ORDINARY MEETING OF FELLOWS EVENING LECTURE

Glass beads of the Anglo-Saxons – The indigenous and the exotic – An Investigation into the beads and techniques of glass beadmakers of the 5th to 7th-centuries CE. IN EXETER

by Sue Heaser

Colourful glass beads have been found in thousands of Anglo-Saxon graves in Britain. While classifications from an archaeological point of view exist, the production technology of these beads has received less attention. I have been studying the techniques used to create these beads by making replicas using hot glass beadmaking skills. This has given me a growing understanding of the likely tools, techniques and furnaces used by the ancient beadmakers of the 5th to 7th centuries CE. Based on these findings, it is possible to consider how glass bead making artisans made and distributed their products, both on a local and a transregional scale.

Amongst the beads found in Anglo-Saxon graves, there are small quantities of mosaic beads made using tiny slices of intricately patterned glass. Many of these can be traced to the Roman Levant and Egypt indicating how far they travelled before being included in the necklaces of Anglo-Saxon women. The presentation will begin with an overview of Anglo-Saxon glass beads and the way how they are made. I will then discuss the more exotic mosaic beads in detail and the highly skilled techniques used to make them.

Sue Heaser is an independent researcher and artist, with 16 published books on various areas of craft working and decades long experience in leading courses on crafts for adults in various countries. Visit her website here.

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This event will be both in person in Exeter and online. Please select the appropriate ticket below.

Attendance at the University of Exeter:

• Open to anyone to join, Fellows and Non-Fellows.
• Places in person will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
• The event will begin at 17.00 GMT. Please arrive in plenty of time.
• Registration is essential for non-Fellows but we encourage Fellows to register as well.
• Fellows must ensure they sign the guest book and sign their guests in.
• This will be in Laver 320 at the University of Exeter. The map is on their website here.
• For parking information please visit the University’s website here (Please use either Car Park D or A).

Attendance by Live Stream:

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• Once you have registered we will be in touch regarding how you can join via Zoom video-calling.
• The event will be live-streamed to YouTube here.
• Places through zoom will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
• The event will begin at 17.00 GMT.
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• Attendees’ cameras and microphones will be off throughout.

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