NEN Gallery

What do you think these are? Do we still use them? The coin is there to show you how big they are.

After the Romans left Britain in 410 CE, some warriors from the continent were invited to protect the country against other raiders. This marked the beginning of the Saxon migration, which pushed most of the previous inhabitants out to the west. Eventually the Saxons in turn had to try to protect their homes from invasions by Vikings (from Norway) and Danes (from Denmark). In 1016 following a battle at Ashingdon, the Danish king Cnut and the English king Edmund decided to divide the country and rule it as separate kingdoms. Essex came under Danish control as part of a North Sea empire, until 1042, when the Saxon Edward became king. In 1066 control of the country passed to the Normans after the Battle of Hastings.

The objects are a pin and a brooch from a time before buttons had been invented.

Suggested activities

Make a brooch like this from wire pipe-cleaners and see if you can work out how it was used.