| More Angons At left: two angons that were deposited in peat-bogs within the Anglian homelands c 400 AD, just before the migration to Britain. At right: two angons buried in Britain during the English conquest. "Agathias, writing of the wars between Justinian and the Teutonic invaders of Italy, records that the chief weapon of the invaders was a light, barbed weapon which could be used as a javelin or in hand-to-hand fighting...It may be the angon, which was found mainly on the Continent, but which does occur in this country and especially in Kent...". From The Anglo-Saxons, by D. M. Wilson. Other angons have been found in Surrey and the angon shown below was found in Sussex. |
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| In Widsith, R. W. Chambers says that the word ango was the same as "......(cf. our angle) similar to the 'cruely hooked spear' which in Beowulf is used to attack sea-monsters. Agathias gives a detailed description of the ango: it was a species of harpoon, and could not be withdrawn from a wound." One internet source (www.cage.rug.ac.be/~ci/naam.htm), tells us that "......Ange (later Angel), was the nickname given by the Franks to their javelin. The word still exists in Dutch; it means 'sting'. The analogy of the barbed Frankish javelin with a bee's sting is evident. The Ange was hurled through the opponent's shield. The barbs (generally two) prevented it from being pulled out and its iron-clad shaft made it impossible to chop off. Thus his opponent was forced to lower his defense. The Ange was considered to be an elite weapon." Previous Page......Next Page |