The Staffordshire Hoard

Detail of a gold decorative panel: image courtesy of official Staffordshire Hoard website

sinc éaðe mæg
gold on grunde       gumcynnes gehwone
oferhígian                hýde sé ðe wylle —

__________________

[treasure easily may —
gold in the ground — any one of mankind
overpower, hide he who will —]

(Beowulf, lines 2764-2767)

Well, consider me totally overpowered — rather ecstatically so — ever since I saw this, first thing this morning, later supplemented by this, complete with photos. It is not every day that one hears news of 1,500 items of Anglo-Saxon treasure, probably dating from the 7th century, recently excavated from a Staffordshire field, but it’s worth celebrating when it happens.

I suppose if one can bury bad news, one can also, conversely, unearth amazing news. Truly, this middanġeard is full of marvels, even now.