| Abstract: | THE ALFRED JEWEL'S covering panel of rock crystal is anomalous in the context of Anglo-Saxon art. Typology indicates that it was probably not imported from a contemporary Continental workshop. Markings on the stone's surfaces show that it was, however, used in another context before being set in its present mount. Roman comparanda (crystal panels in Rome and opus sectile elements from Kenchreai) best parallel the crystal's size and shape. The Oxford panel was probably a Roman decorative inset, possibly salvaged from a wall or piece of furniture. It must have determined the unusual shape of the Alfred Jewel. |
