The Saxons
By: Hannah Barr
Overview of the Saxons:
Saxons were barbarian invaders and devout Christian missionaries. They brought four hundred years of religious evolution and shifting political power to the British Isles.
Houses and Clothing
- Everyone shared the house, from babies to older family members.
- The houses were built out of wood and had thatched roofs.
- The village was made up of small groups of houses built around a larger hall. Each family house had one room with a fire for cooking, heating, and lighting.
- Saxons wore clothes made from woolen cloth or animal skins. Men wore tunics with tight pants or leggings. Women wore long dresses.
- Women spun the wool from sheep and goats to make thread. They used a loom to weave the thread into cloth.
Life as a Saxon
Men, women, and children helped on the farm. Men cut down trees to clear the land. Farmers used oxen to pull plows up and down long strip-fields. Children and their dogs herded cattle and sheep but some Saxons had special jobs. The smith made iron tools, knives, and swords while woodworkers made wooden furniture and wheels. Potters used clay to make pottery. Shoemakers made leather shoes and jewelers made metal brooches or gold ornaments for the rich people.
Traces of Saxon existence can be found in Europe, Australia, the Americas, and South Africa which is proof of their nomadic culture. They battled and conquered most of early Europe. The expansion of the Saxons brought collision with the Franks. People wanted to bring the Saxons under Frankish rule.