File:The arts in early England (1903) (14782373084).jpg

Identifier: artsinearlyengla03brow (find matches)
Title: The arts in early England
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Brown, G. Baldwin (Gerard Baldwin), 1849-1932 Webster, A. Blyth (Adam Blyth), 1882-1956 Sexton, Eric H. L. (Eric Hyde Lord), 1902-1980
Subjects: Art Architecture Architecture, Medieval Church architecture Crosses Decoration and ornament, Celtic Inscriptions, Runic
Publisher: London, J. Murray
Contributing Library: Wellesley College Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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blade is of no great weight being only about1 in. broad, and the arm could easily have been wielded withone hand. It may be regarded as a fancy piece forged by aSaxon smith in imitation of the effective two-handed swordsknown on the Continent. In its slenderness it may illustrate thevariety already referred to under the German name Langsax.This is represented by a somewhat exceptional find in thecemetery above Folkestone, PL xxviii, 6. It is 15 in. longwith a handle 4^- in. in length and a well-preserved simplepommel in the same piece with the tang. It is single-edgedand the blade is about ij in. broad. A still more abnormalpiece is shown PL xxviii, i. It is 10J in. long, and was foundat Saffron Walden, Essex, where it is preserved. The scimitar-like shape is very remarkable, and as the cemetery contained 1 Victoria History, York, 11, 92. 2 Catalogue of Guildhall Museum, 1908, p. 123, and Collectanea Antiqua,11, 243. 3 Akerman, Pag. Sax., pi. ix. AXE HEADS, ANGLO-SAXON AND CONTINENTAL
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The scale applies approximately to all but 3, the length of which is 17 in.7, 2, Q, II, are Continental THE AXE 231 relics earlier than the Anglo-Saxon times it may not beGermanic, but it was included by the explorers in the Anglo-Saxon series. Another long-handled example comes fromPurton, Wilts, and is shown PL xxviii, 19. A possibly unique piece was found at Cookham by theThames and is preserved at Reading, PL xxviii, 3. It isa genuine two-edged dagger with central rib and a tang fora!hilt. The blade is 9 in. long, and as it was found withother undoubtedly Anglo-Saxon arms it belongs to our periodthough it would be hard to find its fellow. All other so-calledc daggers in our collections appear to be single-edged weaponsof the scramasax type. THE AXE In the use of the scramasax we seem to obtain a differentiabetween the Frankish and the Saxon warrior and the same istrue of the axe. A particular kind of axe suitable for employ-ment as a missile was as characteristic of the Frank at t

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