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			The Germanic/Migration Period
				Recreating Arthur
						The Early Germanic Period is that time in British history when settlers and raiders (Jutes, Angles, Saxons) migrated from the Continent. From 400 AD onwards, Britain rapidly abandoned the towns, administrations and luxuries of Roman life for a more simple existence. Scotti came across from Ireland, Picts raided the northern lands. The Romano-British defended where they could, some cities, such as Silchester and Wroxeter may have clung on to the Roman ways for a time.
This period sees the rise of the thirteen kingdoms of the north, and a reversion to the heroic culture which some like to call the 'Arthurian Age'. The Romano-British kingdoms warred with themselves, and against the Angles of Bernica and Deira. Celtic Christianity competed with Germanic paganism, whilst a literate society turned into an oral one, with deeds recorded by the bards. In or around 580AD the army of York was destroyed in battle by the Bernicians, and King Aelle of Deira was able to occupy the city as his capital. The kingdom of Elmet, covering most of Yorkshire, finally fell to the Angles around 617AD.
						The rise of Bernicia and Deira as a single powerful Saxon kingdom is termed the Golden Age of Northumbria. This period lasts until the fall of York in 866AD to the Vikings. It includes the formation of the Christian kingdom, and the age of Aidan, Cuthbert, Bede and Alcuin. At this time the Northumbrian kingdom achieved primacy over the other British kingdoms, and great examples of art were produced.
When Comitatus portray life in this world of warlords and timber longhouses, the events could not be more different from those of Late Roman Britain. We demonstrate hunting techniques, we perform burial ceremonies to explain how and why ritual objects are deposited in graves, and we display fighting skills. Our encampment features Saxon-style geteld tents, and our living history interpreters portray the routines and the crafts of a small Germanic settlement at any point between 400 and 866 AD.