Galloway had been part of Anglo-Saxon Northumbria, said Goldberg, and was called the Saxon coast in the Irish chronicles as late as the 10th century. Alfred the Great’s dynasty was laying the foundations of medieval England, and Alba, the kingdom that became medieval Scotland, is first mentioned in historical sources.” Goldberg said: “At the start of the 10th century, new kingdoms were emerging in response to Viking invasions. Incredibly, textile in which the objects had been wrapped was among organic matter that also survived.Ī millennium’s worth of dirt has been removed from the Anglo-Saxon cross buried in the 9th century. The cross was among more than 100 gold, silver and other items, including a beautiful gold bird-shaped pin and a silver-gilt vessel. The Galloway Hoard was buried in the late 9th century in Dumfries and Galloway, where it was unearthed by a metal detectorist in 2014. It’s a real privilege to see this after 1,000 years.” The quality of the workmanship is just incredible. We imagine that a lot of ecclesiastical treasures were robbed from monasteries – that’s what the historical record of the Viking age describes to us. That is partly because of the time period it comes from. He told the Observer: “It’s just spectacular.
![glory of the horde glory of the horde](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ksZ9uW59s2s/Tk1U9rnkENI/AAAAAAAABFY/Cj3_KWqXNUA/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/To+God+be+the+glory+1024x768.jpg)
![glory of the horde glory of the horde](https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/79455-the-horde-3do-front-cover.jpg)
Its four arms bear the symbols of the four evangelists to whom tradition attributed the gospels of the New Testament: Saint Matthew (man), Mark (lion), Luke (cow) and John (eagle).ĭr Martin Goldberg, NMS principal curator of early medieval and Viking collections, recalled his “wonderment” after seeing the cross in a gleaming state. The equal-armed cross was created by a goldsmith of outstanding skill and artistry. A supreme example of Anglo-Saxon metalwork has been revealed. The tiniest glimpses of its gold-leaf decoration could be spotted through its grubby exterior, but its stunning, intricate design had been concealed until now.