Alfred Jewel

The Alfred Jewel is a Saxon ornament of unknown purpose. It was made in the reign of King Alfred the Great (late 9th century) and is inscribed 'AELFRED MEC HEHT GEWYRCAN' meaning 'Alfred had me made'. The Alfred Jewel is made of gold and carries an enamel image of a man with ecclesiastical emblems.

The Alfred Jewel was donated by Colonel Nathaniel Palmer (c. 1661-1718) to Oxford University and today resides in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. It was discovered in 1693 at North Petherton near Athelney in Somerset on land owned by Sir Thomas Wroth (c. 1675-1721), where King Alfred founded a monastery.

References

Replics of the Alfred Jewel: http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/sdk13/AlfJewel.html