Figurine "Bestanden" Saxon Defending with Sword and Shield

This warrior's name means "Stands Beside," perhaps alluding to his resolute determination in battle. His shield bears alternating black and white images of a stag. The Heahdeor or red-deer stag, symbolized the fertility god. In Autumn, the stag begins the rut and mates with as many females as possible, then sheds his antlers only to regrow another set the next year. This annual cycle mirrors the "life" of Frea Ing who symbolically dies in the late autumn and comes back to life in the spring.