This electronic thesis or dissertation has been downloaded from Explore Bristol Research, http://research-information.bristol.ac.uk Author: Stewart, Ian J Title: The Gloucester Tabulae set : its discovery and interpretation. General rights Access to the thesis is subject to the Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International Public License. A copy of this may be found at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode This license sets out your rights and the restrictions that apply to your access to the thesis so it is important you read this before proceeding. Take down policy Some pages of this thesis may have been removed for copyright restrictions prior to having it been deposited in Explore Bristol Research. However, if you have discovered material within the thesis that you consider to be unlawful e.g. breaches of copyright (either yours or that of a third party) or any other law, including but not limited to those relating to patent, trademark, confidentiality, data protection, obscenity, defamation, libel, then please contact [email protected] and include the following information in your message: •Your contact details •Bibliographic details for the item, including a URL •An outline nature of the complaint Your claim will be investigated and, where appropriate, the item in question will be removed from public view as soon as possible. THE GLOUCESTER TABULAE SET: ITS DISCOVERY AND INTERPRETATION VOLUME ONE A thesis submitted to the University of Bristol in accordance with the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts, History of Art Department. By Ian J. Stewart June 1993 Frontispiece The Gloucester Tabulae Set during excavation. (Scale = O.2m) CONTENTS - VOLUME ONE Page Frontispiece Title Abstract I Acknowledgements 11 Declaration IV Dedication V Quotation VI Introduction VIl Explanatory Notes VIlI Copyright Declaration IX Chapter 1 The Gloucester Tables Board Construction 1 Chapter 2 The Artwork of the Gloucester Tables Board 21 Chapter 3 The Art Style of the Gloucester Tables Board Summary and Conclusions 80 Chapter 4 The Construction of the Gloucester Tablesmen 90 Chapter 5 Catalogue of the Tablesmen 104 Tablesman 1 - Harpist 105 Tablesman 2 - Fiddler 110 Tablesman 3 - Juggler 119 Tablesman 4 - Dancer 125 Tablesman 5 - Rider 131 Tablesman 6 - Hawker 137 Tablesman 7 - Dog Handler 142 Tablesman 8 - Lovers 147 Tablesman 9 - Tress Puller 154 Tablesman 10 - Wheatsheaf Carrier 160 Tablesman 11 - Samson and the lion 167 Tablesman 12 - Virgo/Orans 175 Tablesman 13 - Toad/Frog 180 Tablesman 14 - Centaur 186 Tablesman 15 - Snake 194 Tablesman 16 - Seated Figure 200 Tablesman 17 - Archer 205 Tablesman 18 - Knight 212 Tablesman 19 - Hanged Man 220 Tablesman 20 - Fox and Bird 226 Tablesman 21 - "Annus" Figure 234 Tablesman 22 - Acrobats 240 Tablesman 23 - Bear Tamer 246 Tablesman 24 - Figure with Bird and Fish 252 Tablesman 25 - Manticore 260 Tablesman 26 - Feaster 266 Tablesman 27 - Drinker 271 Tablesman 28 - Two Birds 276 Tablesman 29 - Figure Dressing a Carcass 282 Tablesman 30 - Elephant 289 Chapter 6 - Summary of Tablesman Figures 295 Chapter 7 - The Iconography of the Gloucester Tablesmen A Summary 298 Chapter 8 - The Style of the Gloucester Tablesmen 317 Chapter 9 - Discussion 328 NOTE: A list of illustrations can be found in Appendix 10 in Volume Two, followed by the figures referred to throughout the thesis. ABSTRACT The Gloucester Tabulae set was discovered during archaeological excavations on the site of Gloucester's early Norman Castle (c.1070 - 1120). The set was found on the floor of a late 11th - early 12th-century rubbish pit which had been dug into the castle bailey surface. The discovery consisted of the bone surface inlays of a gaming board and the thirty gaming counters, known as tablesmen. The original arrangement of the board panels and the number of tablesmen suggests that the game is Tabulae, the immediate ancestor of the modem game of Backgammon. The board inlays (the base did not survive) were elaborately engraved with a series of patterns, including interlace, ring and dot and a foliage pattern. Additional themes include scenes of combats between dragons and other legendary monsters. There is one other scene depicting dogs bringing down a wild boar. The second element of the Tabulae set comprises a set of bone discs approximately 45mm in diameter and 9mm thick. Each disc has its own particular theme taken from cycles of the monthly occupations, astrological symbols, bestiary animals, and 'luxuria' motifs, etc. The scenes appear to have been re-adapted as appropriate decorative motifs for what was possibly a high ranking nobleman's boardgame. The Tabulae set is considered to be c.1100 - 1120 in date, and despite the condition of the board and some of the playing pieces, it is considered to be an important find of Romanesque secular art. This thesis is the first study of this discovery in depth. The constructional as well as the artistic details are assessed, together with its implications as a 'social document'. The importance of the find in relation to the historic development of Backgammon is also briefly considered. - 1 - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The assistance that has been afforded the writer can be divided into three separate sections; financial, academic queries and practical help: Financial (in chronological order) Mr. and Mrs N.C.Stewart The Bristol and Gloucester Archaeological Society The Robert Kiln Trust The Society of Antiquaries The J. Paul Getty Jm. Charitable Trust The writer here records those individuals and organisations whose financial assistance has allowed this work to be carried to a satisfactory conclusion. Academic (in alphabetic order) A.B. Cottle MA PhD FSA (supervision, religious themes and artwork) James Jerman MA Oxon. ('luxuria' and entertainment themes) Graeme Lawson BA PhD (musical instruments) Arthur MacGregor MA FSA (bonework) Mary Remnant MA PhD FRCM (musical instruments) Michael Q. Smith MA PhD (supervision, general artwork comments) The late Brunsdon Yapp OBE MA F I BioI (bestiary animals) Professor George Zamecki MA PhD FSA FBA MBE (artwork) The above scholars gave freely of their time and comments in order to assist the writer (their particular specialities are listed in brackets above). The interpretations of the artwork etc., of the Tabulae are entirely the writer's. The following were of assistance to the writer in other ways (in chronological order):- Mr John Rhodes MA FMA, Curator of the Gloucester City Museums and Art Gallery (granting access to the Gloucester Tabulae set). Mr M.J Watkins BA AMA MIFA, Archaeology Director and Curator of the Gloucester City Museums archaeology collections (frequent discussions and arguments over the Gloucester Tabulae set). Practical Mrs Penelope Ely,· formerly of Gloucester City Reference Library (assistance in gathering research material at an early stage of the research). Miss Claire Newton BA (for assistance in typing the earlier drafts of the thesis - free! Help was also available in translation of French text.). Anna Louise Bentz (German translation). -11- Mr Philip Moss MSAI , freelance illustrator (drawing and reconstruction of the Tabulae board and playing pieces plus assistance in the pasting up of final drawings, photographs etc.). Mr Gordon Kelsey, former Head of the University of Bristol Arts Faculty Photographic Unit (developing and printing of photographic plates). Mr Stanley Moxom and Mr Ian Sim, Wood Craftsmen (recreating the Gloucester Tabulae set in wood). Mrs Janice Brooks, freelance secretary and patient listener (typing of the final draft of the thesis). Mr J C Cordery, Lecturer specialising in Red Deer Farming methods at Sparsholt College, Winchester (for his comments on antler and bone structure in Red Deer). The writer would especially like to acknowledge the encouragement and comments provided by A.B.Cottle MA PhD FSA (proof reading and providing a grammatical check on the work) and M.O.Smith MA PhD. of the University of Bristol's English and Art History Departments respectively. These scholars have been the writer's tutors over the last six years. The writer also acknowledges the assistance of the Central Library staff of Bristol University in tracking down the more obscure books and papers! Finally the writer would like to acknowledge the forbearance, support and patience provided by relatives, friends and colleagues over the last six years. Acknowledgement to various institutions for the use of photographs IS found in the relevant pages of illustrations. - 111 - DECLARATION The Author hereby testifies that this thesis is an original work and not copied in full or in part in any way from previous work. Assistance from scholars and other specialists is fully acknowledged in the appropriate place, otherwise it is all his own work. Ian J. Stewart - IV - DEDICATION To My Parents. -v- QUOTATION They two shall together at the table - game sit, whilst their anger glides away, shall forget the anxious cares of life; they shall have game on the board, with idle hand unoccupied, long near the tablemen shall they throw the dice. Codex Exoniensis (c.1025) from Madden (1832, 282Y). - VI- INTRODUCTION This study began with a question followed by a comment five days before the Gloucester Tabulae Set was discovered. The question was asked in late October 1983 during a game of Backgammon. The question: How old is Backgammon? This was followed by the comment ... 'Perhaps the Normans played it?' The answer was forthcoming five days later from a 11th to 12th-century rubbish pit the writer was excavating; as on the floor of the pit were the remains of a board game which proved to be a Tabulae set (the forerunner of Backgammon). At the time the writer was supervising an excavation on the site of Gloucester's early Norman castle. This discovery enabled the question to be answered and the query to be confirmed, though this led immediately to a string of further questions - some of which have yet to be answered to the writer's satisfaction (if possible).