<P> The coming of Christianity revolutionised the visual arts, as well as other aspects of society . Art had to fulfil new functions, and whereas pagan art was abstract, Christianity required images clearly representing subjects . The transition between the Christian and pagan traditions is occasionally apparent in 7th century works; examples include the Crundale buckle and the Canterbury pendant . In addition to fostering metalworking skills, Christianity stimulated stone sculpture and manuscript illumination . In these Germanic motifs, such as interlace and animal ornament along with Celtic spiral patterns, are juxtaposed with Christian imagery and Mediterranean decoration, notably vine - scroll . The Ruthwell Cross, Bewcastle Cross and Easby Cross are leading Northumbrian examples of the Anglo - Saxon version of the Celtic high cross, generally with a slimmer shaft . </P> <P> The jamb of the doorway at Monkwearmouth, carved with a pair of lacertine beasts, probably dates from the 680s; the golden, garnet - adorned pectoral cross of St Cuthbert was presumably made before 687; while his wooden inner coffin (incised with Christ and the Evangelists' symbols, the Virgin and Child, archangels and apostles), the Lindisfarne Gospels, and the Codex Amiatinus all date from c. 700 . The fact that these works are all from Northumbria might be held to reflect the particular strength of the church in that kingdom during the second half of the century . Works from the south were more restrained in their ornamentation than are those from Northumbria . </P> <P> Lindisfarne was a very important centre of book production, along with Ripon and Monkwearmouth - Jarrow . The Lindisfarne Gospels might be the single most beautiful book produced in the Middle Ages, and the Echternach Gospels and (probably) the Book of Durrow are other products of Lindisfarne . A Latin gospel book, the Lindisfarne Gospels are richly illuminated and decorated in an Insular style that blends not only Irish and Western Mediterranean elements but, incorporates imagery from the Eastern Mediterranean, including Coptic Christianity as well . Produced in the north of England at the same time was the Codex Amiatinus, which has been called "the finest book in the world ." It is certainly one of the largest, weighing 34 kilograms . It is a pandect, which was rare in the Middle Ages: all the books of the Bible in one volume . The Codex Amiatinus was produced at Monkwearmouth - Jarrow in 692 under the direction of Abbot Ceolfrith . Bede probably had something to do with it . The production of the Codex shows the riches of the north of England at this time . We have records of the monastery needing a new grant of land to raise two thousand more cattle to get the calf skins to make the vellum to make the manuscript . The Codex Amiatinus was meant to be a gift to the Pope, and Ceolfrith was taking it to Rome when he died on the way . The copy ended up in Florence, where it still is today--a ninth - century copy of this book is even today the personal Bible of the Pope . </P> <P> In the 8th century, Anglo - Saxon Christian art flourished with grand decorated manuscripts and sculptures, along with' secular' works which bear comparable ornament, like the Witham pins and the Coppergate helmet . The flourishing of sculpture in Mercia, occurred slightly later than in Northumbria and is dated to the second half of the 8th century . Some fine decorated southern books, above all the Bible fragment, can be securely assigned to the earlier 9th century, owing to the similarity of their script to that of charters from that period; The Book of Cerne is an early 9th century Insular or Anglo - Saxon Latin personal prayer book with Old English components . This manuscript was decorated and embellished with four painted full - page miniatures, major and minor letters, continuing panels, and litterae notibiliores . Further decorated motifs used in these manuscripts, such as hunched, triangular beasts, also appear on objects from the Trewhiddle hoard (buried in the 870s) and on the rings which bear the names of King Æthelwulf and Queen Æthelswith, which are the centre of a small corpus of fine ninth - century metalwork . </P>

Who were the angles and saxons and where did they come from