Sutton Hoo ship burial, 

Suffolk, England, 

metalwork objects (garnet set in metal cells or cloisonné and millefiori enamel), 

seventh century

Dark Ages

Very large.

Evidence of a body, indicates possible mortuary chamber?

Dated by a series of coins

Purse Cover: Shows snaking pattern with symmetrical images of a hawk attacking a duck, and a man with two beasts.

Incredible sophistication of pattern despite lack of civility for era.

Buckle: gold, Crazy assymettrical interlacing pattern, with beaks and talons of hawks.

Sword Hilt, Sheild with hawk (they fucking love hawks)

international objects (spoons from constantinople)

Book of Durrow, gospel book,

c.680

Carpet pages

Evangelist portraits (Matthew=Man, Mark=Lion, Luke=Ox, John=Eagle)

Dark Ages

• Common to 3,4,5.

• Pages that are purely ornamental (carpet pages)

• Giant, legible text

• Pictures of the evangelists (gospel authors)

• All have cannon tables shows where each story appears in the different gospels.

• Dense interlaced serpent patterns on carpet pages.

• Portrayal of st. Mathew relegated to his symbol: no arms, giant cloak covering most features. Reduced to pure pattern.

Lindisfarne Gospels, gospel book,

c. 700

written and decorated by Bishop Eadfrith

Dark Ages

Evangelist portraits (16-7) Not as revered as the ornate carpet pages. Evangelists practically reduced to drapes. No real background. Artists struggle to show three dimensional space.

Very ornate to overwhelm the pagan with the power of god's word.

Lindisfarne Gospels, gospel book,

c. 700

written and decorated by Bishop Eadfrith

Dark Ages

Carpet pages/Initials

More Ornate than book of durrow

motion and chaos held in check by the cross

Book of Durrow, gospel book,

c.680

Evangelist portraits (Matthew=Man, Mark=Lion, Luke=Ox, John=Eagle)

• Dark Ages

  Giant, legible text

• Pictures of the evangelists (gospel authors)

• All have cannon tables shows where each story appears in the different gospels- Portrayal of st. Mathew relegated to his symbol: no arms, giant cloak covering most features. Reduced to pure pattern.

Book of Kells, gospel book,

c. 800, (16-8)

Dark Ages

- Image of Virgin and Child: Illustrations helped with navigation around books without chapter headings.

Designed to literally make gods words beautiful

Reminiscent of early medieval metalwork

Monasterboice (Muiredach) stone cross,

Ireland,

920

Dark Ages

• Large scale (18 ft) complex scenes (last judgement)

• Reason for specific location unknown

Oseberg ship burial,

Norway, Viking wooden sculpture,

 (metal sculpture)

Dark Ages

• More fucking complex interlacing.

• Monsters serpents monsters patterns spectacular weathervane beat fucking serpentine 

Urnes church, Norway, Viking wooden sculpture

mid-eleventh century

Dark Ages

- Serpentine patterns with beast.