With all the buzz about the Staffordshire Hoard (see also the NYT article on the find), it’s no wonder that people are drooling at the potential for an exponential improvement in our understanding of the Anglo-Saxons. But were the Anglo-Saxons really a bunch of brutes because most people don’t recognize their artistic achievements? Does that say more about their situation or ours? The Dark Ages weren’t “dark” because of them, but because we just don’t know much about them. It’s our ignorance, not theirs, that is demeaning their (and our!) history.
» Read more: How will the Staffordshire Hoard impact our understanding of the Anglo-Saxons?
