Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms : Art, Word, War

'At the turn of the year the British Library hosted the greatest exhibition of English art I am ever likely to see in my lifetime, Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms... what was on view was so remarkable that even after multiple visits I still felt I had only just dipped my toe into its treasures. Fortunately the British Library produced a marvellous catalogue, edited by Claire Breay and Joanna Story, which I have been dipping into ever since. It will be a companion and an inspiration for a long time to come' - TLS

A richly illustrated book about the artistic and political culture of the Anglo Saxons - the exhibition catalogue for the show at the British Library.

With an astonishing array of beautifully photographed manuscripts and artefacts, the book charts the course of history in England from the departure of the Romans to the arrival of the Normans - a time when the English language was used and written down for the first time, pagan populations were converted to Christianity, and the foundations of the kingdom of England were laid. As you leaf through the pages, you see six centuries of culture and civilisation expressed in outstanding manuscripts and artefacts including The Lindisfarne Gospels, manuscripts of old English poetry, the earliest surviving letter in English and the exquisite Harley Golden Gospels.

Leading specialists in early medieval history, literature and culture engage with the unique, original evidence from which we can piece together the story of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, examining outstanding and beautiful objects such as highlights from the Staffordshire hoard and the Sutton Hoo burial.

The book wonderfully encapsulates the Anglo-Saxon world, demonstrating their mastery of design and language and paints a picture of a culture that was innovative, adaptive and highly sophisticated.

It serves as a superb reminder and an excellent preparation for an outstandingly rich exhibition. But more than that, it is a treasure in its own right and a wonderful present for the history lover in your life.

One of the TLS Best Books of the Year.

Read our review

Details

• Authors: Claire Breay, head of ancient, medieval and early modern manuscripts at the British Library and Joanna Story, professor of early medieval history at Leicester University.
• Paperback: 272 pages 
• Date published: October 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN: 978-0712352079
• Dimensions: 28.0 x 22.0 cm