Sarre or Bifrons cemetery knife

1 Dec

I spent today assisting Maidstone Museums with final object selections for the new Lives in Our Landscape gallery opening in Summer 2024. Much to my delight after discussing it with CSI: Sittingbourne yesterday, we had a look at this absolutely wonderful #AngloSaxon knife with crisscrossed inlaid gold, silver and copper decoration. Interestingly, the decoration is only found on a single edge of the blade!

This lovely knife came to the society from either Sarre or Bifrons cemetery. The inlaid decoration can still be clearly seen today, but looks even better in the close-up photograph taken by Dana Goodburn-Brown at CSI Sittingbourne, during a project her and her team of volunteers undertook in 2013, supported by the Society.

While this particular artefact isn't going to be in the new gallery, a large proportion of the society's' Anglo-Saxon holdings will be on display next year, some for the first time. ~ Andy, Curator

#Archaeology #smallfinds #inlay #metalworking #archaeologicalarchives #archaeologicalstores #findsfriday #earlymedieval #art #historylovers #discovery #science #conservation