For the first time information from various sources has been brought together in order to build up a picture of how food was grown, conserved, prepared and eaten during the period from the beginning of the 5th century to the 11th century. No specialist knowledge of the Anglo-Saxon period or language is needed, and many people will find it fascinating for the views it gives of an important aspect of Anglo-Saxon life and culture. In addition to Anglo-Saxon England the Celtic west of Britain is also covered.
Written by a team of experts and presenting the results of the most up-to-date research, The Handbook of Anglo-Saxon Archaeology will both stimulate and support further investigation into a society poised at the interface between prehistory and history.
Food production for home consumption was the basis of economic activity throughout the Anglo-Saxon period and ensuring access to an adequate food supply was a constant preoccupation. Used as payment and a medium of trade, food was the basis of the Anglo-Saxons' system of finance and administration. Information on the production and distribution of food from the fifth to the eleventh centuries from literary and archaeological sources has been brought together for the first time to give fascinating insights into this important aspect on Anglo-Saxon life. This second handbook complements the first and brings together a vast amount of information on livestock, cereal and vegetable crops, fish, honey, and fermented drinks. Related subjects such as hospitality, charity and drunkenness are also dealt with. The extensive twenty-seven page index enables the reader to find specific information quickly.
Oxbow says: This synthesis of primary and secondary sources, both literary and archaeological, on the subject of Anglo-Saxon food and drink, brings together a vast amount of data and authoritative discussion on a broad range of subjects. Ann Hagen stears away from drawing heavily on recipes as a means of revealing the types of foods, food choices and preferences in this period, to focus on the growing and harvesting of domestic and wild foods, preserving, food preparation and eating. Cereals, vegetables, herbs, fruit and nuts, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, poultry and eggs, wild animals and birds, honey, fish and molluscs, are just some of the food types discussed. Within each section Ann Hagen delves deeper to consider such subjects as the methods of harvesting and processing food, hunting and animal husbandry, attitudes towards particular types of food, accessibility to foods, diet, food shortages, diseases and what foods were considered everyday and which were reserved for special occasions. Food as payment for rents or services rendered, markets, measures, fasting and feasting, are also discussed in detail. Moving on to drink, Ann Hagen examines the types of drinks available, the context in which they were consumed - domestic, religious and in the alehouse - and the prevalence of drunkenness. In her conclusion, she draws together the evidence to reveal changes in food production and preferences from the early 5th to 11th century, drawing largely on sources from Anglo-Saxon England and the Celtic West of Britain. The role of women, the importance of bread, the social status of feasting, nutrition and changes in diet, and table manners, are just some of the many subjects covered. An excellent study and great value for money.
Daily Life in Anglo-Saxon England examines and recreates many of the details of ordinary lives in early medieval England between the 5th and 11th centuries, exploring what we know as well as the surprising gaps in our knowledge. Daily Life in Anglo-Saxon England covers daily life in England from the 5th through the 11th centuries. These six centuries saw significant social, cultural, religious, and ethnic upheavals, including the introduction of Christianity, the creation of towns, the Viking invasions, the invention of "Englishness," and the Norman Conquest. In the last 10 years, there have been significant new archaeological discoveries, major advances in scientific archaeology, and new ways of thinking about the past, meaning it is now possible to say much more about everyday life during this time period than ever before. Drawing on a combination of archaeological and textual evidence, including the latest scientific findings from DNA and stable isotope analysis, this book looks at the life course of the early medieval English from the cradle to the grave, as well as how daily lives changed over these centuries. Topics covered include maintenance activities, education, play, commerce, trade, manufacturing, fashion, travel, migration, warfare, health, and medicine.
Eat like a viking! Is a handy guide to authentic viking age food. With quick and simple recipes, easy to follow sections on brewing and baking, and a reference list of ingredients, it's perfect for either re-enactors or for anyone who loves cooking on an open fire. A proportion of the proceeds from this book will go towards supporting Moorforge Viking settlement, a living history site offering a unique Viking discovery experience in Gilcrux, Cumbria.
'Angus Wilson is one of the most enjoyable novelists of the 20th century... Anglo-Saxon Attitudes (1956) analyses a wide range of British society in a complicated plot that offers all the pleasures of detective fiction combined with a steady and humane insight.' Margaret Drabble First published in 1956, Anglo-Saxon Attitudes draws upon perhaps the most famous archaeological hoax in history: the 'Piltdown Man', finally exposed in 1953. The novel's protagonist is Gerald Middleton, professor of early medieval history and taciturn creature of habit. Separated from his Swedish wife, Gerald is increasingly conscious of his failings. Moreover, some years ago he was involved in an excavation that led to the discovery of a grotesque idol in the tomb of Bishop Eorpwald. The sole survivor of the original excavation party, Gerald harbours a potentially ruinous secret...
Early Anglo-Saxon England saw some of the most important elements in the creation of modern England: the Germanic migrations after the departure of the Romans and the introduction of Christianity in the 7th century. While traditionally the early centuries of Anglo-Saxon England have been disregarded as"'lost centuries," archaeological evidence, paired with the later written sources, can reveal a complex and often sophisticated society. This period saw the beginnings of urbanization, with the establishment of market-places enabling the trade of local and exotic goods, and the first schools were introduced in the 7th century. Sally Crawford looks at how the Anglo-Saxons lived, from the composition of an Anglo-Saxon family and how status was defined by an individual's occupation, to the complexities of feasting and drinking and how adults and children found entertainment.
The first chapter provides an introduction to Anglo-Saxon cookery and supplies background information about households, drinks, and cooking techniques. Following are forty-six recipes enabling the reader to enjoy a mix of ingredients and flavours that were widely known in Anglo-Saxon England but are rarely experienced today.
