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© Daniel Buxton Photography (www.danielbuxton.co.uk)

A small, bent gold strip may have been part of another cross and was inscribed in Latin with a passage from the Bible: “Rise up O Lord, and may thy enemies be scattered and those who hate thee be driven from thy face” (Numbers 10:35). These Christian symbols were probably carried into battle and captured as trophies. The lettering dates to the seventh or early eighth century A.D., when Christianity and paganism were still fighting for supremacy in Britain. Although Christians appear to have been on the losing end this time, it isn’t clear whether the victors were pagans or other Christians.