upon helmets as it was believed that the power and strength of the boar would protect the wearer in times of war. Also, the boar is closely connected to the Anglo-Saxon god Ingui, so it could be that not only did warriors feel protected under the image of the boar, but also under the influence an protection of their god Ingui. Other boar images are found up on a pair of shoulder clasps that were found in the Sutton Hoo ship burial. Each shoulder clasp shows an intricate pattern of two boars that cross over each other to form a beautiful design. The clasps were worn by one of the |
Literature and archaeology gives us so many examples of the boar and it's importance. In the Old English epic poem, Beowulf, we read about warriors who wear boar crested helmets into battle. And amazingly such helmets have been found buried in English soil dating from Anglo-Saxon times. The image of the boar was fixed |
Here the head of a boar is paraded every 17th of December on a silver platter during a customary dinner, which originally took place on Christmas day. And interestingly an orange is placed within the mouth of the boar to quite possibly represent the sun. This custom of placing objects within the mouth of a sacred animal, with connections to sun worship, is recorded as far back as medieval times in England (for more information on this, visit the page on stag symbolism). |
Boar |
The boar was another animal symbol that was very much revered by the pre-Christian Anglo-Saxons, and quite possibly revered above all other animals. Evidence of this reverence can be seen in the ancient and long lasting custom of bringing in the Yule Boar during the season of Yule. This custom can still be seen today at Queen's College Oxford. |
Here the head of a boar is paraded every 17th of December on a silver platter during a customary dinner, which originally took place on Christmas day. And interestingly an orange is placed within the mouth of the boar to quite possibly represent the sun. This custom of placing objects within the mouth of a sacred animal, with connections to sun worship, is recorded as far back as medieval times in England (for more information on this, visit the page on stag symbolism). |
Literature and archaeology gives us so many examples of the boar and it's importance. In the Old English epic poem, Beowulf, we read about warriors who wear boar crested helmets into battle. And amazingly such helmets have been found buried in English soil dating from Anglo-Saxon times. The image of the boar was fixed |
(for a close up of the boar put your cursor over the helmet) |
upon helmets as it was believed that the power and strength of the boar would protect the wearer in times of war. Also, the boar is closely connected to the Anglo-Saxon god Ingui, so it could be that not only did warriors feel protected under the image of the boar, but also under the influence an protection of their god Ingui. Other boar images are found up on a pair of shoulder clasps that were found in the Sutton Hoo ship burial. Each shoulder clasp shows an intricate pattern of two boars that cross over each other to form a beautiful design. The clasps were worn by one of the |
(put your cursor over the picture to highlight the crossed boar design) |
Kings of East Anglia, possibly the Heathen Redwald, which shows that not only were boars associated with war and battle, but also as elegant |
places customs and traditions remain that still hold the boar in high regard. |
symbols fit for a King. We can firmly see that the boar and it's image, and the reverence of, has been with us from the times of our ancient Heathen ancestors, where it was worn as a symbol of protection and royalty, right up to our modern times, where in |
This page was last
updated on: July 22,
2003
