CONSTRUCTING A COMMONPLACE BOOK
A Commonplace place is an invaluable study age. Briefly put, it is a book into which notable information from other works are copied for personal use. It is not a matter of interpreting or analysis, just a listing of facts. Victoria Burke notes that entries are most often organized under systematic subject headings and differ functionally from journals or diaries, which are chronological and introspective. “They have been kept from antiquity, and were kept particularly during the Renaissance and in the nineteenth century. Such books are similar to scrapbooks filled with items of many kinds: notes, proverbs, adages, aphorisms, maxims, quotes, letters, poems, tables of weights and measures, prayers, legal formulas, and recipes.”
Commonplace books were being assembled by ancient Greece. By the seventeenth century, commonplace books were routinely found, and their uses were taught to students in many universities, and their use continued until the last century. John Locke dealt with the subject in his An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, in which he notes “IN all Sorts of Learning, and eƒpecially in the Study of Languages, the Memory is the Treaƒury or Store-houƒe, but the Judgment the Diƒpoƒer, which ranges in Order whatever it hath drawn from the Memory : But leƒt the Memory should be oppreƒed, or Overburthen’d Mr. Le Clerc’s Advice about then’d by too many Things, Order and Method art to be edited into its Alƒiƒtance. So that when we extract any Thing out of an Author which is like to be of ƒuture Uƒe, we may be able to find it without any Trouble.”
Therefore, though commonplace books have little at all to deal with our era, they can be of great service, and their use and development are greatly encourage.
SUBJECTS
It is impossible to say what your commonplace book should contain since your commonplace book is very very personal and should contain items that are of interest and importance to you. Recommended subjects include:
List of kings or nobles or heroes
- The importance and status of certain colors and stitches
- Recipes
- Prayers
- Proverbs
- Rules for games
- Quotes from books, articles, films, songs and the such
- Bibliographies
- Translations, either individual words or full aphorisms
- Timelines on any important subject
- Web pages of interest
Many other subjects should included, but care must be taken to keep the writing as simple as possible. Do not fill up entire pages when you begin, and be willing to add more on what you write.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Illustrations are useful and can include:
- Maps
- Extant artifacts
- Illustrations of important people
- Graphs
- Embroidery Patterns
- Buildings
- Armor and weapons
- Clothing
- Clothin Patterns
- Technology such as forges and looms
And anything else that might be important.
MANNER OF PRESENTATION
The text ofa commonplace book can be hand written, from a computer printout or even from a typewriter. It is suggested that such written pages can then be collated and bound. Nothing books, which useful if you cannot bind material, is difficult to write in after being bound.
It issuggested by Locke that an index telling the reader exactlywhere the subject of an entry can be found, it is important.
Good luck in your project, and add regularly to it, rebind it or start a new book to be bound. Feel no reservations about sharing it with friends!
Thoughts and Opinions
Loren Schultz lets us know of a project that deals with opinions of Viking masculinity in Popular Culture. https://qualtrics.flinders.edu.au/jfe/form/SV_8zZH4lHa5qf7Rwa?fbclid=IwAR0t4GYv7qpgmd09NEYUCL9GY6ziwRoQ_dRT1ir6gVwxfxV-4NUBAHUpc8o
UNNECESSARY ARTEFACTS
Until you have… … As a Reenactor, You have no need for…
…Leather Turnshoes … Bone Iceskates
…Period Tunic … Slave Manacles
…Utility Seax … Lute
…Ceramic Cup … Drinking Horns
…Bowl … Metal Trencher
…Belt or Sash … Uhtred Sword
But you *never* want…
Spectacles
Cigarettes or cigars or smoking pipe
Sneakers, Harley boots, thigh-high boots or welted boots in general
A WWF belt that is eighteen inches wide; in fact,any belt wider than an inch and preferable half that
A fork
A horned or winged helmet
A pauldron
A fur cloak, cowl or breech clout
What accessories do you commonly see at events or sold by “thenty” sutlers that are especially aggravating if you have any sense of real reenacting is?
NEW ACADEMIA PAPER
New Academia publication in Academia!
AND IN MY POUCH
We cannot be certain that graves from the period are a truly accurate representation of what a person—poor or posh—would have kept in his pouch, but they are for the most part the only indication of what was held important, since there are no literary or graphic representations except for most pouches or bags. In “The Great Pouch Debate,” Andy McVie, et. al., notes that common objects found in pouches in graves included:
Needles and pins
Shears
Combs
Coins
Flint and Strike-a-Lights
Honestones
Weights (it is uncertain these were for practical use or were keepsakes of some sort)
Keepsakes or lucky charms such as quartz pebbles, horse teeth, broken Roman bracelets, teeth (the citation doers no say whether these are human or animal) and boars' tusks
This list should not be considered exhaustive, and bags might contain such items as pan pipes and simple tools such as spindle whorls.
In addition, gold and jewelry—for example gold and bead necklaces for women and golden rings and arm bands for men—was worn on the person and would not have probably been included in the bags. Scissors, shears, chatelaines and the such was often suspended for easy access. And knives—with the possible exception of fold knives—which were early versions of pocket knives–were generally kept in external sheathes suspended from belts, brooches or even the neck.
THE LAST HOLIDAY OPINIONS V
Every week in the month of December (and today), we will have a pop literature quiz. No real answers, but hopefully this will encourage controversy, debate and new books. We give four alternatives, but there are no wrong answers!
Week Five—Sagar
Njall’s saga
The Vinland Sagas
Egill’s Saga
Laxdæla Saga
Other __
HOLIDAY OPINIONS IIII
Every week in the month of December, we will have a pop literature quiz. No real answers, but hopefully this will encourage controversy, debate and new books. We give four alternatives, but there are no wrong answers!
Week 4—Fiction
Last Viking trilogy
The Last Kingdom
The Long Ships
The Greenlanders
Other __
HOLIDAY OPINIONS III
Every week in the month of December, we will have a pop literature quiz. No real answers, but hopefully this will encourage controversy, debate and new books. We give four alternatives, but there are no wrong answers!
Week 3—Non-Fiction
Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga
The Vikings by Magnu Magnusson
The Vikings by Gwyn Jones
The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium by Robert Lacey and Danny Danziger.
Other __
HOLIDAY OPINIONS II
Every week in the month of December, we will have a pop literature quiz. No real answers, but hopefully this will encourage controversy, debate and new books. We give four alternatives, but there are no wrong answers!
Week 2—Cinema
The Viking
The Vikings
Prince Valiant
Vikings!
Other __
Holiday Opinions I
Every week in the month of December, we will have a pop literature quiz. No real answers, but hopefully this will encourage controversy, debate and new books. We give four alternatives, but there are no wrong answers!
Week 1—Comics
Prince Valiant
The Viking Prince
Northlanders
Mighty Thor
Other __
Questions for the Season
Ah, holidays. Let’s have some fun!
What offends you most when you see a piccie that asserts it is entirely thenty?
Spectacles
Type of fabric
Color of fabric
Footwear
Wide belt
Short sleeved tunic
Sleeveless tunic
Non-period jewelry
Other
THE VIKING AGE IN THE COMIX!
With the year-end holidays coming up, the time seems appropriate to present articles on inaccurate romantic fantasies featuring guys with horned helmets. Even the most of the diligent efforts to be authentic are still dragged down by the stereotypes of Vikings from popular romantic fantasy. As with the most popular and accurate of the comic versions, Hal Foster’s “Prince Valiant,” full plate armor exists beside the furry breech clouts and horned helmets. In other word, these interpretations should not be even remotely considered documentation.
But they can sometimes be very fun!
Dark Worlds Quarterly, an ezine, mostly devoted to articles about Robert E. Howard and other heroic fantasy by G. W. Thomas. Most are related to pulps and other fiction, but I recently discovered a series on comics.
The Strangest Northerns: Vengean of the Vikings
The Strangest Northerns: Sword of the Vikings
“Prince Valiant” is only fleetingly mentioned, and my second favorite Viking funny book, “The Viking Prince” is not mentioned at all. But Fantagraphics has published reprints of the entire Foster series, going to to the John Cullen Murphy run. And reprints of the 1950s Joe Kubert-drawn episodes of “Viking Prince” has been collected into a hard-cover.
The Jack Kirby-Stan Lee super-hero interpretation of Mighty Thor should not even be mentioned, despite the early “Tales of Asgard” back-up feature where Lee tries to struggle into Snorri Sturlusson’s shoes // //, but it is amusing to see Kirby’s earlier interpretations of Thor in various comic version and compare it to what he came up with later!
ALLITERATIVE VERSE
Alliteration has a bad reputation today. I love alliterative verse and write it with three rules (there are many more, and there are books expounding how to write it). Snorri Sturlusson in his Háttatal gives rules for writing poetry.
My rules:
- A pleasant-sounding meter and stresses.
- Two distinct stanzas, six syllables in the first part and five in the second.
- Three alliterative syllables, at least one in each part of each stanza.
The rules are not strict and may be altered to make the poetry sound better. So sue me 🙂
I write a poem and then edit it to follow the rules. It makes me appreciate the period poets, who did their compositions extemporaneously and never as slowly and as painstakingly as I do (at least if we believe te sagas). I prefer to use words that were used in Old Norse or Old English, and I find the Online Etymological Dictionary very useful // https://www.etymonline.com/ // though there are also a number of print dictionaries available. However, if necessary and if it sounds better, that rule may be broken as well.
I recently wrote a poem to put in a large book. I wanted it to be an alliterative poem dealing with reenacting (which, unfortunately, does not have a period equivalent that pleased me, the word being invented in the eighteenth century, and historical reenactment became popular only much later), and the result satisfied my needs:
To times past I progress / My path does Bragi guide.
So give honor, he calls, / To cousin and kin.
Make certain what you say, / Strict in what you wear,
You stand for all your sort, / They are seen in you.
Know that what you now show / Draws note to them all.
Be true to what truth needs, / To good dress as well.
Lies are cheery and cheap, / And chased out must be.
J, all your pains must please / Or passed by might be.
Look at truths little known / Limning the common.
So dress not for comfort / Dress firstly to teach.
Proof what the public sees / Not the easy or cheap.
Portray men of the past. / Pray you honestly teach.
FAVORITE PERIOD (REPLICA) ARTEFACTS II
Ask the average reenactor what his favorite reenacting tools are, the chances are that the reenactor—even the female reenactors in many case—will roll out a list of weapons, both sharp and rebated, shiny armor, fancy shiny bling and silk clothing. Fine, but I am more intrigued by the quiet and rather dull aspects of life…
Dice
Dice was popular as far back as Roman times. The average die was six, equal sizes. Each side only added up to 7 in the later middle ages, but modern replica dice of bone and other substsances are usually made according to modern standards. The Norse had long dice, where the object was to throw the lowest score. The ends were one and two.
Codex
Codexes or books are Christian. The heathens did not have any codexes. Therefore the reenactors might have books that printed gospels, psalters, homilies or such things as harmonies of Jesus. However, most books were rebound and are not accurate for the earlier times except the Cuthbert or Monymuk Gospel, which was buried with Saint Cuthbert and was made in a slightly modifies Coptic binding style.
Crystal Ball Pendant
The crystal ball pendants were made in Constantinople and northern Europe. They were made of glass and quartz and used in many other places. They probably had three purposes. They were bling and hung from the neck. It is altogether possible they were used to ignite fires since the lenses could focus the rays of the sun (and were certainly used later and elsewhere). And the lens were rough magnifying lenses. They could be used to magnify art and other objects for work. MoPs have use the crystals and seen that the magnification is not perfect, but it it is useable!
Beads
Beads are popular and indicate how wealthy the person of the husband was. They were made from clay, from glass, from bones, from shells and from stones. However, one must remember that many reenactors love to wear many, many beads. This indicates a display of wealth, even though no othr aspect of clothing indicates such wealth and status. Men wore beads, but they appeared to hve far fewer beads, and the number was not indicators of wealth. From what has been found in graves, men usually had no more than one to three beads, and there is indication from where the beads were found in the grave that they were positioned somewhere around the waste
The beads should be inspired by extant beads from the time of course.
Canterbury Mini Sundial
The Canterbury Sundial, also known as the Saint Dunstan watch was found in 1938 by workmen clearing the cloister garth at Canterbury. It was dated to from the tenth century and is a portable time piece that gives liturgical hours. It has two sides and three holes in each side that has three holes to allow for the time variations!
I have been fascinated by this since I first read about it and made a special effort to get my silver copy at Canterbury Cathedral when I was over there. Copies are now made by many suppliers, of less valuable metals, so there are probably more replicas today than there were actual sundials during the time, since they were fairly rare.
FAVORITE PERIOD (REPLICA) ARTEFACTS I
Ask the average reenactor wat his favorite reenacting tools are, the chances are that the reenactor—even the female reenactors in many case—will roll out a list of weapons, both sharp and rebated, shiney armor, fancy shiny bling and silk clothing. Fine, but I am more intrigued by the quiet and rather dull aspects of life…
Scissors/Shears
Several styles of shears or scissors weree available, and they had several purposes, including cutting fabric, trimming human hair and shearing wool from sheep.
Slavery Manacles
Slavery manacles and other ironwork were probably used only in transporting an holding slaves. Ironically, the styles have not changed in millennia and were still being used in the middle of the nineteenth century.
Bone Ice Skates
Ice skates were made of bone, and they were used for transportion in the snow and on ice, not dor modern figure skating with razor-thin blades. Skaters—and skiiers—used poles to help propulsion.
Jorvik Padlock
The padlocks used by the Vikings and Englis just shows that people of any age had possessions they considered valuable and that were secured in chests. The locks were powered by springs, and the keys pressed the spring down to so that padlock could be removed.
Hnefatafl and Board
Hnefatafl—a translation of King’s Table—was the most popular board game played in northern Europe until chess was introduced in the eleventh century and was still being played in the fifteenth century. Many different playing men were used, and many were circular an attached by pegs to the playing board.
Minster Lovell Æstel
Æstels are generally considered pointers and were probably used instead of fingers by preachers for keeping track of the letters. The so-called Alfred Jewel is probably the bext-known æstel, though there are many others. I got the less-posh Minster Lovell Æstel, probably ninth century. It was found in Minster Lovell in Oxfordshire and is held at the Ashmolean Museum.
MICEL FOLCLAND BIBLIOGRAPHY X
Working on a new version of the bibliography and sharing it here. These books are recommended—or warned against—by members of the group and other medievalists. Please write with any additions you suggest!
RELIGION
Ewing, Þor. Viking Myths—Stories of the Norse Gods and Goddesses
Read the eddas if possible rather than a retelling of Norse myths, but Ewing’s efforts are good efforts.
Van Liere, Frans. An Introduction to the Medieval Bible
An interesting look at the medieval Bible, physically, religiously and literarily.
ADDENDUM: Just bought…
Burfield, Brian. Medieval Military Medicine.
A realistic view of medieval læchdoms used in the middle ages to deal with wounds and injuries from military violence of the time.
Liège, Egrert. The Well-Laden Ship.
A collection of short entries of interest to medieval culture.
Naismith, Rory, Making Money in the Early Middle Ages.
Excellent overview of minted moneys—making, using and more—in the early middle ages.
Van Liere, Frans. An Introduction to the Medieval Bible
An interesting look at the medieval Bible, physically, religiously and literarily.
Williamson, Craig (translator). The Complete Old English Poems.
What it says, in one convenient volume.
MICEL FOLCLAND BIBLIOGRAPHY VIIII
Working on a new version of the bibliography and sharing it here. These books are recommended—or warned against—by members of the group and other medievalists. Please write with any additions you suggest!
REFERENCE
Carnes, Mark (ed.). Past Imperfect: History According to the Movies
A collection of articles contrasting the view of history presented by cinema and by reality.
Cowley, David. How We’d Talk If The English Had Won in 1066
A list of words that have fallen out of the English language because of words introduced after the Norman invasion.
Cowley, David. 1066—Words We’d Wield If We’d Won
Another list of words that have fallen out of the English language because of words introduced after the Norman invasion.
Evans, Bryan. Plain English: A Wealth of Words
A collection of words with an Old English source.
Fraser, George MacDonald. The Hollywood History of the World
A contrast of the view of history presented by cinema and by reality, written by the author of the Flashman books and the screenwriter of the Richard Lester “Three Musketeers” and “Four Musketeers.”
Harty, Kevin J. The Vikings on Film: Essays on Depictions of the Nordic Middle Ages
The subject of Norse on films is examined in several essays.
Love, Matt. Learn Old English with Leofwin
A simplistic and effective book dealing with the learning of Old English.
Mohr, Melissa. Holy Shit: A Brief History of Swearing
An overview of discussion from acient times until the present, with n excellent look at swearing in the early middle ages and why those words we call Anglo-Saxon cuss words are not. Not Suitable for Work, Young Folks or Prudes.
Sharpe, Ian Stewart, Arngrimur Vidalin and Josh Gillingham. Old Norse for Modern Times
Light-hearted list of Old Norse translations of modern terms, such as “Welcome to my man cave” (“Kom Þú Fagnandi I karlhelli varn”)
Videen, Hana. The Wordhord: Daily Life in Old English
A collection of strange, delightful and unexpectedly apt words from the origins of English, which illuminates the lives, beliefs and habits of our linguistic ancestors. These are the roots of our own modern, they will make certain you’ll never see English in the same way again.
Walker, Damian. Reconstructing Hnefatafl
An interesting and useful book on reconstructing hnesfatafl from what has ben found and what can be interpreted.
Zoëga, Geir T. A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic
Excellent reference book, translating Old Norse to English.
MICEL FOLCLAND BIBLIOGRAPHY VIIIb
Working on a new version of the bibliography and sharing it here. These books are recommended—or warned against—by members of the group and other medievalists. Please write with any additions you suggest!
Nicol, Alexandra (editor). Domesday Book: Facsimiles with Introduction
Complete translation of the Domesday Book, William’s detailed list of the farms and goods of England, which owed as much to Anglo-Saxon as to Norman England.
Pollington, Stephen. Leechcraft: Early English Charms, Plant-Lore and Healing
Essays and translations of Old English leechbooks. The subject of medicine in the early middle ages is fascinating, often misunderstood and a fun subject. Imedicine of the period can be a combination of the humorous, the gross, the superstitious and the practical, and Pollington provides as usual a great overview, with not enough illustrations but a number of modern translations of period works.
Ross, James B. & Mary M. McLaughlin (eds.). The Portable Medieval Reader
A rich and varied collection of period writings.
Swanton, Michael (trans). Anglo-Saxon Prose Swanton (Everyman Paperback Classics)
A collection of prose work from Old English.
Theophilis. On Diverse Arts
Has done great things for numerous people in metalworking and such.
Thorsson, Ornolfur (ed.). The Sagas of the Icelanders
A collection of translations by various persons of sagas and þaettir, with valuable notes and appendixes. The sagas are indispensable reading, and this is a rich and meaty collection. The names of the actual editors are hidden, and the name of novelist Jane Smiley—the author of the depressing The Greenlanders and author of the preface—is displayed more prominently than the name of the editor.
Tolkien, J. R. R, and Peter Grybauskas. The Battle of Maldon: Together with the Homecoming of Beorhtnoth
The first-ever standalone edition of one of Tolkien’s most important poetic dramas. Tolkien considered The Battle of Maldon “the last surviving fragment of ancient English heroic minstrelsy.” It would inspire him to compose, during the 1930s, his own dramatic verse-dialogue, The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm’s Son, which imagines the aftermath of the great battle when two of Beorhtnoth’s retainers come to retrieve their duke’s body. Leading Tolkien scholar, Peter Grybauskas, presents for the very first time J.R.R. Tolkien’s own prose translation. Grybauskas includes Tolkien’s lecture, “The Tradition of Versification in Old English,” and he argues that, Beowulf excepted, The Battle of Maldon may well have been “the Old English poem that most influenced his fiction,” most dramatically The Lord of the Rings.
Tolkien, J. R. R., and Christopher Tolkien. Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary.
A prose translation of something that long intrigued Tolkien. Includes a translation of “Selling Spell” and some additional poetry from the Beowulf translation.
Whitelock, Dorothy (trans.). Anglo-Saxon Wills
Wills are often the best judge of everday life since the things passed down are often objects from everyday life.
Article on a Reenacting Reliquary
The first drat for an illustrated article on the Reliquary of Sanct Sigulf: https://www.academia.edu/105328533/The_Reliquary_of_Sanct_Sigulf
MICEL FOLCLAND BIBLIOGRAPHY VIIIa
Working on a new version of the bibliography and sharing it here. These books are recommended—or warned against—by members of the group and other medievalists. Please write with any additions you suggest!
PRIMARY
Bede. Ecclesiastical History of the English People
Seventh-century historical opus by an English monk. Pretty good!
Evensen, Erik. Gods of Asgard
A graphic novel version of the Eddas, stylistically done and true to the source. Not your father’s Mighty Thor!
Cockayne, Oswald (editor and translater). Leechdoms, Wortcunning, and Starcraft of Early England
Three volumes translating several Anglo-Saxon leechbooks in the mid-1860s, including the Leechbook of bald, the herbarium of Apuleius Barbarus , Dioscorides Pedanius and Sextus Placitus. Archaic translations, sometimes a bit prudish but still very useful.
Crawford, Jackson. The Poetic Edda
Recent translation by a marvelous scholar…who rewrote “Star Wars” as an Icelandic saga and made it work!
Crawford, Jackson. The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes. The Saga of the Volsungs: With the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok. Two Sagas of Mythical Heroes: Hervor and Heidrek and Hrólf Kraki and His Champions
Wonderful translations available not only in individual books but collected in a hardbound boxed collection.
Crawford, Jackson. The Wanderer’s Havamal
Newly translated and annotated, with facing original Old Norse text sourced directly from the Codex Regius manuscript.
Delanty, Greg (ed.). The Word Exchange: Anglo-Saxon Poems in Translation
A collection of newly translated Old English poetry of various types and subjects.
Gaiman, Neil. Norse Mythology
A fairly standard translation written by a prominent popular fiction author. Adapted and collected in a comic book series with remarkable illustrations but absolute;y no sense eof accuracy.
Garbaty, Thomas J. Medieval English Literature
History good. Text in original & translation. Good for learning period English
Geoffrey of Monmouth. History of the Kings of Britain
The fantastic history of Britain, often referred to but little read, source of the Arthurian legends and a damned fun read. Translated by Sebastian Evans.
Heaney, Seamus (Trans.). Beowulf
An essential early English epic, which remains exciting and interesting today. Available in many translations, this is a recent one that is recommended.
MICEL FOLCLAND BIBLIOGRAPHY VII
Haven’t posted a segment in a while because of physical ailments. But here…
Working on a new version of the bibliography and sharing it here. These books are recommended—or warned against—by members of the group and other medievalists. Please write with any additions you suggest!
MUSIC
Robertson, Alec and Denis Stevens (ed.). The Penguin History of Music, Vol. I
Ancient forms to polyphony. Focuses on the development of music, mostly ecclesiastical, from plainsong to polyphony, ending around 1450. Keep a music dictionary nearby when you read this.
NAMES
Barber, Henry. British Family Names; Their Origin and Meaning, with Lists of Scandinavian, Frisian, Anglo-saxon and Norman Names
Family Names—and of course the persnal names they came from—accumulated atthe turn of th last century. Many Norse, Englisc, Norman, Irish and Frisian.
Dunkling, Leslie & William Gosling. Everyman’s Dictionary of First Names
Not a primary source but still a good jumping-off point.
Geirr Bassi Haraldsson. The Old Norse Name
A booklet designed for Marklanders (Norse reenactors) with names, sources and construction techniques from Landnabok and other primary sources.
Gordon, Noah. The Physician
A novel of a læce in Anglo-Saxon England and Arabia that is terribly slanted and poorly researched, with about five errors in Anglo-Saxon naming in the first paragraph.
Reany. P. H. A Dictionary of British surnames
The book on English surnames, not exactly a list and not exactly a treatise.
Searle, William George. Onomasticon Anglo-Saxonicum; a List of Anglo-Saxon Proper Names from the Time of Beda to That of King John
A glorious collation of names that appar in charters, historical accounts and many other primary accounts.
Smith, Elsdon C. New Dictionary of American Family Names
Contains a lot of information of value to medievalists.
Withycombe, E.G. The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names
A reliable and standard source for English personal names, with citations from primary sources.
Yonge, Charlotte M. A History of Christian Names
A dated but still fairly reliable source for personal names across a variety of cultures.
MICEL FOLCLAND BIBLIOGRAPHY VIb
Working on a new version of the bibliography and sharing it here. These books are recommended—or warned against—by members of the group and other medievalists. Please write with any additions you suggest!
Logan, Robert K. The Alphabet Effect
A thought-provoking book examining the difference results phonetic and ideogrammatic scripts impose on their cultures.
Loyn, H. R. The Vikings in Britain
An older but still valid book on the subject.
Magnusson, Magnus. Iceland Saga
Iceland is a fascinating culture, and this book very neatly and succinctly retells its history.
Magnusson, Magnus. Vikings
Companion to the television series, a good overview of the Viking era, profusely illustrated and engagingly written Later editions are slightly edited, less profusely illustrated but still well written.
Margeson, Susan. Viking
If you want to know a basic overview about something, find a kid’s book. Kids have an avid sense of curiosity, and they don’t accept the bullshit that adults sometimes seem willing to put up with. This is an Eyewitness book, and volumes consist of photographs of pertinent items both authentic and replica with a minimum of explanatory text. The opportunity to actually see the items in question, not merely to be told about it, is a welcome and edifying experience.
Morris, Ian. Geography Is Destiny
A history of many eras specializing in Britain.
Morris, Marc. The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England: 400–1066.
An overview of the Englisc era, fairly standard but not incorrect.
Oliver, Neil. The Vikings: A New History
A lot that is covered just as well in other books but containing new information and based on the latest facts.
Parker, Eleanor. Winters in the World: A Journey through the Anglo-Saxon Year
A book on the year during Englisc times. Little about swords and warfare, only extraneous appearance of royalty and wonderful light-hearted writing on the year, on religion and other common matters. Very recommended!
Pollington, Stephen. Anglo-Saxon FAQs
Well-done series of questions and answers about the Anglo-Saxon culture.
Powell, T.G.E. The Celts
On Stephen Silver’s Barbarian Bibliography.
Pye, Michael. The Edge of the World: A Cultural History of the North Sea and the Transformation of Europe
A series of accounts and observations, some pertinent to England and Scandinavia in th early middle ages and others not at all. But always enlightening and interesting.
Roberts, Clayton and David. A History of England, Prehistory to 1714
A hellishly good textbook, well illustrated.
Roesdahl, Else. The Vikings
Well written overview of the Norse culture of the Viking Age.
Rollason, David. Early Medieval Europe 300–1050
An unorthodox overview of the period, with heavy concentration on England, giving a variety of viewpoints and often reminding me of a class trying to interpretation as well as the facts.
Sawyer, P. H The Oxford illustrated history of the Vikings
Excellent compilation of essays on various aspects of the Viking Age.
Schama, Seven. A History of Britain Volume One
A companion volume to the television series, brilliantly illustrated and audaciously written.
Skurlock, William H. The Book of Buckskinning II
Although directed toward early American reenactors, all of the Books of Buckskinning (seven volumes so far) contain articles of interest to reenactors from many time periods, including medieval. Book II is of special interest because of an article on constructing camp equipment. Highly recommended.
Tetlow, Edwin. Enigma of Hastings: William the Conqueror
A splendid examination of the Battle at Battle.
Wahlgren, Erik. The Vikings and America
Well-researched book on the controversial subject.
Wallace-Hadrill, John Michael. The Barbarian West, 400-1000
On Stephen Silver’s Barbarian Bibliography.
Wall, Martin. The Anglo-Saxons in 100 Facts
No listing of provenance or sources, so not recommended.
Wawn, Andrew. The Vikings and the Victorians: Inventing the Old North in Nineteenth-Century Britain (Modern History)
A look at the creation of the modern—and incorrect—interpretation of the Vikings.
Williams, Gareth, Peter Pentz and Matthias Wemhogg (editors). Vikings: Life and Legend
Wonderful color photos from and essays on the 2014–2015 Viking exhibition shown in Sweden, Australia and Chicago.
Williams, Mary Wilhelmine. Social Scandinavia in the Viking Age
A fascinating look at the social cultures of the Viking Age, written just on the cusp of the transformation from romantic Victorian history and modern objectionist history. Very interesting, though it mus bread with more than a little care.
Winroth, Anders. The Age of the Vikings
A very readable book that deals with much of the material that most books of this type deal with but also contains fascinating observations that are not generally available elsewhere and, when they are, are not generally brought together in a single place, with notes on clothing, on customs, on runic writing and on poetry. I would wish for more documentation, but the list of further reading is quite well done and informative.
Wolf, Kirsten. Daily Life of the Vikings
An excellent look at the Norse culture of the Viking Age, using the most current citations. One of Greenwood’s excellent “Daily Life Through History” series.
Wood, Michael. In Search of the Dark Ages
Early volume by Wood, a companion to the television series and cited by many Regia members as essential to forming and channel their interest in the early middle ages. Wood released a revised edition in 2022.
MICEL FOLCLAND BIBLIOGRAPHY VIa
Working on a new version of the bibliography and sharing it here. These books are recommended—or warned against—by members of the group and other medievalists. Please write with any additions you suggest!
Fagan, Brian. The Great Warming
A follow-up to The Little Ice Age, excellently written and dealing with the climate optimum. Only two chapter really deal with Britain, but these chapters should not be missed!
Fagan, Brian. The Little Ice Age
Although dealing primarily with 1300–1850, it also sets up the preceding warm era.
Feuerlichte, Roberta Strauss. Vikings (World Around Us)
Gloriously farbily illustrated graphic examine of Norse culture during the Viking Age, with illustrations by such noted comic artists as George Evans, Sam Glanzman, Gray Morrow, Norman Nodel and Angelo Torres.
Ferguson, Robert. The Vikings
A general study of Norse life during the Viking Age, incorporating the most current resources.
Fischer, David Hackett. Historians Fallacies
I cannot recommend this book enough. Just a cursory glance will change the way any reader looks at sources, historians and logic.
FitzHugh, William W. and Elizabeth I. Ward (eds.). Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga
A series of articles on aspects of Viking territorial expansionism, with appendices on representations of Vikings in popular culture and Viking reenacting, among other subject. Based on the traveling museum exhibit.
Frossier, Robert. (Translated by Lydia G. Chochrane). The Axe and the Oath: Ordinary Life in the Middle Ages
One might think from the subtitle that this would be an ideal book to read for living history that tries to re-create ordinary everyday life. That person would be wrong. The book is rambling, arrogant, defensive, undisciplined with nothing to back up the author’s assertions that people just never changed. What is worse, besides a lack of any provenance for the author’s statements, there are absolutely no citations, no bibliography, no index and no illustrations. Popular history should not be this unpopular.
Gabriele, Matthew and David M. Perry. The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe.
A general history of what has been called the Dark Ages, pointing out the irony of that term and with a good collection of humor. People who dislike the term “Dark Ages” assert that it will become standard popular history.
Girouard, Mark. The Return to Camelot: Chivalry and the English Gentleman
Account on the Victorian medieval revival inspired by such writers as Scott, events as the Eglinton tourney and other aspects of popular culture, until its doom in the First Worl War.
Graham-Campbell, James. The Vikings: The British Museum, London
Catalog for a museum exhibits containing high-quality shots of artifacts.
Hadley. D. M. And Letty ten Harbel. Everyday Life in Viking-Age Towns
An examination and study of Norse communities in England and Ireland from 800–110.
Hall, Richard. Book of Viking Age York (English Heritage)
Informative and illustrated book written by the late director of the York Archaeological Trust.
Harty, Kevin. The Vikings on Film
Not currently up to date but very interesting.
Haywood, John. Encyclopedia of the Viking Age
A good collection of essays on the era.
Haywood, John. Viking: The Norse Warrior’s [Unofficial] Manual
A light-hearted but informative book that features contributions from Kim Siddorn and other Regia folk.
Higham, Nicholas. The Anglo-Saxon World
A good overview of early medieval England.
Holman, Katherine. Historical Dictionary of the Vikings
Good collection of entries on the era.
Holman, Katherine. The Northern Conquest: Vikings in Britain and Ireland
Up to date overview of Anglo-Scandinavian and Hiberno-Scandinavian relations. Very illuminating.
Howarth, David. 1066: The Year of the Conquest
Gloriously opinionated book that also covers everyday life in pre-Conquest Britain.
Hunawalt, Barbara A. The Ties That Bound: Peasant Families in Medieval England
Strictly speaking, outside the realm of Regia, but a peasant’s lifestyle remained the same for centuries. An entertaining and unique examination of common folk in the Middle Ages, relying to a great extent upon coroners’ roll. Sometimes macabre but always illuminating. Recommended.
Ingstad, Helge. Westward to Vinland: the Discovery of Pre-Columbian Norse House-sites in North America
Popularized account of the excavations at L’Ans aux Meadows done by the co-founder of the site.
James, Peter and Nick Thorpe. Ancient Inventions
A collection of inventions or innovations, how they were discovered and how much earlier they existed than commonly supposed.
Janaga, Eleanor and Neil Max Ennanuel. The Middle Ages: A Graphic History.
An amusing illustrated look at all of medieval history. Not a comic book.
Jarman, Cat. River Kings.
A history of the Norse concentrating on new discovers, interpretations and the Silk Road.
Jochens, Jenny. Women in Old Norse Society
Fine examination of the role of women in Norse society.
Johnston, Ruth A. All Things Medieval: An Encyclopedia of the Medieval World (2 Volume Set)
A compendium of articles, perhaps geared toward younger readers, tt deal with a good many subjects of interest to persons examining the Middle Ages.
Jones, Gwyn. The History of the Vikings
Well written overview of the Norse culture of the Viking Age.
Jones, Terry. Terry Jones’ Barbarians
Strictly speaking not our period but a very illuminating look at maligned peoples. From the television series.
Kolofny, Annette. In Search of First Contact
An innovative and opinionated look at the Norse in North America with great emphasis on the natives.
Koenigsberger. Medieval Europe, 400-1500
This is a real winner.
Labarge, Margaret Wade. Small Sound of the Trumpet
On medieval women.
Lacey, Robert and Danny Danziger. The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium
Not really a cautionary tale comparing the turn of the First Millennium with the then-upcoming turn of the Second, but a good look at everyday life using the Julius Work Calendar as the internal theme. Dealing specifically with England.
Leahy, Kevin. Anglo-Saxon Crafts: Revealing History
This accessible volume addresses different crafts practiced by the Anglo-Saxons, including woodworking, leatherworking, pottery and textiles. Looking at surviving artifacts, Leahy comments on construction and technology.
MICEL FOLCLAND BIBLIOGRAPHY VI
Working on a new version of the bibliography and sharing it here. These books are recommended—or warned against—by members of the group and other medievalists. Please write with any additions you suggest!
GENERAL
Al-Amin, Nashid. True Myth: Black Vikings of The Middle Ages
Controversial book that many Aryanists will froth over, but he makes quite a few good points that academic have tended to ignore and to overlook.
Alexander, Caroline. Lost Gold of the Dark Ages: War, Treasure, and the Mystery of the Saxons
A table featuring many excellent photographs of items from the Staffordshire Hoard, along with historical background.
Allison, David B. Living History.
Small and informative book on living history at living-history sites and museums.
Almgren, Bertil (editor). The Viking
Large-format and heavily illustrated coffee-table book that tells a lot about Viking culture and how certain things—for example, the loom and the turtle broaches—were accomplished. Expensive and outdated in some areas, but well worth it if you have an interest in things Norse and are willing to check on statements.
Anderson, Gunnar (editor), Vikings: Beyond the Legend
Color photos from te 2014–2015 Viking Exhibit when it appeared in Australia.
Anderson, Jay. Time Machines: The World of Living History
The seminal work about living history in all its aspects. The chapter on the SCA is “Princes Valiant.”
Aries, Philippe and Georges Duby (eds.). A History of Private Life Vol. II
Good book for an understanding of medieval times and people. Good pictures
Aston, Michael. Interpreting the English Village: Landscape and Community at Shapwick, Somerset
A detailed look at a single community through the ages.
Baker, Alan. The Viking
A modern and imaginative interpretation of Viking culture that harkens back to the worst Victorian romanticism. No notes, no real bibliography (just a list of other secondary and tertiary sources). AVOID!
Baldwin, John W. The Scholastic Culture of the Middle Ages, 1000-1300
Deals with the end of Regia’s period. On Stephen Silver’s Medieval Universities Bibliography.
Bjarnason, Egil. How Iceland Changed the World.
A popular history of Iceland, unfortunately with no references.
Boswell, John. The Kindness of Strangers: The Abandonment of Children in Western Europe from Late Antiquity to the Renaissance
This book is not nearly as grim as the title suggests. The author argues that abandonment usually did not mean death, that children who could not be supported in one family usually found their way into families who wanted and needed them. Extraordinarily well written.
Boswell, John. Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe
Well-documented, gay-friendly (Boswell was gay and died of AIDS) recounting of hushed-up tolerance of earlier Christianity.
Brehaut, Ernest (Trans.). An Encyclopedist of the Dark Ages
On Stephen Silver’s Medieval Universities Bibliography.
Brink. Stefan. The Viking World (Routledge Worlds)
A fine collection that looks at artifats from and everyday life in Viking-Age Scandinavia.
Brown, Nancy Marie. Song of the Vikings: Snorri and the Making of Norse Myths
Innovative book that examines the non-period Snorri Sturlusson, who wrote and probably invented tales of Norse mythology.
Byock, Jesse. Viking Age Iceland
An intensely vibrant and interesting view of Icelandic culture during the Free State
Cahill, Thomas. How the Irish Saved Civilization—The Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe
A look at the Irish preservation of books during the early Middle Ages.
Campbell, Gordon. Norse America: The Story of a Founding Myth.
A frustrating look at Norse settlement of the New World. Not recommended at all.
Crawford, Sally. Childhood in Anglo-Saxon England
A recommended book on how children were treated and acted in Anglo-Saxon England.
Grollemood, Larissa, and Bryan Keene. The Fantasy of the Middle Ages.
A publication of the J. Paul Getty Museum dealing with medieval fantasy in popular culture. More concerned with knights and damsels rather than Norse aspects. It does deal with medievalesque LARPs and Rennaissance Fairs.
Crawford, Sally. Daily Life in Anglo-Saxon England
An outstanding book dealing mainly with the physical culture, drawing on the latest research. Great, even if it gives the Regia site as regis.com! One of Greenwood’s excellent “Daily Life Through History” series.
Deary, Terry. Gruesome Guides: York (Horrible Histories).
The Horrible Histories series are written for younger readers but are always informative and fun. This one is a history of the central city of the Danelaw.
Deary, Terry. The Smashing Saxons (Horrible Histories)
The Horrible Histories series are written for younger readers but are always informative and fun. This one covers Anglo-Saxon culture.
Deary, Terry. The Vicious Vikings (Horrible Histories)
The Horrible Histories series are written for younger readers but are always informative and fun. This one deals with Norse culture.
Du Chaillu, Paul. The Viking Age (2 volumes)
Early but profusely illustrated overview of Norse culture that is pertinent still today.
Dyer, Christopher, Making a Living in the Middle Ages: The People of Britain 850-1520
A good book on everyday life, but it unfortunately covers such a wide period of time that it is often cursory. Nevertheless, a good place to start.
Erdoes, Richard, A.D. 1000: Living on the Brink of Apocalypse
At first glance, yet another book about the turn of the First Millennium, but actually written some twelve years before and brought back into print for the Y2K scare. The subtitle pretty much describes the theme of the book.
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The Anglo-Scandinavian Chronicles 