Saxon Settlers

The early Saxon settlers came in small groups and established themselves, or were established, in East Anglia, Essex, Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire, often at or close to Roman towns, as at Caister-By-Norwich and Dorchester-on-Thames. The usual materials were linen and woolens, the more expensive outfits being marked by colourful dyes and exotic borders. If a person became a slave because they were unable to pay a debt, they might be freed when the value of their labour reached the value of the original debt. Shields were round, made of wood covered with leather, and had an iron boss in the centre. The nature of the religion of the Germanic settlers is a very difficult subject, since it has to be pieced together from odd references from classical times and later Christian writings which obviously did not want to promote Pagan beliefs. When they weren't fighting the favourite pastimes of the Dark Ages were dice and board games such as chess. The king who did not provide land, slaves, or plunder might wake up dead one fine morning. Society was divided into several social classes, which might vary from place to place. It is also thought that some of the 'Anglo-Saxon' burials may actually be native Britons who adopted the ways of the 'Anglo-Saxons', just as they had done several centuries earlier with the Romans. A few of the main Anglo-Saxon gods were Tiw, Odin, Thor, and Friya, whose names are remembered in our days of the week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. In some cases a family would sell a child into slavery in time of famine to ensure the child's survival.