British Museum: Great Migrations

 The British Museum is a vast repository of artifacts and relics, encompassing histories and cultures (with all the fraught issues of cultural appropriation and looting from other countries).  I concentrated on Great Britain and was struck by the recorded history of successive invasions/settlements/migrations, that brought displacement, war and cultural mixing:  Celts, Romans, Anglo Saxons, Vikings, Normans.

"The peoples of Ireland and northern and western Britain spoke Celtic languages and shared ancient traditions and beliefs.  These differed from the neighboring Anglo-Saxons, whose eventual dominance of areas once settled by Celtic-speaking groups led to both conflict and collaboration.  A distinctive style of Christian art developed in these regions, fusing influences from Roman, continental, Anglo-Saxon and traditional Celtic art.  Intricate designs in this styler were used to decorate metalwork, stone sculpture and illuminated manuscripts.  Although the Celtic kingdoms of Britain and Ireland lay on the margins of the old Roman world, they were not isolated.  Their adoption of Christianity from the AD 300's onward placed them within the wider Christian world, while contacts with Anglo-Saxon England, Europe and the Mediterranean were also maintained.  From the last AD700s Scandinavian Vikings brought new cultural influences and trading links to the region."

The map above shows areas of Viking influence from the 700s to the 1100s, with Viking settlements (in grey).  "The term Viking is commonly used to to describe the Old Norse-speaking peoples of Norway, Denmark and Sweden.  During these centuries, Viking voyaged overseas to raid, trade and settle new lands.  By 1100, they had travelled as far east as central Asia and as far west as North America, aided by expertise in ship-building and seamanship.  Vikings are still remembered as fierce raiders.  While violence and raiding are important parts of the Vikings' story, archaeology has provided a fuller picture of their lives, cultures and beliefs."

"These objects reflect the mixing of Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian art at this time.  The speckled beasts on the silver casket panels are Anglo-Saxon in style, but their double-lined bodies are influenced by Viking art.  The snake and four legged creature entwined on the disc brooch are of Viking style but the dots on the snake's body and brooch's border are Anglo-Saxon features."