Seax of Beagnoth

The Seax of Beagnoth is a tenth-century Anglo-Saxon weapon discovered by a laborer in the River Thames near Battersea in eighteen fifty-seven. It is a large, single-edged knife, and its name, seax, is the root of the tribal name for the Saxons themselves. While many weapons of this era were purely functional, this particular blade was crafted as a high-status object, featuring intricate patterns of inlaid silver, brass, and copper wire along its length. It now rests in the British Museum as a rare, tangible link to the personal identity and craftsmanship of the late Anglo-Saxon period.