Archeological finds like the Kingston brooch, as well as a variety of other pieces found in Britain are important in learning about how the Anglo-Saxons compared to other European peoples in terms of the their technology, knowledge, and societal