My Heart All Aflutter Over Dark Ages Gold Hoard Discovery

I've mentioned before that if you could peek inside my heart, you would see a darkened theatre with the curtains opening and music playing from the orchestra pit.

There's another corner of my heart that holds a Dark Age sword.

Baffle people I must. What can I say? I'm a ballet and sword kind of woman.

As you can imagine, this week's news release about the July discovery of Anglo Saxon gold in a Staffordshire, England field has held me completely enthralled.

"There was absolutely nothing feminine" among the buried hoard, found in rural England, Kevin Leahy of the Portable Antiquities Scheme said in a statement.

"It looks like a collection of trophies," Leahy said. "But it is impossible to say if the hoard was the spoils from a single battle or a long and highly successful military career."

The site once lay at the heart of the old Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, which existed from the sixth to the tenth century, when it became part of the fledgling Kingdom of England.

The total weight of gold recovered amounts to 11 pounds (5 kilograms)- considerably more than the 3.8 pounds (1.7 kilograms) found at the rich Anglo-Saxon burial site of Sutton Hoo in 1939. - James Owen, National Geographic



This is a scabbard decoration uncovered at the site.



This is a sword hilt collar.














This is a replica Dark Age sword created by Czech swordsmith Patrick Barta.

Isn't it dreamy?

It's easier to match the recovered authentic pieces to their placement on a sword when you can look at a full-size weapon.








This is a sword hilt collar.






A slightly-mangled sword fitting.








The pommel of the replica sword.









A cheek piece from a battle helmet.
















The Sutton Hoo helmet uncovered in 1939










The full-length replica sword and scabbard by Patrick Barta.














Photos from National Geographic by David Rowan

Photos taken at the dig site by Telegraph.co.uk

Photo of Sutton Hoo helmet by BBC News

Photos of replica sword by Tomas Balej

Ms Snarky Pants says Alas I think we are sans Anglo Saxon hordes here. hehe

Sara Chapman in Seattle says I had read about the find but had not seen photos. Wow!

Susan Helene Gottfried says That stuff is amazing. I'd love to see it up close.