Overview

Oxbow says: This synthesis of primary and secondary sources, both literary and archaeological, on the subject of Anglo-Saxon food and drink, brings together a vast amount of data and authoritative discussion on a broad range of subjects. Ann Hagen stears away from drawing heavily on recipes as a means of revealing the types of foods, food choices and preferences in this period, to focus on the growing and harvesting of domestic and wild foods, preserving, food preparation and eating. Cereals, vegetables, herbs, fruit and nuts, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, poultry and eggs, wild animals and birds, honey, fish and molluscs, are just some of the food types discussed. Within each section Ann Hagen delves deeper to consider such subjects as the methods of harvesting and processing food, hunting and animal husbandry, attitudes towards particular types of food, accessibility to foods, diet, food shortages, diseases and what foods were considered everyday and which were reserved for special occasions. Food as payment for rents or services rendered, markets, measures, fasting and feasting, are also discussed in detail. Moving on to drink, Ann Hagen examines the types of drinks available, the context in which they were consumed - domestic, religious and in the alehouse - and the prevalence of drunkenness. In her conclusion, she draws together the evidence to reveal changes in food production and preferences from the early 5th to 11th century, drawing largely on sources from Anglo-Saxon England and the Celtic West of Britain. The role of women, the importance of bread, the social status of feasting, nutrition and changes in diet, and table manners, are just some of the many subjects covered. An excellent study and great value for money.

Full Product Details

Author:   Ann Hagen
Publisher:   Anglo-Saxon Books
Imprint:   Anglo-Saxon Books
Dimensions:   Width: 17.00cm , Height: 3.00cm , Length: 24.00cm
Weight:   1.057kg
ISBN:  

9781898281559

ISBN 10:   1898281556
Pages:   512
Publication Date:   18 December 2010
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Undergraduate
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Contents Acknowledgements 4 Contents 5 Introduction 15 Primary Sources 15 Secondary Sources 19 Presentation of Material 20 I Food Production 21 1. Cereal Crops 21 The Land and Cultivation 21 The Value of Land 22 The Fertility of Land 22 Harvesting 24 Agricultural Methods 24 Treatises 27 Later Developments 27 Problems of the Evidence 28 Corn 29 Wheat 30 Barley 33 Oats 35 Rye 37 Millet 38 Weeds 39 Conclusion 41 2. Vegetables, Herbs and Fungi 43 Gardens 43 Allium Species 44 Root Vegetables 45 Pulses 46 Leaf Vegetables 48 Seaweeds 52 Fungi 52 Conclusion 53 3. Fruit and Nuts 55 Fruit Trees 55 Apples 57 Pears and Peaches 58 Soft Fruit 58 Dates and Figs 60 Dried Fruit 60 Flowers 60 Nuts 60 Hazel Nuts 60 Walnuts and Sweet Chestnuts 61 Pine Nuts, Almonds and Swegels Appel 62 Acorns and Beech-Mast 62 4. Cattle 65 Breeds 65 Size 66 Husbandry 67 Byres 68 Fodder 69 Browse 70 Pasture 70 Culling & Killing 72 Cattle & Mixed Farming 72 Animal Bone Evidence - Cattle as a Major Food Resource 73 Age at Death 74 The Value of Cattle 75 Food Rents 79 Cattle Bones as Non-Food Waste 82 Changes in the Importance of Cattle 82 as a Food Resource over the Period 82 5. Sheep 85 Summary of the Evidence 85 Habitat 85 Pre-Saxon Sheep in England 85 Breeds - Manuscript Evidence 86 Archaeological Evidence 87 Evidence from Present-Day Primitive Breeds 88 Husbandry 88 Numbers 88 Composition of Flock 88 The Shepherd 89 Nutrition 89 General Management 90 Age at Slaughter 91 Sheep in Legal Documents 92 Sheep in Leechdoms 93 The Value of Sheep 94 Changes During the Period 94 Nutritional Value of Mutton 96 Status of Mutton as Food 96 6. Goats 99 Evidence 99 Habitat 99 Breed 99 Husbandry 100 Goats as a Source of Meat 101 Goats in Leechdoms 101 Value 102 7. Pigs 103 Appearance 103 Size 103 Conformation 104 Husbandry 105 Swineherds 105 Pannage 109 Place-Name Evidence 111 Swineherds 112 Values 113 Pigs in Food Rents 114 Assignments of Property 115 Wills 116 The Animal Bone Record 116 Age of Pigs at Slaughter 117 Pig Bones as a Proportion of Animal Bone Assemblages 119 Pigs in Leechdoms 121 Conclusion 122 8. Poultry and Eggs 125 Eggs 128 9. Wild Animals and Birds 131 Wild Animals 131 Wild Birds 140 10. Honey 147 Beekeeping 147 Processing 148 Honey Gathering 148 Archaeological Evidence 149 Place-Name Evidence 150 Documentary Evidence 150 11. Fish and Molluscs 157 Fishing 158 Fish-weirs 159 Fishponds 161 Fishermen 161 Documentary Evidence 162 Archaeological Evidence 167 Molluscs 169 12. Imported Food 173 13. Tabooed Food 183 14. Provision of a Water Supply 191 15. Fermented Drinks 199 Introduction 199 Beor 200 Ale 202 Use of Hops 204 Other Additions 207 Malt and Ale in Food Rents 208 Brewing 209 'Welsh' Ale 211 Wine 213 Production 213 Imported Wines 215 Monastic Vineyards 220 Medicinal 221 Sweetened Wine 223 Caren 223 Pigment 223 Variation in Wine 224 Wines other than from Grapes 224 Conclusion 225 Mead 226 Bragot 230 Sweetened Drinks 230 'Wort' Drinks 231 Miscellaneous 232 On Drinking and Drunkenness 234 On Ceremony 237 Hospitality 240 Alehouses 241 Ecclesiastical Drinking 242 Conclusion 244 II Processing 247 16. Drying, Milling, Bread Making 247 Drying & Threshing 247 Milling 247 Meal 250 Unleavened Bread 251 Leavened Bread 252 Loaves 253 Baking: Hearths & Ovens 254 Bakehouses 254 Bakers 255 Bread 255 17. Dairying 259 The Milch Animals 259 Their Young 260 Dairy Farms 260 Yield 260 Problems of Hygiene 260 Dairy Workers 261 Fresh Dairy Products 262 Butter 262 Cheese making 264 Dairy Products in Food Rents 265 Dairy Products in Remedies 266 Artefacts 267 Conclusion 267 18. Butchery 269 Nature of the Evidence 269 Place of Slaughter 269 Butchery: the Butcher 269 Evidence for the Sale of Joints 270 Method of Slaughter 270 Butchery Techniques 271 Tongue & Brain 272 Marrow 272 Offal 272 Fats 272 Evidence of Site Status 273 19. Preservation & Storage 275 (i) Processing 275 Drying 275 Smoking 275 Pickling 276 Boiling 276 Salting 276 Other Uses of Salt 278 (ii) Storage 278 Cereals 278 Containers 279 Storage Conditions 279 Cellars 280 Responsibility for Domestic Stores 280 Pests 281 (iii) Salt Production & Supply 281 Vessels for Salt 281 Salt Production 282 Salt Workers 283 Provision of a Salt Supply 283 Tolls 284 20. Methods of Cooking 285 Fire 285 Wood 285 Other Fuel 286 Fire Making 286 Cooking: Direct Application of Heat 287 Cooking: Indirect Application of Heat 287 Ovens 287 Kitchens 288 Cooks 289 Preparation 290 Cooking Methods 291 Cauldrons 292 Soapstone Bowls 293 Earthenware Pots 293 Leather Vessels 293 Boiling & Stewing 293 Broth 294 Cereal Pottages 295 Stews 296 Roasting, Grilling & Toasting 296 Griddles/Frying 297 Baking 298 Desserts 298 Cakes & Biscuits 299 Sauces 299 Conclusion 300 III Distribution 301 21. Food and Administration 301 Landowners 301 Food Rents 303 The Marketable Surplus 309 Payment in Food for Services Rendered 310 Conclusion 314 22. Measures 319 Reckoning And Measuring Amounts 319 The Pund and the Sester 320 The Amber and Mitta 322 Weys 323 Standardising Weights and Measures 324 23. Theft 327 Deterrence: Compensation and Punishment 327 Registration of Ownership 329 Detection and Law Enforcement 330 Insurance 330 Conclusion 331 24. Food Supply for Monastic Communities and Religious Households 333 The Acquisition of Land 333 Monastic Income 340 The Size of Monastic Establishments 343 The Monastery as a Self-Contained Unit 346 Conclusion 349 25. The Food Supply in Towns 351 26. Provision of Food away from Home 363 Who the Travellers were 363 The Anglo-Saxon View of Travel 364 Ensuring a Food Supply 365 Provisions for Those Travelling on Business 367 Travelling Abroad 368 Food on Board Ship 370 Liquid Refreshment 371 Guesthouses 372 Food for Military Expeditions 373 Claiming Sanctuary 375 Food in Prison 375 Conclusions 376 27. Hospitality and Charity 377 IV Consumption 387 28. Meals 387 Mealtimes 387 Diet & Composition of Meals 389 Regional Variations 391 Seasonal Variations 391 Courses 391 Drinks with Meals 392 Conclusion 392 29. Fasting 393 Reasons for Fasting 393 The Regular Fasts 394 Periods of Fasting 395 The Lenten Fast 395 Fasting for Laymen 397 Fasting by Monastics 398 Fasting by Saints 401 Fasting as Penance 404 Fasting as Part of Particular Rituals 406 Commuting Fasting 407 Conclusion 407 30. Feasting 409 The Function of Feasting 409 The Calendar of Feast days 410 Guild Feasts 411 Holding a Feast 411 Summoning the Guests 412 The Hall 412 Hangings & Table-linen 412 Heating & Lighting 413 Precedence & Seating 413 Retainers 414 Servants 414 Blessing Food and Breaking Bread 415 Manners 415 The Food 416 Duration 416 The Drink 417 Drunkenness 417 Gluttony 417 Treachery 417 Entertainment 418 Minstrels 418 Musicians 422 Dancing, Juggling & Jesting 422 Riddles 423 Nostalgia 424 31. Special Regimens 425 (i) Infants 425 Food for Young Children 426 Relaxation of Dietary Observance 426 Malnourishment 427 (ii) Invalid Diet 427 Avoidance 428 Relaxation from Religious Rule 429 (iii) Monastic 429 Timetabled Meals 431 Food allowed by the Rule 431 Laxity & Reforms 433 32. Food Shortages & Deficiency Diseases 435 Hunger 435 Relief of Hunger 436 Special Circumstances 437 Famine Effecting a Change in Economic Circumstances 437 Monastic 437 Causes of Famine 437 Weather 437 Entomological & Zootic Factors 438 Human Factors 438 Famine Years 438 Famine Foods 441 Malnutrition 442 Lack of Vitamin A 442 Lack of Vitamin C 442 Lack of Minerals 443 Indications of Famine 444 Fe/male Differences Including Life Expectancy 444 Results of Famine 444 Conclusion 445 33. Adulteration: Damage Caused by Dietary Elements 447 Poisons 447 Parasites 448 Bacterial Infections 448 Physical Damage 449 Cooking & Preserving Methods 449 Conclusion 450 V Conclusion 451 Changes over the Period 451 The Role of Women 452 The Importance of Bread 453 Securing a Food Supply 453 Feasting 455 Fasting 456 Charity and Hospitality 456 Greater Dietary Range and Flexibility 457 Nutrition 459 Food as a Medium of Exchange 461 Table-Manners 461 Comparisons and Contrasts 461 Bibliography 463 Personal Communications 474 Index 475

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