The raven was another powerful symbol in Anglo-Saxon England, closely tied to death and the afterlife. Known for its black feathers and haunting call, ravens were thought to be messengers between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Ravens were especially significant to the Anglo-Saxons because they were scavengers, feeding on the remains of dead animals and fallen soldiers on the battlefield.

In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and other texts, ravens are frequently mentioned as symbols of doom, often appearing before or during battles. The connection between ravens and death is especially notable in the Old English poem The Battle of Maldon, where ravens circle over the battlefield, signaling the carnage to come.

Ravens were also closely associated with the god Woden, who was said to send two ravens, Huginn and Muninn, to fly over the world and bring him knowledge. The ravens’ role as knowledge-bearers between the living and the dead further deepens their association with death in the Anglo-Saxon imagination.

 The Horse: The Steed of Death

The horse was another animal with strong connotations of death. In Anglo-Saxon culture, the horse was often associated with the warrior class, and in the context of battle, the horse symbolized both the ride into battle and the ride into the afterlife. In some burial practices, horses were buried with their masters, often as a way to ensure that the warrior had a faithful companion in the afterlife.

In addition, horses were often believed to be able to move between the realms of life and death. The horse, as a vehicle for both living warriors and the spirits of the dead, played an important role in funerary practices and rituals. The most famous example of this is the burial mounds found at sites like Sutton Hoo, where horses were sometimes buried alongside the dead, their presence meant to guide the deceased in their journey through the afterlife. shutdown123