The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-12

ALFRED THE GREATS JEWEL
Curious and Interesting Relic in the
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.

|
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
! Arrangements are being made fol-
| producing fac-simile Of the celebrated
Alfred Jewel, which is deposited in the
Ashmolean Museum at oxford. The
| jewel Is of priceless value as an his
| toric relic, as well as a fine specimen OF
| artistic metal work of the Saxon period
| Its chief interest, however, to most
| Englshmen will be the fact of It's hav-
| ing belonged to one of the earliest and
greatest makers of England, and that
| its identity Is absolutely authentic.
The following account Of the relic is
taken from Garhams History Of st.
Neot's," and gives what is known of
it's history and preservation:
This jewel was found, 1893, at New
ton Park some distance north of Ath-
elny Abby, In Somersetshire, near the
junction of the Parrot and the Thone.
E. .. 1t Is now In the Ashmolean Mu-
scum, oxford. The form of this jewel
is battledore shape; the diverse Is faced
with an oval plate Of rock-crystal four
tenths of an inch thick; through this
is seen the miniature. formed of enam-
elled mosaic, the compartments being
let into cells of gold The figure is that
of a man holding a leur-de- lys in each
hand. The reverse is q detached plate
of gold dying Immediately on the back
of the miniature), on which Is elegantly
traced feur-de-lys, branching into
three stems. The edge Is bevelled to-
ward the front, and contains the legend:
A al Nf.,7 Io ~,
is 'Aeifred rne.ordered 10 be wrought'').
The gem terminates in a grotesque fig
ure. representing on the diverse the
head of some sea monster, probably
Says DR.. Musgrave) dolphin; on the
reverse, the lower jaw is wanting, its
place being supplied by a scaly, fiat
surface; the mouth of this animal en-
braces a small tube, traversed by a gold
pin, apparently rivet, originally
passed through some wooden stem to
which 1t has been fixed, and which has
persisted"
Around such an interesting relic Of
our early history must necessarily have
accumulated many legends, conjectures
and suggestions. The purpose to which
the jewel has been put has been a
much debated subject. Its appearance
at first sight suggests a pendant to
necklace or collar, but this is out of the
question, as in this position the figure
would be upside down. 1t has also
been supposed that it was used at the
head of a standard, and that 1t was car
ried before Alfred's army in his success
full battles with the Danes. Other and
more probable suggestions are that it
was the head Of sceptre or an orna-
ment on the front of helmet or other
head-dress; both these theories are sup
ported by the presence Of the rivet
which still passes through the hollow
mouth Of the dolphin or sea monster
which terminates the Jewel at the mar
row end, and which must have been in |
serted in order to fasten 1t firmly to a
staff or stem of wood or metal. |
1t has been affirmed by Sir Francis
Palgrave that the mosaic enamel figure |
is of greater antiquity than the casket
in which it is set, and that it was prob |
ably presented to King Alfred as a val- |
liable relic in his day by Pope Marinus
~ some other potentate. The work of |
the mosaic, with it's inlaid gold lines, |
certainly indicates a very early period, |
and is unlike the Saxon art inexecu-
ion. The golden setting is undoubtedly |
Saxon work of very high order, and |
indicates much skill in design and exc
,ution
The character of the enamelled figure