Witham bowl facts for kids

The Witham bowl is a very special piece of Anglo-Saxon artwork made from silver. An expert named T. D. Kendrick once called it "the most remarkable piece of pre-Conquest plate ever found in England." This means it was an amazing treasure from before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Sadly, the Witham bowl is now missing! It was last seen in 1868 at an art show in Leeds. At that time, it belonged to an art historian named John Heywood Hawkins.

Discovery of the Bowl

The bowl gets its name from the River Witham in Lincolnshire, England. It was found there in 1816 near Washingborough. Workers were digging to improve drainage when they discovered it. They also found other things, like a wooden canoe!

The discovery was even reported in a local newspaper, the Stamford Journal, on April 19, 1816. Experts believe the bowl was made a very long time ago, between the late 700s and early 800s AD. It is about 15 centimetres (5.9 in) wide and 4 centimetres (1.6 in) tall.

What the Witham Bowl Looked Like

The Witham bowl was beautifully decorated. It was a special type of hanging bowl, which means it had loops so it could be hung up.

• Fancy Designs: The bowl had detailed designs of leaves and vines made from thin wires (this is called filigree). These designs were on both the top and bottom of a flat circle in the middle of the bowl.
• Animal Figures: In the very center, there was a long-necked animal, like a dog, with blue glass eyes. It was tall enough to peek over the edge of the bowl! Around this main animal, there were four smaller animal heads sticking out.
• Colorful Stones: Inside the bowl, there were also colorful Semi-precious stones.
• Hanging Loops: Around the rim of the bowl, there were four more animal heads. These were part of metal loops that went down the sides of the bowl. These loops were held on with small pins (rivets) and decorated with colorful glass patterns called millefiori panels. Below these loops, there were small human heads sticking out.

The bowl might have been used to hold water, but its exact purpose is still a bit of a mystery, just like other hanging bowls from that time. It's similar to another old bowl called the Ormside bowl. The wire designs are like those on the Kirkoswald brooch, and the blue glass is like glass found on the Ardagh Chalice.

Most hanging bowls from this time were made of bronze, but the Witham bowl was special because it was made of silver.

Why Was It in the River?

Other old Anglo-Saxon items, like pins, have also been found in the River Witham. Some historians think the bowl might have been placed in the river on purpose, perhaps from a bridge or walkway. This could have been a votive offering. A votive offering is like a special gift given to gods or spirits, often by throwing it into water, as a prayer or thank you.

Where Is It Now?

The current location of the Witham bowl is unknown. It might have been sold by a famous auction house called Christie's in the 1920s. Even though the bowl is lost, we know what it looked like because there are detailed, colored drawings of it. These drawings are kept safe by the Society of Antiquaries of London.