Sue's Really Tiny Early Medieval Buckle |
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 พ.ค. 2021
- When we presented Sue Brunning with the task of choosing the best ostentatiously decorated, otherwise mundane object, she went straight for the big one. And by big one we mean a 3cm buckle, likely from a early medieval satchel. But while it's not that big, the blacksmith who made this clearly didn't see that as an obstacle to layering it with an, quick frankly, astounding level of detail.
To find out more about this buckle from King's Field in Faversham: bit.ly/3os39cD
Curators Cornered is a series born of necessity: a necessity to find the best object of every conceivable category from the British Museum Collection... also we were all stuck working from home...
Don't forget to like this video if you'd like to see more from Sue and the Early Medieval European Collections.
#CuratorsCornered #WhoDoesntLove3DSnakes #MedievalEngland
Being a jeweler, I find this buckle fascinating. I can tell a lot about the creator of this buckle just by looking at it. I can tell they were right handed. I can tell the maker was skilled for their time but not above imperfection. The bird eye in the top right of the buckle has an incomplete solder joint. This happened because either the metal was not cleaned completely, the lift itself prevented a good joint or the lantern used for the soldering might have used dirty oil. I could stare at this all day.
Thank you, Evan. Your comment was also fascinating, certainly to my untrained eye.
Thanks for your insight - how do you tell they are right handed?
I want to like this comment but it's currently sitting at 69 and that would be a travesty to spoil
@@themeatpopsicle I liked it .. saw your comment and removed my like 😅
@@slytub I was the one who broke the 100 like mark, and I have no regrets.
I love whenever Sue gets to talk to us about the meaning of all these early medieval findings.
It was so interesting to hear that while the wearer obviously wealthy, there may have been other reasons he/she chose to wear it.
Whoever is doing the editing for the videos and incorporated the scans of the objects is doing a great job and needs more credit!
Cheers! That genuinely means a lot.
2:45 Ohh birds! I thought they were elephants 😂
Not many elephants in 8th century England.
Me too - 🐘😂
@@JohnyG29 True, but I thought they were based on _tales_ of elephants, the presence of which can even be seen in the word's etymology (en.wiktionary.org/wiki/elephant#Etymology):
From Middle English elefant, elefaunt, from Old French elefant, elefan, olifant, re-latinized in Middle French as elephant, from Latin elephantus, from Ancient Greek ἐλέφᾱς (eléphās) (gen. ἐλέφαντος (eléphantos))....
Replaced Middle English olifant (from the aforementioned Old French form, from Vulgar Latin *olifantus), which replaced Old English elpend (“elephant”).
So while there might not have been even a single elephant there, there was spoken of at least one _elpend._
@@JohnyG29 Wot! Not even in the zoos?
I find that hard to believe.
Please post a video of an 8th century zoo that doesn't have at least 1 elephant!
Thank you. 🤣
King Charlemagne received a elephant as a gift by Haroen al-Rasjid in 802 tho.
Sue could recite names from an old telephone directly and I would still listen with rapt attention. So good at expressing her passion
The amount of details on such a small piece is amazing. And thank you to Sue who's passion is clearly showing and quite contagious.
whose*
“thank you to Sutton Hoo Sue whose....”
Say that 10 times fast. 🙂
I'm calling a Brunning/Finkel final here and now.
We win either way.
As a grumpy old wasp from the states I loved the intro and the idea. Of course, I think Irving Finkel will be the ultimate victor.
Irving VS Sue
Absolutely love her working class London accent
Your a class act Sue👍
This is one of two videos we're releasing on the same day for our new series Curators Cornered. We've set two of our curators the same task - Present the 'Best Ostentatiously Decorated, Otherwise Mundane Object' that they are personally in charge of. How do we choose which one is truly 'best'... we don't. YOU DO (big responsibility right?). Video with the most likes by the end of the week is declared winner and that curator will go through to face another successful curator from another round. So like this... if you like it.
To see Gareth's best object: th-cam.com/video/eSKihUGnsz0/w-d-xo.html
This should, I think, be pinned!
the amount of passion they both have is so nice, warm and soothing. they're both lovely beautiful people but tiny buckle is subjectively better then posh beer in this instance
"Thought we were done with the snakes? We're not done with the snakes."
I vote for Sue, she may be neither ostentatious nor mundane, but she is enchantingly lovely.
Incredible workmanship.....
I love seeing a piece through the eyes of an expert, it opens a lot of doors that I would have not had the key to open.
I'll vote for anything Sue Brunning does.
All hail the Queen of the Saxons, Rightful Bearer of Flexcaliber!
is foamcaliber! i thinks...
This lady is one of those rare people who has found a job they truly love. Me, I could not care less if I show up at my workplace and found a gigantic sinkhole had swallowed it up completely - preferably along with my boss.
As a homebrewer of ale & mead, I was struck by the obvious wealth & position implied in the Great Ale Straw of Ur in the other video. However, the level of craft in these buckles brings to mind the many lines of praise given chieftains/kings & their war masters. This is the sort of thing early Europeans recognized as pertaining to either kings/chieftains & those given gifts for loyalty & bravery in battle. The margin is slim; here stands my vote. Well done, all ye contributing to such professionally done content!
I can't wait...should be intricately highlighted!
This should be interesting. I love it already 😁
This is a person who absolutely loves her job. So interesting and so passionate! Well done!
Birds on the buckle still look like elephants to me.
Art from this period is quite stylised, and becomes even more abstract at certain points. Don't blame you at all, they are not the most "bird-like" of birds. I initially thought ant-eaters and I was (remotely) there filming while Sue was talking through the object...
I make copper wire jewelry, and this was one interesting video for me! I love hearing how they made such beautiful things so long ago.
This is right up my alley -- great idea for a series dude.
Win for me. It's not just the detail that is impressive, it never ceases to amaze me how the maker produced such work with naked eye and, presumably, candles or oil lamp. I would not even contemplate trying to create such detail without a stereo microscope and very bright light source.
Thanks for letting us enjoy the marvelous discovery of looking at a (not so simple) buckle.
(Honestly, I'm gonna like both videos. Good luck Sue)
I am torn... the drinking straw is much more mundane, but this buckle is much more decorated... I had to put like for both, but after some hard thinking, I would say buckle is a winner for this, even tho it was a close one for me.
I came here for the archeology. I received the archeology. But I got Sue as well. Win Win Win
Sue is the best. Fan from 🇮🇳
I'm not sure it's even the most ostentatiously decorated early-medieval buckle in the video but the Sutton Hoo one has had plenty of exposure already so, what the hell, I'm giving this a like.
YAY! Sue is back! you know shes going to win this hands down right? might as well pencil her in for the finals of this challenge. Lets Go Sue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love this curator she’s the best
The buckle was made by a true artist. I imagine it graced a very fine lady's person.
Already loving the new series and it’s just the first video! Keep up the great work!
Rather disappointed that Sue's place is not ostentatiously decorated by stolen museum pieces.
Not on camera, it isn't!
😮😮😮
I've been finding out how much I take for granted. These are great. Really enjoying videos of this sort. Thanks 👍🏻
Thank you for presenting this. I like watching the Curator's Corner videos. I learn so much, and I build an appreciation for the people of earlier times.
Would the maker have had any type of visual magnifying device at this time? It’s hard for me to imagine the visual acuity needed to make that item.
Really very interesting! These are the videos I really enjoy. Clear explanations, good story, really gives an insight into the past. More please
What an amazing buckle--such detail! Excellent presentation, also.
Very interesting,superb presentation,so enthusiastic ,fascinated,plus Sue is very cute,with a lovely smile 😉
New subscriber, big fan already. Very informative, learning a lot. I enjoy Dr. Brunning's presentations very much
Yes Sue, Two Buckles you say...you have my attention, as you do. Incredible detail and workings. Interesting. Well done.
I love how much information she gave us. The details is great. I vote for her too.
Love it!
One of the first things that strikes me as I consider the Kingsfield Buckle is wondering if the artisan had access to a magnification device. Otherwise, the granularity of eyesight required to fabricate such a tiny piece is astounding.
I was thinking the same thing.
Who said museums were boring! These guys make the British Museum look like the Disneyland of academia. I feel like they have a blast every day at work. When I grow up I wanna be a Irving Finkel.
I want to "Like" both of these videos. Love this "Curators Cornered". More please.
An exquisite item, made and worn to impress.
Gareth’s 2500 yr old beer straw from a queen’s tomb was definitely awesome (secretly I wanted his object to win) but Sue gave an excellent description with attention to the micro detail and that won me over. Both objects and curators should be applauded!
Fascinating !
More please!
Sue is absolutely adorable and the buckles are mind boggling.
well i think this is a better item...along with the fact that it's Gold...i can appreciate the artistry and superb skills that were needed to make such an item, coupled with the fact that the Buckle is such a personal item...it is easier to relate to...i love to find buckles when ime out detecting...so if i found something like this one...oh wow...well presented Sue !
Ooooooo damn. Good contest. I want to like both videos though 🤣
Sue wins. She'll always win as far as in concerned.
Brilliant They get my vote🤗👍
What I find interesting is the similarity between art pieces from celtic, saxon, thresian cultures and have to ask how much interaction there was between them, or are they related.
My vote has to go to sweet Sue.
Buckle wins for me. I did watch both. Usefulness was the buckle.
Sue makes this channel interesting. Cheers everyone!
I’m Sue’s greatest fan, however…. Sipping the “liquid gold” 🍻 from a golden straw about a meter long with the approval and compliments of the goddess Ninkasi definitely wins this one. Please forgive me Sue 🙏
that is beautiful
So I think the buckles took a lot more skill, but are not necessarily the most ostentatious.. In your own words, they a "flash of gold from across the room", whereas a metre long silver straw decorated with gold and lapis straw for drinking beer is absolutely ostentatious: there's no chance that anyone misses the fact that you're using such a straw, and that it is dramatic display of wealth.. A gold buckle is expensive, but the details are so small that nobody would notice them whereas if everyone else in the room had their reed straws in the pot and you walked in and stuck your highly decorated gold straw in the pot it would immediately stand out. Straw wins...
Sue is Well, Swell!
Sue for the Win!!
If I ever get to visit the British Museum, at the top of my list is an autograph of (or selfie with) Dr. Sue.
Sue FTW!
Would have loved to see the back of the buckle. Going to check out the beer guy, then vote. Thanks!!
Came back to vote for Sue.
BTW...what's your name, IT guy? You're doing a great job!!
This is cool and is ostentatiously decorated, but a ostentatious straw is more surprising.
What if the buckles have nothing to do with a person but the Satchel that they were attached to. Perhaps it was a satchel that carried a object of great importance. Maybe treaties or documents or possibly even seeds from far off land. Like she said buckles come on many things.
You win!!😁
I absolutely love you Sue. Intelligent, gorgeous, intelligent, beautiful voice... did I mention intelligent? Would love to see more of you. I could listen to youread the phone book. :o)
Irvin finkle is the man !!!!!!
I had to like (and comment on) both, but sorry to say it was the photo of Ms Christie in the other one that got me to make the first comment.
Cool buckles. If I was forced to guess what the birds were I would have said they were elephants 🐘
Can't choose. I like my beer. However, I am also a leather crafter. So those buckles...............well I wish I had those to use in my work. I have to vote for both here.
Being a shoe wearer I find this very interesting
Ah, a fellow man of culture, good day, good day.
Liked and subbed...because of amateur boxer Sue
To be honest, I find the Sutton Hoo buckle more appealing. But I understand how the higher degree of workmanship involved in the making of the Kings Field buckles makes them more special to many, or at least to some. But gold being such a soft and malleable material can not be very suited for utility objects like buckles. As an example, my uncle was given a gold watch, but he used it while doing heavy work and the casing bent out of shape, causing the clock mechanism to pop out.
Sue is cute! CUTE!!!
Dr Sue should do a livestream chatting about all the sword stories and Norse shit. Then we can find out stuff like if she's into LoTR sword lore. I could listen to her talk about that stuff all day. That'd be a poppin twitch stream. Oh lord, i'm already a Sue simp.
While I think the straw is more mundane, I think this buckle is much more ostentatious. So I voted for the buckle.
that's a nice plant Sue
Wow Sue! You chose to fight this one with one hand tied behind your back! You could have used the Sutton Hoo buckle!
Considering the size of these buckles, ( 3Cm ) it is unlikely that they were used to support anything. Most likely,they were sewn onto the neck of a garment and either a holed strip of leather or a chain would go between them. Similar to the neck clasps from capes. Most likely made for a child.
3:19 Did it dawn on you that perhaps the serpents are represenitive of Jormungandr or Níðhöggr (or some other Jotun or dragons), the birds of Huginn and Muninn (doubled), and the serpents bodies forming ᛟ (odal rune) twice or thrice? I may be reading into it too much, but you did show how it is like something found at Sutton Hoo. Just a thought from a non-Indiana Jones.
I really like that idea! My guess though is that they are a bit too academically cautious. As I guess you know, most of what we know about those myths comes from sources written centuries afterwards, particularly the Prose Edda written in the 13th century. Whilst I personally support the idea that Jormungandr..etc. are very old myths (given the links to other Indo-European Great Serpents), the time gulfs involved are pretty huge.
The Anglo-Saxon's probably split off from the Norse culturally at the latest around 0AD (although, maybe the the Jutes and Angles later than the Saxons, given the regions the tribes came from). So you'd have to assume both that the Jormungandr or Níðhöggr myths written down by Snorri Snorrason represent reasonably faithfully Germanic ideas from 1300 years prior, AND that in the those myths were not lost in the 600 years between that point and when the belt buckle was made by Anglo-Saxons. Which is a bit of a stretch, but not impossible I guess, especially if it was a key religious motif, although then you have to think about the influence of Christianity...
...I know it's unlikely for a variety of reasons, but I really want some 5th century 'Anglo-Saxon Paganism for Dummies' book to be unearthed...
How did they make such fine wire?
I have heard it is a process of pulling hot metal through sequentially smaller drilled holes in rocks - sort of like making pasta. Could be wrong for this period and civilisation though.
I call shenanigans, Sue showed TWO artifacts! :)
Did they cut out the vaudeville hook-drag at the end there when he said the liklihood of a tie with this fancy fastening was incredibly small?
I thought they were Elephants --- LOL
A mundane object employed by everyday people becomes ostentatious when elevated by the time, details, and materials as used in making this buckle. Depending on where it was used...implied by the strap demonstration; suggests that it was seen at the waist. Given a position at the waist, implies it was seen best when kneeling.
This video makes me wonder how a metalworker's or jeweler's shop would have been equipped at that time. What tools did these crafts persons have? What was their source of gold...where did the gold come from? How did the jeweler get enough light to work by and magnify this tiny buckle enough so that she or he could work with it and detail it?
That there are two shows repeatable skill and that there must be more to find.
Gold working was perhaps more common at this time, so although I admire the buckle, I think the straw was more ostentatious.
I feel like the pairs of birds represent Huginn and Muninn who were the god Odin's ravens.
cool! what does the under side look like? Hope you win!
This was an unfair contest, of course Sue wins (Everything : )
❤❤❤❤❤
There have been cuniform words floating in the background during much of this video. According to my translation it says:
*I am Irving Finkle: great curator, mighty curator, curator of the world, best curator in the British Museum.*
Hey wait a minute I call shenanigans.
Jaysus, she is beautiful