Anglo-Saxons activity 4: create an Anglo-Saxon brooch

Anglo-Saxons Resources IMG_20200307_154347542

Overview

Pupils research the importance of brooches and other items of jewellery in Anglo-Saxon society and, in particular, those made or imported into the Kingdom of Kent. They then create their own disc or zoomorphic (animal design) brooch in craft foil, using stick-on jewels.

Learning objectives - Curriculum links

Introduction

Look at Learn with Objects Anglo-Saxons 1: Dover Hill, 3: beads and 4: bit of bling on the whiteboard.

What are these strange objects found with some of the bodies?

Ask the children to use the site to research Anglo-Saxon brooches and jewellery. Think about the following questions:

Why did people wear them?
Who made them and where?
How were they made?
What materials were they made from?
How did they create the detailed patterns?
Where did these materials come from?
Can you tell if someone was rich or important from the jewellery buried with them?
Did men and women wear different brooches?
Did jewellery go out of fashion?
Was it replaced with new designs?
Why was jewellery buried with people?

Look at the disc brooch from the Dover Hill Anglo-Saxon Cemetery See Learn with Objects Anglo-Saxons 4: bit of bling. Then compare it with other examples from Kent, notably the Canterbury Pendant (Canterbury Museums), the Monkton Brooch (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford) and the Kingston Brooch (World Museum, Liverpool)

The Kingston Brooch can be viewed here.

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/artifact/kingston-brooch

Then create your own disc brooch or zoomorphic (animal design brooch) in craft foil, using stick-on jewels. You could even research, and create a map of where materials like amethyst, garnets, gold, bronze, silver and cowrie shell came from to make them.

Anglo-Saxons Resources Craft foil Anglo-Saxon brooches

Anglo-Saxon brooches made by Year 5 children at Worth Primary School.

Creative activity

Children are inspired by the colours, materials, patterns and shapes of Anglo-Saxon brooches (including the disc brooch found at the Dover Hill Anglo-Saxon cemetery, and those found elsewhere in Kent). They then create their own designs using bronze, silver or gold craft foil, and stick-on jewels. A safety pin can be sellotaped to the back so children can wear them.

Materials needed:

beer bottle tops or thick card discs
safety pins
sellotape
Fimo clay
coloured glass beads
craft foil

NB: Fimo clay will need to be baked in the oven to harden. Instructions for length of time and temperature can be found on the packaging.

Show images of the Dover Hill disc brooch and other Anglo-Saxon brooches from Kent on the whiteboard or as handouts. Pupils can use these for inspiration while making their own designs.

Learn with Objects links

Use Learn with Objects Anglo-Saxons 4: bit of bling for information and images.

The Monkton Brooch. Copyright Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

The Canterbury Pendant, Copyright Canterbury Museums