Are the Saxons richer than Bill Gates? They're all wearing King's helmets!

[Charerg]

The Vendel era helmets were pretty similar to the Anglo-Saxon helms in terms of overall design. But as far as I know none of these helmet types remained in use during the Viking era. The only surviving example of a "Viking helmet" is the Gjermundby helm. Although the conical "Norman helmet" is very common in art, and was probably the most common type during the Viking era.

Regarding sound changes in the Anglo-Frisian languages: read this. Note that the Saxon dialects do not belong to this group. The Saxons of the 5th century probably spoke a dialect that was the forerunner of the 8th century Old Saxon. However, the ones that migrated into England gradually adopted a new dialect, as a result of Anglo-Frisian influence. The "original invaders" were probably a mixed bunch who spoke a variety of dialects, rather than a unified people speaking one language/dialect.

[Tryggvi]

If his name was not pronounced as chair-ditch but more like serdick or kerdick, it would be known as Karford or Sarford.

I've no idea what "palatization of k" is.

Also, it seems unlikely a saxon got up one morning and said "I hate saying keese, I think I'll call it cheese."

Historical linguistics? Never heard of it!
That what I called you don't know basic terms.
As for sources I've already provided the link with comprehensive information. You keep chanting mantras "c is ch". Keep going.
As for Anglo-Saxon, it's just another term - the more correct one, because the whole nation and its language were mixed.

The "original invaders" were probably a mixed bunch who spole a variety of dialects, rather than a unified people speaking one language/dialect.

Yep, it is precisely the thing I tried to explain.

[Charerg]

The "ethnic makeup" of 5th century Jutland/Northern Germany may have actually been even more mixed than we realize. At least based on the Golden Horns of Gallehus, containing the following Proto-Norse description:

ᛖᚲᚺᛚᛖᚹᚨᚷᚨᛊᛏᛁᛉ᛬ᚺᛟᛚᛏᛁᛃᚨᛉ᛬ᚺᛟᚱᚾᚨ᛬ᛏᚨᚹᛁᛞᛟ᛬ (Runic Unicode)
ekhlewagastiz:holtijaz:horna:tawido: (transliteration)

I Hlewagastiz Holtijaz made the horn (English translation)

The horns are dated to the early 5th century, and were found in the Tønder municipality, which is usually considered to have been Angle territory. Of course as a luxury item this could well be an import, but nevertheless suggests Norse (Danish) influence within southern Jutland already during this early date.

[Magister Militum Flavius Aetius]

That's the Valsgarde 8, not one of the Vendel helmets. The Vendel helmets date from the early 6th-late 7th century, IIRC.

[Charerg]

That's the Valsgarde 8, not one of the Vendel helmets. The Vendel helmets date from the early 6th-late 7th century, IIRC.

The Vendel period is the era from 550 AD to 793 AD in Scandinavian archaeology, though it's named after Vendel of course. So the Valsgarde helm (ca. 7th century, as far as I know) dates to the same era as the Vendel finds (as well as Sutton Hoo).

[wulfgar610]

Personally, I don't find swords that strange. Although the longsword is probably overrepresented, I think the seax was very common. All in all, swords are relatively common finds compared to chainmail, which was the most expensive piece of equipment during the era. In fact, a sword is still easier to make than most helmets, I'd say. Just look at the prices of equipment from the Lex Ripuaria:

- Helmet: 6 solidi
- Mail byrnie: 12 solidi
- Sword: 3 solidi (7 with scabbard)
- Leggings: 6 solidi
- Lance and shield: 2 solidi
- Warhorse: 12 solidi
- A good ox: 2 solidi
- A good cow: 1-3 solidi
- A good mare: 3 solidi

Admittedly this doesn't specify which type of sword is in question. And the Lex Ripuaria is from Charlemagne's time.

A good cow was a fattened animal, that might be priced at 3 shillings. But the typical cow worth a shilling would have been a skinny animal weighing 180 kg. A maile shirt might have been 500 to 600 pennies, but might have been a second hand price. A full gold solidi was worth two troy ounces of silver. But more commonly used was the tremi (one third) solidi and also underweight from wear. Worth about an 18 gram shilling.

Obviously paying a debt would mean paying with the least of the heard. Gresham's principle that bad money drives out good. Silver was a more reliable method of payment since it could be made uniform.

The silver penny was a tad under 1.5 grams. But these at times were debased to half that weight.

Prior to the 10th century scale armor is illustrated with Frankish knights. At some point around the 10th century high quality maile was "mass produced" in Germany and widely exported.

Most five hides of Anglo-Saxon land were expected to provide one fit man for war with weapons, shield, helmet, torso armor of some kind and horse. With provisions for 60 days service or 4 shillings to buy them. The annual income of a hide of land is usually put at 20 shillings, so 100 shillings or five pounds for five hides. A freeman could earn a penny a day while seasonal work was available. The classic longsword of average quality is usually priced at a pounds worth of silver or 240 pennies, but those carried might often have been lesser swords. So an Anglo-Saxon town of 40 to 60 souls was expected to yield one good well armed warrior. If he was armed with the best equipment the total cost would have over five pounds or the town's annual income. If the cost is spread over 10 years, then 10 shillings a year + 4 shillings for provisioning = 14 shilling pa. So arming a man for war was quite an economic effort for each town. I suspect that the majority went to war not with the height of equipment.

I'd probably put a price of 20 pence for 1kg of dark age wrought iron. Iron was required for the better tools that might make the difference between slow starvation or not. Iron tools heavily used will wear out and have to be replaced. The annual Anglo-Saxon production of iron might have been 250 grams per capita. So the average town might acquire 5 kg of trade iron for tools per annum.

[Azrien Fox]

Dont think so, but it would be funny to see a picture of that.