Ornate Saxon Pendant Provides New Information About Early Medieval Yorkshire

LEEDS, ENGLAND—An ornate pendant recently unearthed by a metal detectorist near Leeds is another new find in a recent string of discoveries that has provided archaeologists with deeper insight into life in early medieval Yorkshire, according to a statement released by Leeds City Council. The pendant, which is shaped like a cross, is made from solid silver covered with a thin layer of gold leaf. The central stone is now missing but the arms of the cross are still decorated with intricate interlacing Saxon patterns on both sides. Experts believe it dates to the eighth century a.d., when Leeds was part of the Saxon kingdom of Northumbria. The cross likely would have been worn around the neck of a church leader or important official. Its discovery comes on the heels of a late Roman and early Saxon cemetery that was also uncovered two years ago and the identification of another small Saxon hoard that contained several exquisite pieces of jewelry. “All of these finds are part of a puzzle which together show that Leeds was home to high status, important individuals during the Saxon period, and this beautiful cross is the latest glimpse into the past,” said Kat Baxter, Leeds Museums and Galleries’ curator of archaeology. To read about a seventh-century a.d. cross-shaped ornament unearthed in Cambridgeshire, go to "Anglo-Saxon Pectoral."