NOTE TO USERS This reproduction is the best 'copy available THE BRILLIANCE OF COMITATUS: AESTHETICS AND SOCIETY IN EARLY ANGLO-SAXON ENGLAND A Thesis Submitted to the Eomrrtittee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirernent for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Faculty of Arts and Science TRENT UNITERSITY Peterborough, Ontario, Canada Q Copyright by Kendra Mary Ann Adema 1999 Anthxopology M.A. Program June 1999 National Library Bibliothèque nationale IJ(il of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. nie Wellington OttawaON K1AON4 OtbwaON K1AON4 Canada Canada Your tije Vorre relerence Our lYe Noue réUrence The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence dowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microfom, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT The Brilliance of Cornitatus: Aesthetics and Society in Early Anglo-saxon England Kendra Adema In this thesis, key items of Anglo-Saxon material culture are examined in -order to demonctrate the relationship between. socio-cultural and aesthetic values in early Anglo-saxon England. The theoretical framework employed herein is one in which the anthropology of experience is joined with symbolic and aesthetic anthropology. This approach is primarily contextual - involving a re-examination of archaeological data from 5th to 7th century Kentish burials. Evidence from historical and literary sources is employed to interpret the role played by these same artefacts in reinforcing both the ethos and the aesthetic of the comitatus social relationship. This study begins with the premise that there exists no simple dichotomy between persons and things; instead, objects contribute to shaping our habitus. The positioning of burial goods within Anglo-saxon graves is revelatory of their actual role in the creation of individual and group identity within early Anglo-Saxon society. In this study, the life of these objects, the ways in which they moved through Anglo-saxon society, were used, interacted with, and thought of, is examined to determine how aesthetic values were constructed and articulated within the comitatus relationship and how the interconnected roles of the wapned, the "weaponed" or warrior, and the webbe, the "weaverV, became lived metaphors within this society. This thesis has benefited from the help and assistance of many people. Dr. Sarah Keefer first introduced me to the world of the Anglo- Saxons when she handed me a copy of Beowulf in the Old English and said, "Here. Can you read this?". Since then, she has unwaveringly given encocragernent, support and understanding for this project, for which 1 am trufy grateful. Sarah has also encouraged me to attend various medieval conferences and introduced me to others who have made the study of Anglo-Saxon England their life's work. Through her 1 met Dr. Gale Owen-Crocker of the University of Manchester who has also shown me great kindness, encouraging me to continue and providing me with advice on matters of textile manufacture and ritual. 1 am also greatly indebted to her for opening her home to me and providing me with the references necessary to enter the back rooms of the Liverpool Museum where much of the Faussett collection is stored. At the Liverpool Museum, Dr. Simon Bean graciously took time frgm his busy schedule to allcw me access to the Faussett collection; he also kindly gave me permission to take photographs and afforded me the to examine the artifacts in detail. Without the skills and talents of Bruce Walker, there would be no artist's renderings of the webbe and wapned figures. Bruce gave generously of his time, and he and Grace Walker have bcth given their unwavering support for my endeavours throughout the process of writing this thesis and it is deeply appreciated. Gina Turff has also offered encouragement and much practical advice; she has also listened for countless hours to my ramblings about the Anglo-Saxons and their ways as 1 pulled my thoughts together to write. Throughout the research and writing of this thesis, Dr. Andrew McDonald and Kevin Whetter have also provided encouragement and a forum for seerningly endless discussions of burial practices, the effects of light and shadow and the organization of the Anglo-Saxon comitatus. Dr. Julia Harrison took time away from her own research to discuss matters of aesthetics with me and to suggest a iii few key sources on violence and beauty; without her kind encouragement in first year, I would probably still be atheoretical. My Eeliow grad student, David Lee, also gave of his time for theoretical discussion and lent an ear and sound advice at a critical juncture. Many members of AnSax-L offered their kind assistance either on the List or in person ir- tracking dom sources, providing advice on the cultural world of Anglo-saxon England and encouragement for the completion of this project including Dr. Norman Hinton, Dr. William Schipper, Dr. Geoffrey Russom, Dr. Stephen Glosecki, Dr. Pauline Alama, Dr. Karen Jolly, Dr. Carol Biggarn and Dr. Lars Hemmingsen. Their time and thoughtfulness are deeply appreciated as is the generosity of Gordon Dibb, M.A. who lent me his copy of Martin Carverrs latest publication when it was nowhere to be found. 1 thankfully acknowledge the efforts and kind cooperation of the Graduate Director, Dr. Hermann Helmuth, my external reader, Dr. Peter Rmden, my supervisor, Dr. Joan Vastokas, and my cornmittee members, Dr. Sharon Hepburn and Dr. Sarah Larratt Keefer, who gave of their tirne over the Christmas holiday so that this thesis might be brought so quickly to defense. The efforts and guidance of my supervisor in bringing this thesis to completion are also gratefully acknowledged. As well, 1 owe a debt of gratitude to the members and staff of the Office of Research and Graduate Studies for their advice, encouragement and patience. Finally, 1 offer my thanks and appreciationvto Panagiotis Mihalaros for his support and encouragement, for barbecuing something at least once a week, for keeping the noise dom while 1 wrote and for spending a lot of tirne alone on rny behalf. 1 would also like to thank Gilad, Doozer, Marlee, Teddy and Tula for their special companionship and for keeping me sane when al1 else failed. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ............................... i ACKNOWLEDGENENTS ...........................ii TAf3LE OF CONTENTS ..........................iv LIST OF TABLES ............................vi LIST OF FIGURES ...........................vii CWTER 1 . PURPOSE, THEORY AND METHODS ............... -1 Purpose ............................ -1 Theoretical Framework ..................... -1 Methodology ...........................7 Summary ............................ 12 CWTERII. ANGLO-SAXONENGLAND ..................-13 Historical Background .....................13 Belief System .........................18 Settlement ...........................42 Economy ............................43 Kinship ............................ 46 Social Organization .......*..............47 Warfare ............................50 The Cornitatus and the "Joys of the Hallr' ............56 TheRoleofWomen ....................... 61 CHAPTER III.. EVIDENCE FROM THE BURIALS ...............70 The Burials ..........................70 Kits, Object Placement and Patterning ............. 72 The Kits ............................73 Object Placement and Spatial Patterning ............74 Results of Further Studies ...................77 Dover and Chessell Down .................... 81 Buckland at Dover .......................82 Kits, Object Placement and Spatial Patterning at Dover ....-85 Male Kits, Object Placement and Spatial Patterning at Dover . 85 Female Kits. Object Placement and Spatial Patterning at Dover . 88 Congruence Between Male and Female Graves ........... 92 Male Kits at Chessell Dowri ...................93 Fernale Kits at Chessell Down ..................95 0bject placement' and Spatial Patterning at Chessell Dom ... -96 Anglo-saxon Men and Women: "Typicai" Burials ..........96 Wapned Burial: Chessell Down Burial 26 ............ 97 Webbe Burial: chessel1 Down Burial 45 ............ -99 Summary and Preliminary Observations .............104 CHAPTER IV . AESTHETIC VALUES. ARCWOLOGY AND THE LIFE OF THE OBJECTS .................-106 Anglo-saxon Colour Classification ...............106 The Preference for Brilliance .................108 "Brilliance": A Quality in People. Things and Deeds .....109 "Brilliance": The Personal Charisma of the Anglo-saxon Warriorlll "Brilliance": An Aesthetic and Social Value ......... 112 The Wæpned and the Webbe in Literature and Archaeology ....115 Burial Objects: Expressions of Aesthetic Value ........117 Waopned and Webbe and the Life of the Ob jects .........123 Wiepned Burials ........................137 Myth Imitates Life ......................149