Source Material for The Myth of 'Saxon' England Hines, John, The Scandinavian Character of Anglian England in the Pre-Viking Period, (Oxford, 1984).  Hines introduces the idea that there was continuing contact with Scandinavia, especially south-west Norway, during the pre-Viking period in England.  He writes "that there were extensive and significant connections between Anglian England and Scandinavia in the Migration Period."  This is the most detailed archaeological study done on the subject.  Campbell, James, Eric John and Patrick Wormald, The Anglo-Saxons, (Oxford, 1982).  The authors state that archaeological evidence proves that in the late fifth century, people from northern Denmark and southern Norway settled extensively in eastern England.  This was 400 years before the Vikings established the Danelaw! Wakelin, Martyn Francis, The Archaeology of English, (Totowa, N. J., 1988). Brown, David, Anglo-Saxon England, (Totowa, N. J., 1978). Bassett, Steven, The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms, (London and New York, 1989). The author writes, "following the fifth century period of settlement, direct contact with lands in Denmark, south-west Norway and southern Uppland was continuous and at times intense."  Bassett also brings up the interesting point that since grave-goods have been used to imply Saxon migration from north Germany, it is no less valid to assume that there was a migration from south-west Norway to East Anglia from the many 6th century Norwegian artifacts found  in Norfolk and other counties. Frank, Roberta, 'Did Anglo-Saxon Audiences Have a Scaldic Tooth?', in Anglo-Scandinavian England, Norse-English relations in the period before the Conquest, John D. Niles and Mark Amodio, eds., (Lanham, MD and London, 1989). Niles, John D. and Amodio, Mark, eds., 'Introduction:  The Vikings in England', in Anglo-Scandinavian England, Norse-English relations in the period before the Conquest, (Lanham, MD and London, 1989). Arnold, C. J., An Archaeology of the Early Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms, (London and New York, 1997).  Filled with lots of maps and hard data. Williams, Ann, Kingship and Government in Pre-Conquest England c500-1066, (London and New York, 1999). Williams believes that the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle's account of the adventus Saxonum is "largely worthless as history, representing only 'a southern English view of the English conquest of southern Britain.'" This sort of political propaganda is partly responsible for the 'Saxon Myth'. The author also writes:  "People of British descent formed the majority of the population within the English kingdoms." Although this idea is gaining acceptance, it is very hard for me to believe. The native British had absolutely no influence on the development of the English language. If they formed the majority of the population, we would probably be speaking a Celtic dialect today! Indeed, a recent DNA study has led researchers to believe that anywhere from 50% to 100% of the Celtic population within England was wiped out! O'Loughlan, J. L. N., Sutton Hoo - The Evidence of the Documents, (1964).  The author believes that the East Anglian royal house came from Ostergotland in Sweden and that there was a further influx of Geats from the same area. Bruce-Miltford, R. M., Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Archaeology, (1974).  The author makes it clear that there was a "Swedish element" that "actively permeates the Anglo-Saxon milieu...". Mitchell, Bruce, An Invitation to Old English and Anglo-Saxon England, (Oxford, 1995). Blair, Peter Hunter, An Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England, (Oxford, 1966). Hill, David, An Atlas of Anglo-Saxon England,  (Oxford, 1984). Davies, Norman, The Isles, A History, (Oxford, 1999). Ashley, Mike, The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens, (New York, 1998).  Ashley writes:  "Wessex was not really a single kingdom.  It was a conglomerate of southern tribes who were probably as much British as Saxon.  The British of the south - particularly the Belgae and Artrebates - may have learned by the early sixth century that the only way to survive was to join with the Saxons." Hodgkin, R. H., History of the Anglo-Saxons, Volumes I and II, (Oxford, 1935). Stenton, F. M., Anglo-Saxon England, (Oxford, 1943). The author states that the ancient historian Tacitus does not even mention the Saxons. However, he does mention the Angli and he suggests that they were a maritime people. There is much evidence to connect them with Scandinavia. "But the strongest evidence for the northern origin of the Angles is the narrative of a voyage from Oslo Fjord to Slesvig which King Alfred prefixed to his translation of the history of Orosius. After the narrator has described how Jutland and many islands lay on the starboard for the last two days of the voyage, Alfred interpolates the remark that the Angles dwelt in those islands before they came hither to this land. On a point like this, Alfred, who was saturated in English traditions, is an authority of the first order. Even if it stood alone, his evidence would establish a strong probability that the Angles had lived in Jutland and the neighboring islands before the migration to Britain". Previous Page...... Next Page