![]() This metamorphosis of fish into something more monstrous has led to the suggestion that perhaps some of the fantastical beasts and dragons found in early Anglo-Saxon art grew out of this type of image. The portrayal of these fish motifs can appear naturalistic, leading to attempts to identify the specific species of fish, but can also be abstracted, exaggerated, and evolving into creatures more akin to aquatic monsters than recognizable fish. A fish could be mounted facing outward towards a viewer or inwards, visible (or at least known) only to the bearer, suggesting that the image of a fish held a deeply symbolic and perhaps apotropaic role in early Anglo-Saxon ornamentation. ![]() Fish are among the more prevalent zoomorphic creatures that proliferate in early Anglo-Saxon art, commonly appearing on armament and recognizable by common conventions of portrayal. ![]()
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