Historical Fiction and Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction, Book Reviews and ruminations on life
11
Mar
The telling and guessing of riddles was a popular pass-time for the Anglo-Saxons. Often these riddles had double meanings – a blatant sometimes sexual one and a more subtle true answer.  The riddles became steadily more elaborate and some are very obscure. Not many of these riddles exist today but The Book of Exeter survived Henry VIII’s destruction of the monasteries […]
Tags: Anglo Saxons, richard denning, riddles
3
Mar
Harvest time was a very important and serious point in the year associated with rituals and thanksgiving after it was completed. There was no Asda or Wallmart to go to. Our ancestors lived much closer to and were far more dependant on the land than we are today. How did they preserve food and store it […]
Tags: Anglo Saxons, food preservation, harvest time, preservation
1
Mar
After the Romans left their province of Britannia, Britain entered a darkage. It would be centuries before the land we know today as England came into existence. Germanic tribes – the ancestors of the English began migrating across the North Sea. The invading and colonising Angles who settled in the northeast in time would see […]
Tags: aethelfrith, bernicia, Dark Age, deira, Historical Figures, Northumbria
24
Feb
Entertainment in Anglo Saxon times: No Ipods, no Internet, no TV, radio and not even newspapers and books (unless you were wealthy ). What do you do to keep from getting bored? Here are some ways that the Anglo Saxons had fun in the dark evenings. Indoor entertainment and feasts There was a high degree […]
Tags: Dark Age, entertainment, saxons
19
Feb
The preparation for warfare, the rituals surrounding it and the actual conduct of battle were central to the world view of the Anglo-Saxons. Even if a man never fought a battle or the land was at peace it was expected that men would train to be ready. Just like today, reputation very important to men […]
13
Feb
For the Anglo Saxons the main meal of day was lunch time, whereas the evening meal more often broth (Briw) A specialist Cook would be usually be a man: in Old English the word for Cook is a male word. General methods of cooking Fuel: The cutting and gathering of wood was a summer occupation. […]
7
Feb
Milk, butter and cheese represented a significant part of the Anglo Saxon diet. They were also used as payments and dues: making up part of the Feorm handed over to a lord or King. Milk was frequently an ingredient in medicines as the basis for drinks, whilst butter was occasionally used to make oily poultices […]
Tags: Dark Age fiction, Dark Age fiction historical Northumbria saxons taliesen welsh, drink, food, historical, Northumbria, saxons, taliesen, welsh
2
Feb
The Amber Treasure is historical fiction set in Dark Age Britain in the chaotic, brutal years of the 6th Century. I find this time period fascinating. The period of history following the departure of Roman troops from Britain in about the year 416 and lasting until the reign of Alfred the Great almost five hundred […]