EBK Activity Sheets

 



How do we know what it was like?
  • Archaeologists have dug up the graves of lots of early Saxon women. They each  contained a skeleton; but there were other things buried with the dead person too.
  • Cloth and leather rot quickly when put in the ground. Metal and glass don't. Things made of metal and glass have been found by archaeologists.
  • The position of things found in graves show where they were worn.
  • Some women had metal clasps at the wrists to fasten the sleeves of a simple blouse. Other women may have worn short-sleeves.
  • Brooches at the shoulders pinned two sides of a tubular dress together.
  • A large fancy brooch is sometimes found on the chest. This was to pin together a cloak.
  • Lots of beads are often found across the chest. Strings of beads were very pretty. They were usually made of brightly coloured glass.
  • Saxon women had 'girdle hangers' and other useful items hanging from a belt around the waist. The belts rotted away, but buckles survived.
  • Saxons from different areas wore slightly different types of clothes: Like different people from different countries today.
  • We have lots of drawings of later Saxon women in their manuscripts.
  • Activity Sheet available.

 

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