The Exeter Book and Its Importance as a Material Artifact

The Exeter Book

     Physical material objects are some of the most important historical and literary artifacts that we can possess.  These artifacts can range from pottery, weaponry, jewelry, etc.  Probably the most important kind of material artifact is the book.  The reason for this is because books contain the knowledge of the civilizations that came before us.  Even if the works in question are purely fictional stories, these stories can contain evidence of what these past cultures believed in.  Another contributing factor to the importance of books is their fragility.  Works that date back hundreds of years often become worn with age and thus their legibility is constantly fading away.  For example, the United States Declaration of Independence which was written in the 18th century has to be kept in a special case with very specific lighting simply to prevent it from fading away.  Now imagine a work from the 10th century written in a language that is considered to be the precursor to Present Day English. That is the Exeter Book, a vast collection of poetry from the Anglo-Saxon period written entirely in Old English.

Some of the culturally significant material found within the Exeter Book are the riddles it contains.  The riddles are written in an Anglo-Saxon form of poetry ranging from a variety of different topics from battle, life, and religion.  Riddles 25, 26, and 47 highlight all contain examples of book and its significance.  Riddle 25 also incorporates religion into its theme by centering around the Bible.  

The Exeter Book serves a dual purpose as both a historical artifact and a literary artifact.  While the Exeter Book is primarily a literary work, it is also a historical artifact due to the information found within.  The fact that the text is written entirely in Old English only adds to its value to both the historical and literary world and thus represents a perfect example as to why materiality matters to historians and literary scholars.  Being able to study the Exeter Book also helps to research into other civilizations like the Normans.  Medievalists in particular will find true value within the Exeter Book because of its importance in understanding the Medieval World.  

While not every riddle found within the Exeter Book deals with religion and the text itself isn’t primarily a religious work, it can still offer valuable insight into how religion was viewed during the 10th century.  Connections can be made between the Exeter Book and religious texts that were written during the Anglo-Saxon period.  The Exeter Book itself has ties to the Benedictine Revival of the 10th century and thus can be viewed as central to studying religious themes as well.  As a matter of fact, the Exeter Book can also be used to help understand the Christian Bible.  Both are physical books that existed during the Middle Ages and both are materials artifacts with links to the historical and literary worlds.  

Overall, The Exeter Book and the riddles and poetry within it, provide us with a link to the historical and literary world of the Anglo-Saxon period of the Middle Ages.  It highlights the importance of the book as a material artifact and the importance of material artifacts themselves.  The knowledge it contains on culture and society cement it as one of the most important works of the 10th century.

The English Longbow Nick Venier

The English Longbow

            Ponder this thought: You are no longer in a world where food and clean water is abundant. You are no longer in a world where the thought of foreign enemies ransacking your city ever crosses your mind. You are now part of the elite French Calvary the night before the Battle of Agincourt in October of 1415. You have heard from the scouts that the English Army you are preparing to face is vastly outnumbered and consists mostly of archers. In your head, you are thinking you will survive tomorrow’s battle. Fast forward to tomorrow. The battlefield is wet and muddy but you are supremely confident that the army will overrun the English. Mounted on your horse with sweaty palms and adrenaline pumping, you hear Charles d'Albert give the signal to attack. As you charge towards the English army thinking in your head that cutting down their archers is going to be easy, you hear a whistle from an arrow going right past your ear. You think, “How the hell did an arrow almost hit me, I’m over 300 yards away from the enemy.” Then another screams by, then another and another. The pace of arrows being shot starts to frighten you. The closer you get the more arrows nearly strike you. Thinking your heavy armor will protect you, you begin to ride faster toward the enemy. Then finally, at over 100 yards, one of these arrows strikes you, knocks you from the horse, and you begin to bleed out. One of the most powerful weapons the world has ever seen has just killed you.  

            The English Longbow is touted as one the most influential weapons of the medieval era. With a long range, incredible penetrating power, and the ability to shoot 10-12 arrows per minute, the English Longbow overpowered enemies on the battlefield. The longbow largely contributed to the surprise victory of the English during the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. The picture shows just how large the longbow was in comparison to the archer wielding it. Most scholars believe the bow was between 5’5 and 6’6 with a draw weight of nearly 80 pounds. That amount of draw weight propelled the arrows farther with more velocity and accuracy than any bow previously used. The longbow played a pivotal role in several battles in the 100 Years’ War and separated England from its enemies on the battlefield.

Again, I bring you back to the Battle of Agincourt but this time, you are an English archer. You are exhausted from marching significant kilometers over the past few days and you stumble upon a French army who heavily outnumbers you. You are led by the famous King Henry V who deploys your unit into an advantageous spot on the battlefield. As you enter into your battle position you realize that the French army is not ready for the onslaught that is about to begin. You wield one of the most powerful weapons of your time. France has no chance.

An Escape from Reality...

According to a survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding time use in America, leisure reading is at an all-time low. This means that less people every year are missing out on the ability to make an escape from reality. Literature comes in many different shapes, sizes, and genres, giving people a way to find express themselves in a world that does not actually exist around us. While it is apparent that this may not be as important to people today, it was a big deal to those who lived in medieval England.

It is well known that the catholic church was very powerful during the middles ages, especially in England. As problems with priests and other church figures grew, the church began tightening up on many of their beliefs. With this being said, homosexuality which originally was disregarded, was widely recognized by the church as a heinous crime and some have even been prosecuted for it. This came as a culture shock to many. While we were never taught about it in our history classes, literature was very powerful in that time period and saved lives as it provided an escape to those who could not express themselves without risk of being harmed. I have attached this picture to depict the separation between church and state at the time. The church is at the top as it was viewed as the more powerful of the two at the time. 

I have read the epic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight twice throughout college and have never noticed the one hidden theme. Just some background before I get into the more complex hidden message: the story of Sir Gawain was written sometime in the fourteenth century (the exact time period we’re talking about), and follows the story of a Knight on a quest to get his head chopped off in a beheading challenge. While on this journey, Sir Gawain is presented with the opportunity to receive gifts from a queen, however he must pay anything he receives forward to the king. Those gifts include luscious kisses and denied sexual advances. As I read this the first two times, I did not think anything homosexual of the kisses as he denied the queens advances. However, what I did not know was that those kisses were meant to be very intimate, not just a peck on the cheek.

This is where literature shines and lets imagination to kick in, and allowed those readers of that time period to envision and perceive those gifts and that relationship as something just a little bit greater. This was done right under the church’s nose. The church demonizing homosexuality and other beliefs during that time period caused for a massive social change. Literature provided the perfect escape from what was the harsh reality for some during the medieval time period in England.

Medieval Armor

Sutton Hoo Ship Burial

In the early 5th century, Britain was invaded and settled by the Anglo Saxon’s. One of the areas that was invaded and settled was East Anglia. The Anglo Saxon’s is a Germanic tribe that got their name from the people known as the Angles. Out of all the tribes, the East Angles were the biggest and most powerful. Sutton Hoo is an estate that was in East Anglia, but it is know known as Woodbridge.  This looks over the Deben River and is two miles southwest of Rendlesham. This used to be the seat of the Anglo Saxon kings of East Anglia. The ship was buried about 800 yards inland and 100 feet above water level from the Deben River. The ship was originally an 86 foot long rowing boat and was used as a cenotaph. It served for the East Anglian king Anna and a slim chance for his bother Ethelhere. The 86 foot ship did not survive due to moisture in the soil. The wood rotted away. The rotted timber left a perfect impression of the ship in the soil. This was found 1,300 years after the burial. Picture evidence shows the impression that was left by the vessel. The timber left the impression of horizontal lines all they way through where the ship was sitting. As well as smaller vertical lines starting at the front of the ship and ending in the back. The ship seems to have looked rounded of at the back end. Then coming towards the front of the ship it forms a narrow peak. The lines where the timber lied across are very distinct. Due to the impression left in the soil archaeologist were able to determine the exact design of the ship.

 At the time of the ship being buried it was filled with weapons, armor, jewelry, and musical instruments. Weapons that were found in the burial chamber consisted of iron swords and spears. Armor that was found inside the burial chamber was a warrior helmet and face mask. The helmet and face mask was tinned bronze and gilt decoration. This became an iconic symbol of Anglo Saxon archaeology. The jewelry gathered from the ship was gold and garnet. There were other miscellaneous items found, these included silver bowls, coins and drinking horns. All of these items found were very valuable. Two items stood out more than others did. One item that will catch everyone’s eye is a gold, enamel, and glass purse. The glass purse is outlined in blue, black, and red with unique designs in the center. The top part, which held the purse closed, is all gold. The other item found is a decorated gold niello belt buckle. It also was a very unique design. Based off of the size of the ship and the value of the items found in the burial chamber, experts believe that the tomb is of Raedwald, who was the most powerful king of East Anglia. Raedwald died around A.D. 625.

Sources 

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/early-medieval/a/the-sutton-hoo-ship-burial

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2853871?seq=3#metadata_info_tab_contents

https://www.academia.edu/24661910/The_Ongoing_Tale_of_Sutton_Hoo

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249007300_From_the_cradle_to_the_grave_Age_organization_and_the_early_Anglo-Saxon_burial_rite

Medieval Weather: The struggle for social and economic survival

Historical analyzation provides us with a representation of the ways in which individual societies and cultures interacted, adapted and survived throughout their existence on earth. The immense variation of social and economic values throughout the existence of humanity is determined by one universal influence, the relationship between man and the natural world. Environmental influences have shaped the ways in which past and present societies operate, this relationship forced innovation and evolution amongst humanity throughout history creating a basis for future generations to learn and build from. The representation of historical documentation is so important for understanding the true transformation of mankind in the present day. It provides us with the ability to see the ways in which certain societies and cultures survived through times of environmental grace and terror while defining humanities reliance on the natural world.

A prime representation of a time period that struggled with environmental pressure and adaptation was that of the Medieval period throughout Europe. Medieval society’s struggle for survival and development directly correlates with the effects of the natural environment, as each step towards progression was halted with natural disaster. Amongst the culture of Medieval England resided a deep sense of uncertainty and fear, the focus for survival outweighed the importance for social and economic advancement. Life expectancy, reproduction and human health were a main cause for concern as disease and famine reigned ramped throughout Medieval populations across Europe. Climatic variation and environmental damage immobilized the development and growth of natural resources within these areas, stunning any hopes of economic expansion.  The chances of the common Medieval citizen becoming successful were slim to none, so the focus resided on survival which restrained the expansion of innovation and change within society. Environmental conditions and climatic variation during the Medieval ages confined the progression among members of society, their inability to adapt to their surroundings set back the enhancement of societal operation for generations to follow.

Extreme Weather and Famine in Medieval Europe
Halleys-comet-1456.jpg

The lack of creativity and innovation during the Medieval ages created a massive disadvantage within societies battle with the natural world. The infrastructure of towns and cities across Medieval Europe lacked protection to the effects of storms and natural disasters, which caused mass amounts of damage and fatalities. These people had little to no understanding of environmental patterns and tendencies, creating a high sense of vulnerability amongst their protection and preparation for natural occurrences. The resources and knowledge they contained left populations without a fighting chance for survival. Environmental pressure created chaos throughout Medieval Europe, as death and disease spread throughout with no cure in sight. The difficulty of life during this time was directly related to the inability to adapt to the deteriorating natural aspects. In order to gain a complete comprehension of our present-day society, one must first understand the influence of past civilizations and the ways in which they provided structure for generations to continually evolve. Although the Medieval period could be seen as a time of regression, it could also represent the battle and perseverance of mankind during this time of environmental disaster. This period provided the basis for generations who followed, to learn from their struggle and formulate ways in which they can better the lives of their people. Historical analysis will always provide us with the ability to comprehend the ways in which societies like those in Medieval Europe lived and adapted to their natural influences. The relationship between man and the natural world has always been and will always be the most crucial to our survival on earth.    

Sources:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-0289.2009.00492.x

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11069-013-0750-7

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/201169368_Historical_Climatology_In_Europe_-_The_State_Of_The_Art

Glastonbury Abbey

Glastonbury Abbey is considered one of the most important and famous monasteries from early British Isles history. It was founded in late seventh century in what is now the county of Somerset. A monastery is a place where monks live, but Glastonbury Abbey was much more than that. It existed as a meeting place for numerous cultures throughout the surrounding lands including British, Irish and Normans. 

Since it was a place for all different people to meet, it meant that Glastonbury also acted as a meeting place for great discussion in all forms of culture and society including literary discussion. Many famous writers at the time such as Henry of Huntingdon. Caradoc of Lancarvan and Geoffrey of Monmouth were thought to go to Glastonbury during the time they were trying to create a complete history of England. The abbey also had a documented relationship with King Arthur and would hold events in his name which proves that Glastonbury Abbey  was more than just a religious space, but also focused on secular aspects of the culture to include society in all avenues of its citizens lives. 

https://www.visitsomerset.co.uk/things-to-do/glastonbury-abbey-p24941

Glastonbury Abbey has written history dating back to its origins around the seventh century. This was pre Norman conquest and also around the time literary works such as Gildas’s poem “The Ruin” was written. Though these super early texts from the Abbey didn’t survive, sometime around 1539 a book collector named John Leland came to Glastonbury and found the ancient library and documented his excitement having found such archaic texts. However, soon after his visit, a violent battle came to the land and Glastonbury was one of the monasteries to fall leaving only very scarce remains today. Some of the other works that were eventually found to come from Glastonbury were different selections written by St Guthlac and other famous writers from the time. 

What little stands of Glastonbury Abbey today has been excavated numerous times. One of the most important excavations was done by Raleigh Radford in 1951. During his dig, Radford found some of the earliest and most extensive examples of medieval glass working in the history of the United Kingdom. After more extensive excavations, the glassmaking at Glastonbury is thought to have been done with the use of four furnaces located in one of the cloisters within the Abbey. The furnaces would act as a tool to melt the glass and later help to form it into the intricate pieces often found in stain glass art. 

In conclusion, Glastonbury Abbey held a lot of significance to the people of England and surrounding regions during the seventh centuries and beyond. Its role as a cultural and intellectual meeting place can be supported by evidence in literature and history. It also had relevance in art by the findings of the tools and supposed methods of making stained glass windows. All in all, in its roots, Glastonbury Abbey was a religious space of worship but also a secular space to accommodate all aspects of its surrounding culture.