Society for Medieval Archaeology Newsletter

Issue 44 October 2010 ISSN 1740-7036

EDITORIAL 18–19 November, Perth, Western Australia, Australian Early Medieval If there has been some concern about the Association 7th Annual Conference: health of artefact studies, the amulet Courage and Cowardice, http://home. recovered in 2009 from Lejre, possibly vicnet.net.au /~medieval/conference2010/ depicting Odin, is testimony to the contrary. Readers will also find in this 27 November, Dept of Archaeology, issue of the Newsletter lots of object- University of Exeter, Wallingford Burh to related material, including PAS-related Borough Research Project Workshop. approaches suggesting the relevance of Townscapes in Transformation: Debating artefact studies to understanding Urbanism c. AD 800-1200, an landscape more generally. David Hinton, AHRC-funded project. http://humanities. in turn, reviews how museums exhibit the exeter.ac.uk/archaeology/conferences/ today. wallingfordworkshop.shtml DECEMBER: The Society’s AGM will take place at the Institute of Archaeology, London, on 6 December at 6pm. See Niall Brady Society News. Newsletter editor 8–10 December, Åarhus University: e-mail: [email protected] Houses – shaping dwellings, identities, and homes, a conference on European CONFERENCES & EVENTS, housing culture from the Viking Age to forthcoming the Renaissance. Contact Mette Svart Kristiansen, [email protected] To advertise conferences/events in the Newsletter, contact: Dr Oliver 17–19 December, TAG conference in Creighton, Bristol. www.nomadit.co.uk/tag/tag2010/ email [email protected] 2011: FEBRUARY: Archaeology of Wooded Landscapes. Meridian Hall, East NOVEMBER: The Society’s Career day, Grinstead, 12–13 February. sheduled for 10 November has been www.sussexpastshop.co.uk postponed until the Spring. Check the Society’s website, or contact Jill APRIL: Castle Studies Group 2011 Campbell at medieval.archaeology@ Conference, Marks Tey, Essex, 7–10 googlemail.com April. www.castlestudiesgroup.org.uk/ 13 November, Corning Museum of , MAY: 46th International Congress on New York State, on Medieval Glass Medieval Studies will take place at Illuminates what Art and Reason Reveal, Western Michigan University, a Celebration of Meredith Lillich’s Kalamazoo, Michigan, 12–15 May. Passionate Legacy. Contact Florian www.wmich.edu/medieval/congress/ Knothe at [email protected] index.html 13–14 November, Institute of JUNE: The Vernacular Architecture Archaeology, University College Group, tour to Norway, 16–26 June, London: Local Churches and Lordship in to visit some of the notable timber the European Middle Ages; looking at the buildings. Open to non-members of the role of the aristocracy in private and group. www.vag.org.uk/norway2011.pdf local churches in medieval society. www.ucl.ac .uk/archaeology/events/ 22–25 June, the University of Liverpool’s conferences/lordship-2010/ or write to Centre for Manx Studies and Manx J. Sanchez-Pardo, 31–34 Gordon Square, National Heritage will hold a vernacular London WC1H 0PY. architecture conference in Douglas, Isle

www.medievalarchaeology.org of Man, on New Light on Vernacular at the ‘Irish Bar’ were not enough, the Architecture: Studies in Britain, Ireland organisers of ICMS invited everyone to and the Isle of Man. Contact Dr Catriona enjoy a number of medieval festivities Mackie, [email protected], including film screenings, dancing and or call 01624 695 777. traditional music. JULY: Leeds International Medieval On a more serious note, with medieval Congress. An interdisciplinary forum for revelry and book-haggling aside, it all aspects of Medieval Studies 11–14 continues to be important to present July. www.leeds.ac.uk/ims/imc/imc archaeology at such international and 2011_call.html interdisciplinary medieval fora. Through such venues, archaeology gains kudos as CONFERENCE REPORTS a crucial and fundamental approach in the investigation of the medieval past. 45th International Congress on Medieval Archaeology at Kalamazoo 2010 was Studies, Western Michigan University, a complete success. Moreover, it was USA, 13–16 May, 2010. With more exciting to see established academics and than six-hundred sessions covering a emerging young researchers voicing new mind-blowing array of medieval topics, contributions, creating lively discussion speakers and delegates flocked from and gaining important international America, Europe and as far away as ground for the study of Medieval Taiwan to partake in this medieval Archaeology. revelry. The scope and diversity of Lisa Brundle and Sira Dooley-Fairchild the papers at the Congress enabled Durham University participants many opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary discussions ‘Space and Settlement’ Conference at throughout the conference. Trinity College, Dublin, 28–29 May 2010. A very successful two-day international The society sponsored a session on conference on medieval settlement, with the topic of New Directions in Castle an emphasis on the contribution of GIS Research, which included papers on systems was held in Trinity College, ‘Norman Imposition: The Medieval Dublin. The Trinity Long Room Hub Castle and the Urban Space’ by Michael which co-ordinates research in the Fradley of Exeter University and humanities in Ireland supported it ‘Debating Lordly Landscapes: The financially. There were over 90 Deerpark of Earlspark, Loughrea, participants, both interested members of County Galway’ by Kieran O’Conor and the public as well as academics, students Fiona Beglane of the National University and commercial and state archaeologists. of Ireland, Galway. Scattered throughout There were over 20 speakers, many of the four-day Congress were papers on whom are members of our Society. Our archaeological topics, ranging from Assistant Editor, Oliver Creighton, gave ‘Medievalism, Post-1848 Czech the keynote address, on the subject of Nationalism, and the Beginnings of designed elite landscapes of the Middle Medieval Archaeology in Bulgaria Ages, an area in which he is an and Ukraine’ by Florin Curta of the acknowledged expert. University of Florida, to ‘The Archaeo- metallurgy of Lombard Swords: From The Academic Director of the Trinity Artefacts to a History of Craftmanship’ Hub, Professor Poul Holm, a by Vasco La Salvia of the University world-famous environmental economic degli Studi “G. d’Annunzio” Cheiti e historian, gave an inspirational welcome Pescara, and many others. address in which he outlined the contribution that the Trinity Hub would To everyone’s delight the exhibition halls make to the furtherance of research in brimmed with booksellers from the humanities. He also mentioned publishers worldwide, replica medieval some exciting new research projects in instruments, jewellery and chain mail. environmental history. There is not the If wine receptions hosted by medieval space here to give an account of each groups on campus, strolls through paper, but the feedback from the down-town Kalamazoo or a quick stop conference was extremely positive, and

2 every paper was of a consistently high compared to halls in larger castles on standard. stylistic and functional grounds, and that this process highlighted a number of There were four major linked themes, interesting parallels in hall design and in the first on ‘Mapping’, Sarah and decoration. There was another Gearty of the Royal Irish Academy presentation on tower houses, this outlined the ways in which the Irish time by Gillian Eadie of the Queen’s Historic Towns Atlas (IHTA) uses maps University, Belfast, in which she in its analysis of urban space, as well as examined gate-house type tower houses exploring the less obvious potential of Co. Down, which show striking that published maps and texts offer similarities in form. This offers cartographic study and digital substantive evidence for a thriving interaction. Mark Hennessy of Trinity regional building school in the 15th College Dublin then revealed that there century, but how far do these similarities had been a lay subsidy in 1292 in Ireland, translate into similarities in function? a fact that no other scholar seems to She examined three of the best-preserved have noticed to date. As the only other examples of the gate-house type and surviving medieval taxation return for analysed the function of these buildings Ireland was the early 14th-century with a focus on the individual balance Ecclesiastical Taxation, this finding is of priorities behind their construction. potentially very significant. Although the buildings may look very similar, they each served slightly different The second section was on ‘Boundaries’, purposes. and Charles Doherty of University College, Dublin discussed the extensive In case the audience thought that they vocabulary for roads in early had heard enough on tower houses, Irish literature, which provided an the most impressive stone monument infrastructure that facilitated surviving throughout Ireland of the later communication for social, military and middle ages, there was another excellent economic purposes. Two research paper by Vicky McAlister of Trinity. students from Trinity – Erin Britton and In it she tried to determine to what extent Linda Shine – outlined important aspects changes in trading activity influenced the abandonment of the Irish tower house of their settlement research, in Kilkenny th and Cavan, and East Galway through the first half of the 17 century, respectively. Edel Bhreathnach of the also using Co. Down as a case study. As well as employing several historical Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute of sources in this quest she emphasised University College, Dublin spoke on the role of archaeology in determining research relating to two major projects, the shift. There were three more the long-standing Discovery ground-breaking papers by research Programme’s ‘Tara Project’ and the students in Trinity: Emma Arbuthnott, Heritage Council supported INSTAR who examined the historic landscapes research project ‘Mapping Death: surrounding ringwork castles in medieval boundaries, territories and people Leinster and Meath; Grace O’Keeffe, on st th in Ireland, 1 to 8 centuries AD’ changing fortunes and functions of the (see Newsletter 42), and considered Hospital of St John the Baptist belonging fertae burial of Lehinch, Co. Offaly. to the Crutched Friars; and Rebecca Wall, who tackled the complex issues of We then moved to another fascinating spatial integration and urbanisation, by presentation, by Rory Sherlock of the addressing conceptual problems and National University of Ireland, drawing on evidence from the kingdom Galway on the spatial attributes of Irish of the Déisi, roughly modern Co. tower-house halls, which vary widely. Waterford in south-eastern Ireland. The variation appears to derive from both the multi-faceted role of the tower Damian Shiels, of Headland Archaeology house in late medieval Irish society and Ltd, presented a paper on from the evolution of tower-house ‘Reconstructing Battlefield Landscapes’ architecture over time. He argued that in which he examined the historical and tower-house halls should not be archaeological merit of reconstructing examined in isolation, but should be battlefield landscapes and, through

3 examples such as the Battle of Kinsale in professionals, together with post- 1601, outlined the techniques employed graduate student posters, highlighted in such reconstruction. approaches to metalwork, sculpture, coinage, pottery and bone, and attracted Niall Brady of the Discovery Programme a large number of post-graduates and gave a presentation on the deserted academics from across the UK. medieval village of Castlemore, Co. Carlow, which can now be identified with In her introduction to the conference, the medieval manor of Forth. It is all too Helena Hamerow (University of Oxford) rare in Ireland to study a deserted village drew attention to the rise in academic in association with a run of manorial and interest in early medieval material culture borough accounts which, in this instance, over the last decade. Stimulated by a relate to the period 1279–80 to 1287–88 wealth of new data, as well as targeted when the manor was part of the larger research funding, the field is expanding estate of one of the great magnates of his dramatically, as demonstrated by the time, Roger IV Bigod (1245–1306), earl enthusiastic uptake in conference places. of Norfolk. An assemblage of small finds In ‘The difference that the PAS makes: has been collected from the ploughsoil, the theoretical benefits of using PAS and the range of pottery complements the data’, Helen Geake (University of late 13th-century insight into the manor’s /Portable Antiquities Scheme) investments and activities, which are explored how biases in artefact survival recorded in the accounts. The later and recovery create differences between pottery speaks to the manor’s decline PAS and conventionally recovered data. and abandonment. As predominantly accidental losses uncovered in rural areas, PAS artefacts Linda Doran of the Royal Society of help to ‘people’ the early medieval Antiquaries of Ireland surveyed water countryside; they expose differences and road transport in the Middle Ages between objects worn and used in in the Kingdom of Meath, where most everyday life, and those selected for journeys of any distance necessitated a formal deposition, for instance, in graves. combination of travel by road and water. Continuing the focus on small finds, The presence of the River Shannon, a Ellen Swift (University of Kent) gave a major inter-regional waterway, with the paper entitled ‘Interpreting Roman dress Slíghe Assail, an inter-regional roadway, accessories’. This questioned how site permits a persuasive consideration of this contexts and contexts of loss or journey in the region covered by modern deposition, in addition to the form, Co. Longford. Using the Petty Barony material and style of an artefact, th maps of the 17 century her paper influence our understanding of examined the evidence for medieval Roman-period finds. Discussion followed communication routes and associated on how such approaches could be applied settlements in this area, and the rise of to the early medieval period, and whether Gaelic Irish markets. I had the almost artefact assemblages could be used to hopeless task of attempting to sum up the define types of site. conference in a few short words, so I concentrated on the positive impact that In ‘Pottery and Early Medieval GIS systems would continue to have on Archaeology’, Ben Jervis (University medieval settlement studies in the future. of Southampton) warned against the It is hoped to publish the proceedings of exclusive use of pottery as a dating tool. this conference in the near future. Drawing on his research from Chichester, as well as previous work, Ben Terry Barry demonstrated that pottery could be used to elucidate a number of key themes in Early Medieval Finds from the British the early medieval period, including Isles: methodological and practical trade, mobility and social identity. approaches to material culture, Oxford, In part, this was due to the range of May 2010. The aim of this conference sophisticated analytical techniques, such was to explore current research in the as distribution and petrographic analysis, field of artefact studies. Presentations now available to researchers. The use of from academics, curators and finds scientific methodologies to open up new

4 lines of enquiry into existing material patronage, function and meaning of assemblages was a theme developed sculpture in the Middle Ages. further by Steve Ashby (University of York), in his paper ‘Craft. Design. In ‘Archaeologies of early medieval Technology. Three Perspectives for the coinage’, John Naylor (Ashmolean Study of Early Medieval Worked Bone Museum/PAS) argued that coinage, now Industry’. He showed how new a vast archaeological dataset, could be provenancing techniques are exposing studied from a number of different differences in the distribution patterns perspectives to illuminate trade, identity, of combs in elk, reindeer and red deer religion and political power. Symbols respectively. Compared with other employed on coinage could, for instance, stylistic criteria, this method helps to relate to contemporary Christian ideals establish previously unrecognised of Kingship and morality, posing patterns in the regional production and interesting questions about the contexts use of bone combs, highlighting, in turn, of coin production. John’s talk social and group identities. stimulated debate about current levels of engagement by non-numismatists with coin data, with experiences varying regionally. The final talk of the conference, by Gabor Thomas (University of Reading), also investigated Bone come from York (Ashby Type themes relating to a much expanded 8a), illustrated by Hayley Saul material dataset. In ‘PAS and peopling Later Anglo-Saxon England’ he indicated In ‘Developing approaches to finds how forms and styles of metalwork could research’ Jackie Keily (Museum of be studied to reveal cultural encounters. London) provided a history of research Drawing on native Anglo-Saxon within early medieval archaeology, metalwork, as well as items in examining how changes in post- Scandinavian and Continental styles, excavation finds analysis and publication his paper questioned how cultural in the 1970s and ‘80s motivated a shift allegiances, as expressed through dress, away from interpreting artefacts as mere shifted over time and place. David dating or typological tools, towards an Hinton (University of Southampton) increased understanding of their wider summed up proceedings, remarking that significance. She argued that material the dramatic increase in new finds, held in museum stores, particularly in the coupled with developments in scientific Museum of London, offered researchers and theoretical applications, would a rich and largely untapped resource for ensure an exciting and vibrant future for archaeological study, which could be early medieval finds research. Audio CDs used alongside the large corpus of of all the Conference papers are available grey literature. Aleksandra McClain through the conference organiser, Jane (University of York) gave a paper Kershaw (Randall MacIver Student in entitled ‘Moving beyond style: Archaeology, Queen’s College). Thanks methodological and theoretical to the Oxford Centre for Late Antiquity approaches to the archaeology of stone and the Institute of Archaeology, sculpture’. It examined how large-scale Oxford, for their financial support. studies of sculpture, incorporating landscape contexts and patterns of Jane Kershaw communication, could be harnessed [email protected] to reveal elite identities and power structures in Late Anglo-Saxon and ‘A House Such As Thieves Will Knock Anglo-Norman England. In examining At’. The Tower as Late Medieval Lordly stone sculpture from both before and Residence. School of History and Politics, after the Norman Conquest, Aleksandra University of Stirling. 19–20 June 2010. demonstrated intriguing continuities In 1581, William Forbes of Corse in in some forms of commemorative Aberdeenshire reputedly said (in the traditions, including the use of hogback aftermath of a raid), ‘I will build me such shapes and sword emblems. These, in a house as thieves will need to knock at turn, have much to reveal about the ere they enter’. This pithy and apposite

5 motivation for tower building was English magnates, as John Kenyon appropriated as the title for this recent showed. Its construction by William ap conference. Contributions ranged from Thomas and by his son, William Herbert western Ireland to central Poland, and evidently drew on French and Breton from the 12th to the 17th centuries. influences. Lammerside Castle in Cumbria is the subject of ongoing There was an impressive depth to research by Erik Matthews. The 14th- to the numerous Irish contributions, 15th-century gate tower was the focal particularly where they touched on the point of a manorial centre, but the reuse often understudied Gaelic Irish lordships. of the castle as a 16th- century hunting Rory Sherlock addressed the problematic retreat was revealed by a number of dating of late medieval Gaelic and modifications to the tower and the Anglo-Irish tower houses, and proposed surrounding landscape. Przemyslaw the promising hypothesis that there were Nocun’s fascinating account of the parallel developments on the east and tower of Siedlecin demonstrated Polish, west coasts. Gillian Eadie analysed tower German and Bohemian influences on houses in five study areas with regard the 14th-century Silesian duchy, but to uses of internal space, identifying Siedlecin’s mural paintings depicting considerable regional variation; there is Lancelot of the Lake are apparently greater evidence of defensive display in unique outside the Anglo-French world. Down and Galway, for example, whereas space within Limerick towers strongly The revival of Scottish castle studies was emphasised their use as loci of much in evidence. Charles McKean hospitality. Tom Finan reviewed the reinterpreted the chronologies of tower excavations of an intriguing 13th-century houses in the West March and Fife in a Gaelic bishop’s hall-house at wide-ranging paper, suggesting that we Kilteasheen, Co. Roscommon, set within could profitably re-examine many of an enclosure containing c.150 medieval the common assumptions made about burials. Niall Brady described the 15th- and 16th-century towers. Ewart Discovery Programme’s survey demonstrated that James IV’s tower at and excavations at Tulsk, also in Stirling was closely integrated into his Roscommon, which revealed that the contemporary palace block, now O’Conor castle built in 1406 was a concealed within James V’s palatial substantial tower house raised on a Renaissance residence. Gallagher long-occupied rath. Paul Naessens’ study reinterpreted the 16th-century north-west of the O’Flaherty tower houses of tower at Holyrood, suggesting that the western Galway demonstrated the wealth ‘burning’ of the palace in 1544 plainly did derived from the provision of services not involve this tower. Derek Alexander to Atlantic fisheries in the 15th–16th looked at two 14th-century island towers, centuries, revealing the vitality of Gaelic reinterpreting his excavations at Old lordship in areas of low agricultural Lochnaw in the light of Tabraham’s potential. celebrated work at Threave. His findings demonstrate that, despite the great social While contributions from elsewhere in differentiation of their builders, such sites Europe were limited in number, their could exhibit considerable similarity. quality was evident throughout. Joachim Richard Oram, inspired by a fortuitous Zeune assessed the vast number of find by 2008 Chateau Gaillard Bavarian towers that range from the participants, has reinterpreted the 11th–16th centuries, and great ‘perfected castellar construction’ of sophistication was much in evidence, as Doune. He found that this apparently the rare find of a hypocaust-like system late 14th-century residence was actually at Sulzberg (c.1130) demonstrated. Taco built within an earlier enceinte, and Herman’s paper on Dutch towers of the highlighted both the sophisticated 13th–14th centuries ranged across the arrangement of the accommodation and country, and showed how many were some remaining puzzles over the use of located adjacent to newly reclaimed land. internal space. Shannon Fraser’s paper The mid-15th century Yellow Tower of on the House of Muchall was read in Gwent at Raglan was the showpiece of her absence by Tom Addyman. This Welsh country squires who became ‘statement of fitness for rank’ was raised

6 on an earlier tower by the 1st Lord Fraser undertaken at Lejre up to the year 2006 prior to his ennobling by Charles I. The are published in Niles 2007. expansion and embellishment of this fine tower into a courtyard residence with John D. Niles outer courts and gardens was diligently [email protected] charted. Addyman’s own contribution reviewed a number of recent surveys and excavations at Scottish towers which reveal hitherto-unsuspected variety. To take two significant examples, the amount of medieval fabric within the 19th-century Brodick Castle is much greater than was suspected, and the confection of Craigevar has proven to have been not a de novo construction, but the rebuilding of a more prosaic tower house. The potential cross-fertilisation Amulet from Lejre, Roskilde Museum/ of ideas derived from this conference Ole Malling has been most rewarding, and it is encouraging to note that the organisers The Backrest Beasts of Óðinn from Lejre hope to repeat their success. The question of the identity of the occupant of the Lejre high chair has been John Malcolm, Historic Scotland mooted on the world wide web. Among [email protected] the features that help support an identification of that figure as Óðinn are NEWS & VIEWS the highly naturalistic birds perched on the armrests. These could well be Odin (Oðinn) from Lejre understood as Óðinn’s ravens, Huginn The round of excavations undertaken at and Muninn. In this context, it has also Lejre, Denmark, during 2008–09 has led been speculated that the two beast heads to the discovery of yet more buildings, on the backrest of the Lejre high chair including one 60m in length (making it could represent wolves. As is well known the largest yet known from Southern from the poem Grímnismál (verse 19) in Scandinavia during the first millennium). the Poetic Edda, Óðinn is the master of The discoveries will provoke renewed two wolves named Geri and Freki. Snorri interest in this Iron-Age and Viking-Age Sturluson likewise included and settlement complex. For the moment, expanded on this information in the interest has focused on one of the small Gylfaginning section of the Prose Edda, finds unearthed in 2009: an amulet, made and the names of both wolves also of silver with niello inlay, that appears appear in skaldic poetry as terms (heiti) to represent the god Odin (Old Norse with the generic sense “wolf” (Jesch 2002, Óðinn) enthroned on his high seat, 255). backed by a pair of beasts and flanked by a pair of ravens. A report on that object by Tom Christensen has appeared in the 2009 issue of ROMU, the annual journal of Roskilde Museum (pp 7–25). It includes over two dozen images showing the object and some items that help to contextualize it. For the convenience of persons without easy access to the journal (or a knowledge of Danish), an English summary, drafted by Carl Amulet from Lejre, rear view, Edlund Andersen and myself and Rune Knude/Zoomorgraphic accompanied by a selection of images, is posted at my personal website: http:// With this in mind, it may be worth www.english.wisc.edu/jdniles Reports recalling other possible Viking Age and studies relating to the excavations artistic representations of – if not

7 definitely Óðinn’s wolves – pairs of Center for Medieval & Renaissance wolves or wolf-like beasts. For example, Studies. Christensen has observed that the Silén, L 1983 ‘Några reflektioner armrests of the silver chair figurine from angående bilderna på Balingsta-stenen i Hedeby could be lions or perhaps wolves Uppland’, Fornvännen 78, 88–91. (2009, 10); the latter animal, at least, Vierck, H 2002 ‘Zwei Amulettbilder als might have been familiar locally to Zeugnisse des ausgehenden Heidentums Scandinavians. The Böksta rune-stone in Haithabu’, in Berichte über die (U855 in Uppland, Sweden) includes a Ausgrabungen in Haithabu 34: Das depiction of a spear-wielding man on archäologische Fundmaterial VII, horseback in the company of two dog- or Neumünster: Wacholtz, 9-67. wolf-like beasts and two birds. This was interpreted by Silén (1983, 90) as The Staffordshire Hoard; a response to representing Óðinn in the company of his the report by Mark Hall in the Society’s wolves Geri and Freki, as well as his Newsletter, 43: few recent archaeological ravens Huginn and Muninn. Of course, discoveries have given rise to so many as is so often the case with such rumours as the Staffordshire Anglo- pre-Christian Scandinavian artefacts, Saxon hoard but one ill-informed item interpretation is neither clear-cut nor even found its way into your recent Newsletter. Although several parish without controversy. For example, boundaries in the area do follow the Vierk interpreted the Hedeby chair as Roman Watling Street, which was then not Óðinn’s high-seat but a throne still in use, the ‘out-stepping parish functioning as a platform from which a boundary on which the field sits’, a völva (female witch) practices seiðr location suggested to have been of (magical arts). possible ritual significance, is that of the As for the Lejre figurine, it is by no West Midlands county, actually drawn means certain that the animals up only in 1974. This actually ran th represented were intended to be wolves. through the area of the 19 -century The beasts wear collars (or neck-rings), extra-parochial and later parish, suggesting domesticated animals, though coincidentally passing close to the perhaps Viking Age Scandinavians might find-spot. Enough said! have expected Óðinn to equip his wolves Della Hooke, University of Birmingham with collars or rings. It might have been no more than a desire for symmetry of Hornby Castle Fieldwork: 2010 Season. form that dictated the placement of two Hornby Castle near Bedale North beast heads on either side of the backrest Yorkshire was constructed in the late 13th of the Lejre figurine’s chair. Nevertheless, century on the site of an earlier structure the possibility that the Lejre chair dating back at least into the early 12th figurine might feature not only two century. It was substantially expanded ravens but additionally two wolves would into the courtyard castle seen today by provide further significant reasons to Sir John Conyers KG in the mid 15th identify its occupant as Óðinn. century before being further altered by William Lord Conyers at the turn of the Carl Edlund Anderson 15th/16th centuries with the construction [email protected] of the famous Hornby Portal(now in the Burrell Collection Glasgow). It References subsequently became the country house Christensen, T 2009 ‘Odin fra Lejre’, of the Earls of Holderness in the late ROMU, 7–25. 17th century, and then the Osborne Dukes Jesch, J 2002 The Scandinavians from the of Leeds in the late 18th century, when Vendel Period to the Tenth Century: significant refurbishment work took An Ethnographic Perspective, Studies in place, before being gutted and partially Historical Archaeoethnology 5, demolished in 1930 to pay the debts of Woodbridge: Boydell. the then owner the 11th Duke of Leeds. Niles, J 2007 Beowulf and Lejre, ed. with M. Osborn and featuring contributions The Architectural and Archaeological by T. Christensen, Tempe: Arizona Society of Durham and Northumberland

8 are currently engaged in an on-going ware and also items from further afield programme of fieldwork incorporating such as Saintonge ware and early building recording and excavation at the German stone wares. Some sherds retain site. The Post-Medieval aspects of the evidence of staining from their previous work have already been dealt with contents and a piece of a Humber ware elsewhere. Building recording so far has aquamanile in the form of a dragon has identified the remains of the Chapel also been retrieved from the ground gallery in the chamber below the former surface. Within the main excavation Great Hall documented as dating to the trench a number of medieval items late 1440s, together with a curious including sherds of Brill Boarstall ware arrangement of deliberately created voids pottery and two sherds of Florentine or resonance chambers within the drinking glass have been recovered as Great Hall wall to improve its acoustics, residual finds amongst the later material. a feature normally associated with However quite unexpectedly and below monastic sites. The exterior of the the later tipping, part of a formal garden surviving South Tower and South Wing layout in the form of a stone revetted retains elements of a scheme of heraldic raised bed has recently been uncovered. decoration advertising the piety of This has been dated by a sherd of Sir John Conyers, a major figure in the Scarborough ware pottery in the area region, together with his political behind together with a sherd of connections in the run up to the Wars Saintonge ware pottery from the of the Roses. construction cut to the mid 15th century. The discovery came as a considerable surprise in view of the relative distance from the Medieval castle but would be entirely consistent with some of the garden scenes from illuminated manuscripts such as ‘Les Tres Riches Heures’ which show the castle building as distant backdrop. Work continues to be on-going and new discoveries will be reported in due course. Erik Matthews rubyna.matthews@ Heraldic scheme of decoration on the btinternet.com South Tower, Hornby Castle SOCIETY NEWS The excavation which has been focussed on the area of the former Country House Annual General Meeting tip has identified a number of features The Society’s AGM will take place on from the original castle building which Monday 6th December at the Institute of were stripped out and tipped during the Archaeology, UCL, 6pm, followed by the mid 18th century refurbishment by John Annual Lecture to be given by our Carr and “Athenian” Stuart for the 4th president, Leslie Webster, entitled Fecit Earl of Holderness. These have included or Fake it? Anglo-Saxon Forgeries, quantities of dressed stone and roof tile ancient and modern. The faking of Anglo- of medieval origin, a frame for a Saxon antiquities has had a long, and or wall hanging and most notably a sometimes surprising, history. Not all wrought iron weather vane which imitations were made to deceive, though formally stood on a turret or belvedere to some innocent ones have done – and not the rear of the Great Hall incorporating all deliberate forgeries were made for a Conyers heraldic shield as a monetary gain. counterweight. Elsewhere within the area At a time when the faking of Anglo- of tipping there are significant quantities Saxon artefacts appears to have been of pottery dating to the mid to late enjoying a revival, this lecture will review 15th century appearing as surface scatter. the history of such forgeries, ancient and These include local fabrics such as modern, with case studies of some of the Brandsby, Scarborough and Humber bolder examples, and an examination of

9 the contexts in which they were can be found in the CSG Journal edited conceived. Cave emptor! and produced by Neil Guy (latest vol. 23), and by visiting www. Please note: the venue for the AGM has castlestudiesgroup.org.uk, where changed since the last Newsletter. It will members of the committee can be be at the Institute of Archaeology, UCL, contacted by email. Castle-related 31–34 Gordon Square, London WC1H publications for the year are listed and 0PY. reviewed in CSG Bibliography No. 21, compiled by John Kenyon. An interim Website : Readers may be aware that the Newsletter was also distributed in Society’s website is being overhauled for August, edited and compiled by Peter the better. Amanda Forster has been Burton. steering the revamp, which we hope will make for a more user-friendly interface and provide you with up-to-date info on Society news and events. We would be delighted to receive your comments to: [email protected] Feedback: We are still keen to hear comments and feedback on your membership of the Society, and of its journal, publications and events. Please visit the Society website to access the feedback form.

SPECIALIST GROUP REPORTS, 2009

Castle Studies Group (CSG) In April 2009 the 23rd AGM and Annual Conference of the CSG took place in The CSG visiting Adare Castle, Co. Limerick. The conference, with the theme Limerick Castles of North Munster, was organised by Brian Hodkinson and Kevin O’Brien. Readers are reminded that undergraduate The introductory lecture by Denis Power and postgraduate students who are was on the castles of Co. Limerick, and writing dissertations or theses on a Ken Wiggins presented on the 1642 Siege castle-related theme may apply to attend of King John’s Castle, Limerick. The the Annual Conference at half price. The itinerary included King John’s Castle, CSG also awards small grants to group Beal Boru ringwork, Lisbunny Hall projects on castle research. Details of House, the bawn at Ballingarry, tower these awards and application forms can houses at Lackeen and Bunratty, the be found on the CSG website or by Desmond Hall and tower at Askeaton, contacting the Hon. Sec. great towers at Adare and Nenagh, Shanid motte and bailey as well as other Pamela Marshall sites at Clonshire, Carrigogunnell, CSG Hon. Secretary:. Mylnmede, Moor Newcastlewest, and Quin (where the Lane, Potterhanworth, Lincoln LN4 castle is largely hidden under a late 2DZ, UK medieval Franciscan friary). The E-mail: secretary@castlestudiesgroup. speakers at the sites were Tom McNeill org.uk and Dan Tietzsch-Tyler as well as Kevin CSG Website: www.castlestudiesgroup. and Brian. CSG would like to thank the org.uk OPW for facilitating visits, especially Askeaton, which was closed to the public Finds Research Group (FRG) for conservation, and the various This year’s meetings of the FRG were landowners who let us onto their sites. on very different themes. The first in Sheffield explored 19th- and 20th-century Details of CSG activities, members’ finds, while in Lincoln we celebrated interests and updates on castle research irons from their production to uses.

10 (i) Finding the Familiar: dealing with period and its importance in artefacts of the Modern Age was held understanding a local past. on 9 May and hosted by ARCUS in Sheffield. The workshop was intended to The final session of the day featured a provide researchers with an introduction discussion chaired by Sarah May of to the material culture of the more recent English Heritage, which explored the past, particularly those of the 19th and possibilities of setting up a research early 20th centuries. Artefacts of the last group for the material culture of the couple of centuries have not traditionally modern period. During this, it became been an area of interest, but the growing clear that a group encompassing all quantities of material culture being aspects of modern archaeology – excavated and kept – particularly from buildings, finds, and technology – was urban sites – are forcing archaeologists to needed due to the increasing number of pay closer attention. The workshop was excavations and surveys focussing on the attended by an encouraging number of more recent past. It was suggested that a people from a broad spectrum of list be made up of groups and individuals archaeological and historical interests. with relevant specialisms, so that they can be contacted as a point of reference, The day began with a number of short, and the development of an online forum thought-provoking presentations, for this purpose was proposed. It was commencing with Alasdair Brooks, largely agreed that, in the first instance, Leicester University, who used a case the new group should be developed under study on 18th- and 19th-century pottery the auspices of the already-established recovered from Huntingdon, Cambs., to FRG. reveal the gap in knowledge of material culture of this date in British archaeology If you would like to join the ‘Finding the compared to Australia and North Familiar’ JISCmail mailing list or would America, which is ironic since much of like more information about events, the material culture was manufactured in contact Julie Cassidy, Finds Liaison the UK. This gap in knowledge was also Officer (Northamptonshire), email: highlighted by Linzi Harvey of ARCUS jucassidy@ northamptonshire.gov.uk, or and Märit Gaimster of Pre-Construct Dr Alasdair Brooks, Teaching Fellow in Archaeology. Both spoke from the point Historical Archaeology, University of of view of commercial post-excavation Leicester, email: [email protected] and highlighted the fact that there are Julie Cassidy many types of more modern artefacts that researchers sometimes struggle (ii) A Celebration of Irons: their to recognise. Due to the lack of production and uses was hosted by archaeological publications for this type The Collection, Art and Archaeology in of artefact, they often have to look to the Lincolnshire, on Saturday 24 October. internet for the websites of amateur The conference aimed to provide an enthusiasts. Lance Mytton spoke on the introduction to iron, covering its history of bottle manufacture from a manufacture, the various properties of collector’s perspective; Eddie Birch of the different irons and how they were used Historical Metallurgical Society functionally and aesthetically between introduced the workshop to the National AD 700-1700. Slag Collection housed at Ironbridge, The morning covered the manufacturing which holds samples from over 200 sites; processes from smelting to the primary Joan Unwin, archivist for the Company smithing of iron bars and the afternoon of Cutlers in Hallamshire, discussed the considered how the bars were turned use of bone in Sheffield’s once-thriving into artefacts, utilising the individual cutlery industry, while Oliver Jessop, properties of the different types of iron, ARCUS, highlighted problems of archive for specific functions and appearance. storage and curation in commercial The lunch time video of Jake Keen archaeology. Pauline Webb, undertaking a smelt in a bloomery Manchester’s Science and Industry furnace was followed by a demonstration Museum, spoke about museums by Hector Cole (Master of the specialising in material from the modern Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths)

11 using his portable medieval hearth, who from corrosion over the last 20 years, smithed iron from a bloom produced by which have reduced the material Jake Keen. While we watched Hector available for study. create first an arrowhead and then a Kate Sumnall whittle-tanged knife using his wooden hearth, he explained the hearth was lined The FRG Datasheet 41 ‘Cast with clay to prevent it from burning. It -alloy cooking vessels’ by was fascinating to watch him work and Roderick Butler, Christopher Green and interesting to observe that very little Naomi Payne was published in 2009, archaeological evidence, apart from edited by Steve Ashby. Copies of the hammerscale, would have been left Datasheet and Datasheet Books I and II behind from his activities. In addition, are available from Katey Goodwin, Four there were displays of Hector’s Winds, 8 St Anne’s Vale, Brown Edge, pattern-welded knives, swords and Staffordshire ST6 8TA. Details of prices spearheads, x-rays and corroded iron and p&p are available from Katey, objects to highlight the importance of email: jandkgoodwin@ talktalk.net, or x-raying, plus some examples of different see our website. types of slag. Annual membership of the FRG costs £6 (£10 or €15 for overseas members), for which members receive two mailings a year and are invited to attend two (usually free) day conferences. Datasheets are sent out free to members. The Group is in a healthy financial position and membership is currently around 400.

Hector Cole and his portable wooden Jane Cowgill forge. (Images © Robbie Bean) Hon. Secretary: 25 Main Street, South Rauceby, Sleaford, Lincolnshire NG34 Gerry McDonnell reviewed the processes 8QG. involved in iron production; the different E-mail: [email protected]. alloys, the importance of iron within FRG Website: www. societies and the potential of findsresearchgroup700-1700.org.uk archaeological analysis. Sarah Paynter discussed in more detail the smelting of Medieval Pottery Research Group iron using the bloomery process, covering (MPRG) In June the MPRG met at the the chemical processes involved and headquarters of the British Geological detailing the differences between the Survey near Nottingham for its one-day different furnaces and the archaeological conference and AGM. Science and evidence for them. Peter King gave a Ceramics: Recent developments in analysis thorough consideration of the early and interpretation was dedicated to the Post-medieval iron-making processes. memory of Alan Vince and featured a wide range of papers covering The afternoon session shifted focus to developments in ICP, microanalysis, finished artefacts. Eleanor spoke on the TL and C14 dating as well as papers different irons used in the production of investigating post-medieval slipwares, Saxon knives, and the techniques used by Icelandic pottery, Roman foodways and iron smiths, such as heat treatments, ceramic fragmentation. It was good to revealed by her metallographic analysis. see the event attended by so many. Hector Cole explained the process of pattern-welding and handed round Looking back over the year events seem some of his own fine examples for close to have been dominated by the passing inspection. Dave Starley spoke about away of notable stalwarts of the Group; Saxon weapons; drawing on his study of we were all shocked to hear of the death spearheads, he considered the different of Sarah Jennings last September, meanings of weapons in graves. He followed by the sad news of Walter regretted the loss of stored iron artefacts Davey’s death in January. Many

12 members were in attendance at both Work is progressing well: a resource funerals. Wally had been a supporter of assessment has been undertaken to the MPRG from its earliest days as well identify published works, internet and as being a founding member of the other resources – this is ongoing and will SPMA; Sarah had been a long time and be added to, using information collected active supporter of the Group, for a time during regional meetings and through a as Secretary and as a champion for questionnaire. ceramic studies through her work at English Heritage. So far there have been 48 responses to a questionnaire aimed at those working on or with an interest in post-Roman ceramics and the deadline for returns has been extended to the end of July in the hope that more people will contribute. Mini surveys aimed at journals, contracting units, local government archaeologists, museums and universities have also been circulated with good response rates for most. A round of consultation meetings in England, The MPRG at its CPD day on pottery Scotland and Wales will take place in production June and July 2010. These will discuss and prioritise objectives for each region In February the MPRG held a joint and for the group as a whole. The first of conference with the Society for Medieval these, covering London and South East Archaeology – Things Medieval: A and South Central, took place in London conference in tribute to Alan Vince. This in June. Once the consultation meetings was very well attended and proved an are finished, a document will be produced excellent opportunity for Alan’s friends incorporating the information gathered. and colleagues to pay tribute to his work. This will be circulated and a single It was especially pleasing to have Alan’s consultation meeting to discuss it will be family attend a day that featured the held in London. presentation of a range of superb papers focusing on trade, towns and pottery that A dedicated ‘wiki’ website has been showcased Alan’s contribution to the created for the project http://mprg. profession so well. The conference raised wikispaces.com/ The format was chosen £526 which was donated to the St. as it allows data to be added quickly and Barnabas Day Hospice in Lincoln. easily. This is constantly being updated Thanks should be given to Duncan and contains details of the research, Brown for his work to make the event meetings and the questionnaire. such an excellent day. The work to 2010 saw the completion of the latest safeguard Alan Vince’s Archive has been round of professional training days completed – many thanks to Anne Boyle, organised by the Group. These were Jane Young and Kate Steane for their generously supported by English work on this and to English Heritage for Heritage and were focused on developing funding the work. Alan’s thin sections the skills and knowledge base of are now lodged with the professional ceramic specialists working and his digital archive is with ADS, with medieval ceramics. This year the where it should hopefully be available online soon. two-day workshops have covered: ceramic fabrics, the technology of pottery English Heritage has agreed to fund production and medieval imports The the work required to carry out the new courses were very well attended and were MPRG Research Strategy and Agenda. a credit to Victoria Bryant and Sarah The aim of this project is to reassess the Jennings who did much of the hard work state of medieval pottery studies since to organise them. 1994 and the publication of Medieval Ceramic Studies in England; A Review for The John Hurst Travel Fund was English Heritage by Maureen Mellor. awarded a grant to Rebecca Bridgman

13 in order to allow her to travel to Ca’ The MSRG Spring meeting was held at Foscari University in Venice to present Leicester on the 4–5 April on the theme two papers on her doctoral research into of ‘Monks in the Midlands. Medieval Almohad pottery in south-west Iberia at Monasteries in Town and landscape in the IX Congresso Internazionale sulla the Midlands’, organised by Deirdre Ceramica Medievale nel Mediterraneo. O’Sullivan and Neil Christie (University The Fund honours the contribution of Leicester). It was well attended and made by John Hurst to the study of received; nine excellent papers were medieval and post-medieval pottery in presented, exploring recent the UK and Europe. It offers travel archaeological and documentary grants of up to £200 each to MPRG investigations and analyses on sites and members who need financial support settings. Case studies of urban abbeys to carry out their research. Grants are and friaries were on Leicester, Coventry awarded annually; the next closing date and Chester; and of rural seats, cells and for applications is 23 March 2011. priories, papers centred on Barlings, Bordesley, Coton, Thorney and Volume 30 of the Group’s journal Lincolnshire; we were also highly Medieval Ceramics was published in June appreciative of the summing-up by James 2009 and was a double volume, meaning Bond. Excellent weather blessed the that the cover date and contents of the Sunday fieldtrip which included site visits journal now reflects the previous year’s to Grace Dieu and Breedon-on-the-Hill; conference. This bumper issue featured we were grateful to Pete Liddle for his three papers on pottery production sites very knowledgeable guiding on the day. from Northern England and Scotland, on the cargo of a ship wreck in the Mediterranean, and on how we can use ceramic evidence to tell us about people who were using it in their everyday lives (surely our raison d’être as a Group); there were also excellent reports on assemblages from Flanders, Portugal and the medieval Mudéjar ceramics from Paterna, Spain. The Group is in a secure financial position and membership remains healthy at around 300 members. The View of the early medieval and medieval coming year will see the MPRG develop church (and former abbey) of St Mary and St Hardulph at Breedon-on-the-Hill a Strategy document in order help set out in Leicestershire the Committee’s work for the coming few years; hopefully they will all be as The Group’s Winter Seminar was held on productive as this year. 12 December at the Institute of Historical Andrew Sage Research, University of London, and was MPRG Hon. Secretary: 23 Mill Plat organised by Chris Thornton on the Avenue, Isleworth, Middx, TW7 6RD theme of ‘Marshland Landscapes, Settlement and Economy’. Papers E-mail: [email protected]. presented explored Pre-Domesday uk farming on the Thames (Ros Faith); MPRG website: http://www. Early medieval fish weirs in Britain and medievalpottery. org.uk/ Ireland (Aidan O’Sullivan); Medieval Medieval Settlement Research Group reclamation and settlement on Romney (MSRG) The MSRG continues to be Marsh (Luke Barber); Late medieval proactive in its activities, offering flooding of the Thames marshes informative conferences and seminars, (Jim Galloway). and promoting fieldwork and student As a follow-up, the 2010 theme is on input. medieval bridges and rivers – the event to be held in Leicester on Saturday, 4 December.

14 Core to the 89-page volume 23 of the GRANTS AND AWARDS MSRG journal – now renamed as Medieval Settlement Research – published A grant of £233 was received in 2010 in October 2009, were a set of research from the Eric Fletcher Fund to aid papers exploring a series of topical research which aims to expose the themes, such as Anglo-Saxon reuse of visualist bias inherent in traditional prehistoric monuments (Vicky Crewe), studies of the art and architecture of estates and landscape control (papers by medieval pilgrim churches and their Ros Faith and by Angus Winchester, visitors, and to establish an alternative exploring NW England), and sensory and social perspective on them as synth-aesthetic experiences created for archaeologies of occupied medieval rural and by a diverse range of ritual sites (John Thomas, considering Leics. participants. The grant was used to Carenza Lewis and Rutland; and on the attend the ‘Looking Like: Mimesis/ HEFA CORS project results); and Imitatio in the Art and Architecture of outside of UK landscapes, two papers the Middle Ages’ conference at the offered summaries of recent research in Courtauld Institute of Art on the 1 Boeotia, Greece (Athanasios Vionis) and March. Additionally, it supported Sweden (Eva Svensson et al). We are keen attendance and participation at the to expand the coverage of the journal and International Medieval Congress Leeds, to encourage debate and thus want to 12–15 July, where the paper entitled ‘The encourage potential contributors of Monumental and the Private: the sensory research papers especially to contact the experience of medieval devotional space’ editor, Dr Sam Turner (sam.turner@ was presented. ncl.ac.uk) with their ideas and proposals. The topics discussed at the Courtauld For the John Hurst MA Dissertation conference were particularly significant Prize for 2009, there was a joint award of to further understand whether specific the prize shared between Patrick Gleeson models were drawn upon in the and Niamh Arthur (respectively from formation of the styles and designs of MA programmes at the University of the architectural and decorative cycles of York and University College Dublin), the medieval church. Particular themes each of whom had written on Irish discussed included two papers on the themes (early medieval kingship and concept of mimesis as evoking and landscape; and the nature and placing of creating the sanctity of the artistic Viking Longphorts), and summaries of elements of portable devotional objects these dissertations will be included in this such as reliquaries and the surrounding year’s journal. space, and how these developed throughout the middle ages, thus, The Group initiated student imitating significant artefacts of the past membership – at a mere £6 per annum in order to construct and establish a (half the cost of full membership) this is sanctity in them. a bargain to MA and PhD students The paper presented at the IMC pursuing work in the fields explored by contributed to a discussion of how the MSRG. Please see the website for the medieval saints’ cults were represented membership form. As well as a copy of and promoted by powerful visual and the journal, members are eligible to apply literary propaganda, much of which for fieldwork grants and conference adorned the church in which the cults bursaries – see details in the journal of were situated. The particular focus of how to apply to the various awards. my paper was to show the importance of sensory experience and bodily Neil Christie participation in the divine during the MSRG Hon. Secretary: School of medieval period, and how this was Archaeology & Ancient History, reflected in the architectural and visual University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 structure of a saintly site, by comparing 7RH York Minster and Canterbury Cathedral E-mail: [email protected] primarily, illustrating the importance of MSRG website: http://www.britarch.ac. the multi-sensory involvement in the uk/msrg/ corporeal experience of such locations.

15 This led me to another session on the The Middle Ages are everywhere following day which examined the role presented as so clean! Even in my day we and use of graffiti in the medieval church. could not put guttering oil-lights into the After discussion with the presenters cases, and it was not easy to let a bit of (Becky Williams and Jenny Alexander), dust build up inside them because we had it was brought to my attention how very efficient and sometimes frightening important graffiti was as an output of the ladies in the galleries who kept the ‘sensorial’ experience of medieval outsides spotless, and expected the devotion and, consequently, the topic is curators to keep the insides respectable. to become a significant consideration of But the displays were our responsibility; my own research. Miss Williams and no designers told us where to put things I are currently in discussion about or how many words we were allowed on amalgamating our research topics by labels. Some of us might be a bit quirky chairing a session at the IMC in 2011 on and a few went strange – hoarding the the subject of interactive worship. best objects in your office was often the first sign that it was time to go – but a bit Emma Jane Wells, Durham University of individuality did not hurt.

For information on how to apply for a Designers are not all bad. The new Society grant/award, see our website displays in the medieval rooms in the www.medievalarchaeology.co.uk/ Victoria and Albert Museum look wonderful, and I was very impressed by awards.htm the religious procession led by a wooden donkey. What’s more, a lot of the objects MEDIA AND EXHIBITION are clearly visible; the Gloucester candlestick, for instance, stands in a Medievalism Engalleried pillar case of its own, close enough to the When I worked at the Ashmolean glass for the detail on all four sides to be Museum, Oxford, in the late 1960s, viewed comfortably. Some of the other ‘career development’ did not exist. My things are a bit too far back, but in formal training consisted of the Keeper general even with my eye-sight I found telling me one day after I had been there little to complain about. for a couple of years to go and look at the medieval objects in the Museum of The Royal Cup in the British London. It was the new displays there Museum has never looked better either. that I focused on, though; the rat’s tail Spot-lights make the enamels glow, and disappearing into the reeds on the again a free-standing case means that all floor of a medieval kitchen was more four sides can be seen. Its labelling is informative about household conditions good also, with pictures to show which than any number of pots on a glass shelf. scene is which. The new later medieval I collected some charred wood from a gallery (sponsored by Paul and Jill bonfire, spread it on the floor of a case in Ruddock, who also sponsored some the Ashmolean, and sat a cooking-pot in of the V and A galleries, as did other the middle. It wasn’t the best replica of a members of their family) has been hearth that you would ever have seen, restored so that much of the lighting is and I did not have a rat to hand, but day-light from the roof lantern; spots I thought it served its purpose. then emphasize things that might otherwise be missed, such as the details of You won’t see anything like that hearth the Lewis Priory sculptures. Some of the in any of the four new medieval galleries cases are a bit empty, and purists might that have opened in the last couple of object to floor-tiles being wall-mounted, years. Even the Museum of London now but at least they are on display. What is sits its cooking-pot on glazed tiles, a not on display is much sign of the dubious association, and the kitchen peasantry: no cooking-pots, no dirt. display has lost its rat’s tail; two Some enamelled soda-glass is beautifully incongruously clean toy mice sit in the presented, but no flaking Forest potash case instead. A wood-pigeon and a rabbit urinal gets in. have survived, but they look a trifle embarrassed to be in such sanitized The earlier medieval gallery in the BM, surroundings. including the display, looks a

16 trifle dowdy by comparison, but that is the panels on a reredos in front of you is the price of being comprehensive. There splendid. The Ashmolean has such things are no empty spaces, except high up in the popular conservation display, but where a large photo of the ship could be not in the medieval gallery. But I must used to advantage. Furthermore, the stop calling it that, as it contains some of labelling is informative. the knick-knacks attributed to Tudor royals, and a bust of Henry VIII stands The Museum of London’s revamp has guard over the Alfred Jewel. Further- included its early medieval collection. It more, some medieval objects are in other includes a replica of an everyday timber galleries, so you have to hunt round to building, inhabited by a story-teller when find the Bodleian Bowl and a few other I visited; it’s comforting to know that things of note. One, the Odda stone with the next generation of well brought up its Latin inscription, would have been children will still know how Alfred burnt better in the ‘Reading and Writing’ the cakes, but sad that only in that display accompanying the Scandinavian museum will they get any idea of what runestone there, rather than cramped up medieval buildings were like. The Alfred on the floor behind the Alfred Jewel tale was the only thing not directly to do where it is liable to get kicked. with London that I experienced, for the displays focus on the city though the I am fairly sure that the first sentence on ages. So it is good to see the Floral Street the label with the Alfred Jewel is also the composite gold and garnet disc brooch first sentence in the Handbook that I presented in the context of the rewrote for the Museum a couple of development of the wic, not just as an art years ago – the ‘probably’ in it is sadly object. The V and A has one from characteristic. There is no reference to Milton; not much is made of its the Handbook on the label, however, significance, but it is admirably clear to which is the first Great Lack in all four view in detail, even the tiny garnet chips displays – only once, in the BM, did I see in the outer circumference. any hint of where further information could be obtained, and that was a The ‘pair’ to the V and A’s brooch is in reference to Kevin Leahy’s Anglo-Saxon the Ashmolean, though you won’t see Crafts, not in the new gallery, but the old much beyond the outline in the murky one, which was also the only place where desk-case that it is in. Whoever put the I saw a drawing being used to clarify Ashmolean display together should have detail. The second Great Lack therefore been given the training that I was. The is that all the work that goes into Museum of London has a very good archaeological illustration is not put to technique for showing a large number of effect; there is no point in asking on a small things, by mounting them on label if the visitor can see an animal if vertical perspex sheets placed close to the you do not offer a guide to how to show-case glass so that the objects can be answer. seen properly, while larger things like pots are further back, the view of them That question is in the Ashmolean; who little impeded by the perspex. is it aimed at? Indeed, who is the whole display aimed at? It is a University Perspex did not exist in my time, but museum, but it is now quite unsuited to magnifying did, and it is a pity university teaching. Far too much space that none of the four new displays makes is wasted, with a vast time-line, blown-up much use of them – the reflecting lens images, and a map of early medieval from an old microscope can do an migrations, something that the last excellent job of showing the back of a twenty years’ research has shown to be small object. Other new technology is impossibly simplistic to do with arrows in used sparingly; the Museum of London a single monochrome. This one has the has a few touch-screens, and a video Saxons making a short crossing from presentation about the Black Death, the Low Countries to East Anglia, which is not too intrusive. The V and A presumably narrowly avoiding ships has audio loops, most of which give laden with Jutes heading for the Thames general background, but the one that estuary, while the Lombards travelled allows you to sit down and learn about direct from modern Sweden to Italy, not

17 from the River Elbe region via Hungary. objects in their collections. Most of what One cremation urn and a very small is for sale is expensive, like the Museum selection of grave goods is not enough of London catalogues; even the even for today’s undergraduate students, Ashmolean Handbooks are £8 or so. and for the later period only two pots are Ironically, it is new technology allied to shown, both glazed jugs; there are other one of the oldest that could be the way pots in other galleries, but nothing to forward, for colour xeroxing means that indicate that most medieval pots were an attractive, illustrated A4 sheet of unglazed, and with labels that draw paper can offer a lot more information attention to their crudity, not to their than a label, in a format that is much economic or social significance. easier to read and absorb, if not in front of the object, then over a cup of coffee in Labelling is an ‘issue’; how many people one of those museum cafés that are so look at them? How well I recall the first ubiquitous; the Museum of London has day of a new exhibition for which I had one sponsored by the Sackler family, and spent many hours devising labels that as they also sponsored the new library for told the world all that it could possibly art and archaeology in Oxford that freed want to know about each object. I hung up rooms in the Ashmolean, they must about in the gallery with bated breath to approve of reading as well as coffee- hear visitors’ reactions. The first two drinking. Anyway, a 20p donation more came in, looked at something, one asked than covers the cost of an A4 sheet of ‘What’s that?’, and the other replied ‘I paper – no need to go through the tills in don’t know’. They then passed on, my the shop, just a donation box in the label which would have answered that gallery, alongside the sheets. Who would question in such loving detail completely not give 20p to learn more about the disregarded. So my third Great Lack is , or to have as a souvenir of not just lack of information, though all the Fishpool hoard? A few people might four museums are not overwhelmed with omit to donate, but some would be more its supply, but about the means of generous. Perhaps the fourth Great Lack communicating it. is time; modern collections managers do not have a lot of it. But here a solution is Some information needs to be aimed at to hand. The world has suddenly become children like those who will in due course awash with retired curators of medieval pass on the folklore of Alfred and the collections. What pleasanter way of cakes. Here I think is the fourth Great spending retirement than idling away a Lack, of show-cases that go down to few hours on a leaflet that might floor level; it was in the bottom of one enlighten all those hundreds of people of those that I was able to construct my asking ‘What’s that?’ who still do not hearth all those years ago, and parties of spot the label to tell them the answer. school-children sat on the floor around it doing their drawings and listening to David A. Hinton stories about King Alfred – or am I maudlin? Anyway, children are probably Return of the Hoodie: re-imagining Robin not allowed to sit on floors nowadays, Hood for the 21st century but a few things at their head levels As a rule archaeology does not seek to would save them craning their necks all approach the individual but this is the time, and older people can look changing – the application of the cultural down. You can get more into a tall case, biography approach to archaeology does and even if the things at the bottom are require an attempt to wrestle with not Great Art, they are at least on individual as well as social agency and display. the recent triple exhibition programme at the British Museum (presenting, Children nowadays expect to get their separately Hadrian, Montezuma and information from new technology; video Shah Abbas) focussed on three ‘great loops, audio trails and touch-screens are men of history’, presenting them as men all well and good, however, but expensive of their times and with a rich material to set up and maintain, and they take up culture evidence base. Both embolden me space. All the museums have bookshops, to focus this column on a fictional/ but little in them is specifically about fictionalised character, Robin Hood: he

18 is hugely important to the imaginative of Tony Lee (text), Sam Hart understanding of the Middle Ages and (illustrations) and Artur Fujita has been the subject of three recent (colourist) and of the three retellings of his story, in novel, in graphic re-configurations reviewed here is novel (or comic book), both published in perhaps the most narratively sharp, 2009, and in film, released in 2010. punchy and morally direct. It commences in 1180 with a prologue episode in which The novel, Hodd, by Adam Thorpe, a young Robin witnesses the execution adopts the well-constructed conceit of of an outlaw which psychologically being a lost medieval manuscript (rescued determines his future as a heroic outlaw. from a ruined church on the Somme) The main tale picks up in 1192 with written by a monk. Following WWI, Robin’s return from the Crusades to take amateur scholar Francis Belloes, on the Sheriff of Nottingham, with a plot prepares a full scholarly edition but this that veers little from that of the film, The never appears because a fire destroys Adventures of Robin Hood. It comes with Belloes’ home and the original a coda written by Allen Wright, tracing manuscript. The novel therefore takes the the biography of the character of Robin form of the rediscovered transcription of down to our own times (see also his the original, complete with emendations, website www.boldoutlaw.com). Wright omissions and scholarly footnotes. The has also been the adviser to several recent title though is something of a misnomer film adaptations (the others still in the as Hodd, here a former priest branded as pipeline). The graphic novel has some a heretic who sets up his outlaw band in interesting by-ways of re-imagined the wooded waste near Doncaster, is only material culture. The range of artefacts a significant supporting character. The depicted in the comic book includes main character is the medieval author, a several gold coins. One might describe novice monk captured and forced to join them as fantasy pieces, a term used by the outlaw band where he is immersed in Wren (1992, 70) to describe those the blood-letting and thievery before invented coins of the 18th and 19th making his escape 6 years later, returning centuries, made to fill the perceived gaps to the cloistered life, to make amends. in the English coinage series – a gap that We do not learn his real name, as he collectors needed to fill. The graphic writes his story 80 years later in Whitby novel only shows the reverse of its gold Abbey, but his outlaw-fellows christen coin – bearing a design of a voided short him, Moche (i.e. Much, the miller’s son). cross with 4 pellets in each quarter and Unlikely to become Hollywood-fodder, it the inscription, ABEL ON LUNDE, is a complex, intelligently written tale but certainly not a merry one. It is very much ‘Abel of/at London’; Abel the moneyer is about the medieval period as dark, dank known to have minted short cross silver and pain-ridden and apart from the penny types spanning the years 1204– occasional fart-gag is totally bereft of 1242 (C R Wren, 1992 The Short-Cross humour further confirming its bleak Coinage 1180–1247, 51–62). He is thus tone. Though there is a distant echo of an inappropriate choice for a moneyer enforced cross-dressing recalling The working in the early 1190s (the novel is Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), there is set in 1192) but a clear signal from the far less heroic derring-do than a sense of authors that they are inventing. The gold Heart of Darkness / Apocalypse Now is another invention – later medieval gold transposed to a medieval setting, with coins begin with the penny of Henry III, Hodd the Kurtz character and Moche the issued 1251–72 and carrying the reverse Willard character. Other influences are inscription WILEM ON LVND[EN] deftly woven in including The Canterbury with a voided long cross and a rose Tales, Narziss and Goldmund and between 3 pellets in each angle of the Anchoress (the 1993 film based on the life cross. of the anchorite Christina, the original Every decade since cinema began has source for which is also referred to in seen at least one Robin Hood film Hodd). adaptation (e.g. see D. Turner, 1989 The comic book, Outlaw The Legend of Robin Hood of the Movies). The earliest is Robin Hood A Graphic Novel, is the work probably Robin Hood and his Merry Men

19 (1908). The 1990s saw three – Robin (especially Cate Blanchett as Marian) Hood (1991), which benefited from a and a brief addition to the cultural perceptive sense of language, character biography of the Bayeux Tapestry it is and location, Robin Hood Prince of fairly hard going thanks to a script and Thieves (1991), notorious for its wilful, treatment that is far too earnest and US audience-need dominated, ignorance down-beat and with overly complicated of geography and landscape and which in political sub-text. Its lack of humour is large part prompted the delightful, surprising given it is scripted by Brian satirical, savage riposte from Mel Brooks Helgeland, who gave us the very funny Robin Hood Men in Tights (1993). This A Knight’s Tale (2001). It also has a series new version of the Hoodie is actually the of banal flaws – Nottingham as a village third this decade. In Shrek (US 2001) (a look, complete with stone crosses, Robin and his merry men appear as a echoing Sword of Sherwood Forest [1960]) group of ambushing French brigands whose parish priest is the mead-making with an eye for the ladies and a catchy Friar Tuck (a wacky idea lifted from . . . rap. Here Robin is very much a fairytale Beyond Sherwood Forest), the cremation character in a film that adopts a of a nobleman in the 13th century, the Revisionist stance on fairytales and presence of the White Horse of Kilburn creates a fairytale world with a decidedly and a French invasion using wooden medieval hue. 2009 saw the release of the troop landing craft straight out of Canadian-made Robin Hood Beyond D-Day. When confronted by the latter Sherwood Forest, which is awful beyond I felt a renaming of the film coming on, words not least because it adds a Ye Olde Saving Private Ryan – it is were-dragon and very dodgy special symptomatic of how the film lazily fills effects into the equation. its imagination gap by a scatter-gun of film references including The Da Vinci In the 2010 version Russell Crowe Code, National Treasure, Peter Pan, Lord assumes the “Antipodean” mantle worn of the Rings, Braveheart, The Lion in so triumphantly by Errol Flynn in The Winter and The Return of Martin Guerre. Adventures of Robin Hood, and reunites The film ends with the treacherous King him with director Ridley Scott who used John declaring Robin an outlaw and he, him so skilfully in Gladiator. The film is Marian and company take to Sherwood Scott’s third foray into matters medieval Forest. I doubt we will be spared the – in 2005 his Crusader epic, Kingdom of sequel. Heaven, was released and before that he made the medieval fantasy Legend Mark A Hall (1985). Scott’s Hood eschews the normal territory of the legend in favour of looking for the back-story, the roots of FUTURE CONTRIBUTIONS Robin. However, even here it lacks a spark of originality, as in so many areas We welcome news of medieval of the film, for it begins with the idea of archaeological research projects from Robin as returning crusader in Richard around the world. I’s army, already established cinematically in 1991. It does give us a The due dates for receipt of copy are: th slightly different chronology. Richard I is Spring Newsletter: 15 February th dispensed with early (at the siege of Autumn Newsletter: 15 August Challus) and Robin Longstride, a lowly Images are most welcome, but please archer, takes on the guise of Robert of do not embed pictures in Word/text Loxley, to get back to England and files. Send pictures/plans as separate deliver the Crown to John, against a high quality JPEG files. French plot by Philip of France. He retains his new identity to help Robert’s Contact: Niall Brady, Newsletter father and wife (Marian) and gets Editor involved in the revolt of the Northern e-mail: [email protected] Barons and drafting Magna Carta before helping to defeat the French invasion on Joining the Society is easy: go online at the Yorkshire Coast (presumably Robin www.medievalarchaeology.org Hood’s Bay). Despite gutsy performances

20