‘As the Falcon Her Bells’ at Sutton Hoo? Falconry in Early Anglo-Saxon England

Abstract

As the ox hath his bow, sir, the horse his curb, and the falcon her bells, so man hath his desires.

Shakespeare, As You Like It, Act 3, Scene 3

This article re-examines the earliest evidence for falconry in England, comprising the faunal remains of raptors and their quarry, Style II animal art which shows a preponderance of predatory birds including hawk-with-prey motifs, and small copper-alloy bells which may have functioned as falconry equipment. I consider these strands of evidence within a broader European context including the contemporary ‘falconry graves’ found in Scandinavia and Central Europe, and legal codes treating crimes against falconry birds and hawking dogs on the Continent. I argue that a persuasive case can be made for falconry in early Anglo-Saxon England, that falconry may have been introduced from Scandinavia to the region of East Anglia around the late sixth to early seventh century, and that falconry and falconry birds may have played an important social role in this emerging kingdom.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to David Hinton, Ruth Nugent, Kris Poole, Dale Serjeantson and the two anonymous reviewers for their generous and constructive feedback, and the librarians at the British Library, Society of Antiquaries of London, and Swedish Institute in Athens for their kind assistance during the preparation of this article. An earlier version was presented at the ‘Taking animals seriously’ workshop at the Arctic Research Centre, University of Groningen, Netherlands, 17-20 January 2017 and I am grateful to Ingrid Fuglestvedt, Wietske Prummel, and Rane Willerslev for their valuable comments.