A Handbook Of Anglo Saxon Food

For the first time information from various sources has been brought together in order to build up a picture of how food was grown, conserved, prepared and eaten during the period from the beginning of the 5th century to the 11th century. No specialist knowledge of the Anglo-Saxon period or language is needed, and many people will find it fascinating for the views it gives of an important aspect of Anglo-Saxon life and culture. In addition to Anglo-Saxon England the Celtic west of Britain is also covered.

Food production for home consumption was the basis of economic activity throughout the Anglo-Saxon period and ensuring access to an adequate food supply was a constant preoccupation. Used as payment and a medium of trade, food was the basis of the Anglo-Saxons' system of finance and administration. Information on the production and distribution of food from the fifth to the eleventh centuries from literary and archaeological sources has been brought together for the first time to give fascinating insights into this important aspect on Anglo-Saxon life. This second handbook complements the first and brings together a vast amount of information on livestock, cereal and vegetable crops, fish, honey, and fermented drinks. Related subjects such as hospitality, charity and drunkenness are also dealt with. The extensive twenty-seven page index enables the reader to find specific information quickly.

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.

Written by a team of experts and presenting the results of the most up-to-date research, The Handbook of Anglo-Saxon Archaeology will both stimulate and support further investigation into a society poised at the interface between prehistory and history.

At the heart of Anglo-Saxon society, judging by its literature, lay feasting and drinking but we know little about what Anglo-Saxons actually ate.

Grossbritannien/Irland - Mittelalter - Anthropologie - Archäozoologie.

Eat like a viking! Is a handy guide to authentic viking age food. With quick and simple recipes, easy to follow sections on brewing and baking, and a reference list of ingredients, it's perfect for either re-enactors or for anyone who loves cooking on an open fire. A proportion of the proceeds from this book will go towards supporting Moorforge Viking settlement, a living history site offering a unique Viking discovery experience in Gilcrux, Cumbria