The many magnificent finds of gold and jewellery from pagan graves of the 5th-7th centuries show how important personal adornment was to the Anglo-Saxons. ‘Jewellery is proper to a woman’ says an Old English poem, but men too wore rings and, at times, brooches, and carried richly ornamented weapons. Warriors expected to be rewarded by their leaders with gold and fine weapons and such things were also used as presents in diplomatic exchanges. In Anglo-Saxon poetry such as Beowulf, kings and leaders are often referred to as ‘ring-giver’ or ‘jewel-giver’.

Anglo-Saxon clothing was relatively simple: tunics, gowns and cloaks, which had to be fastened with brooches and belts. Huge numbers of Anglo-Saxon brooches survive in many different shapes and materials. Most from the early period are bronze, but the finest examples are of gilded silver or gold set with garnets. These would have been very costly. Women also wore long strings of beads round their necks or as girdles.

Early jewellery was probably made by travelling jewellers, or by those employed by Anglo-Saxon nobles. Later, most towns had metalsmiths who would have made many of the everyday buckles, strap ends and clasps worn by the less wealthy freemen. Very elaborate pieces of jewellery, such as the gold and garnet necklace from Desborough (Northamptonshire), were certainly made by specialist jewellers.