Daily Life in Anglo-Saxon England

Part of the Daily Life Through History Series, Daily Life in Anglo-Saxon England covers life in England from the 5th through the 11th centuries.
These six centuries saw significant social, cultural, religious, and ethnic upheavals, including the introduction of Christianity, the creation of towns, the Viking invasions, the invention of "Englishness," and the Norman Conquest. In the last 10 years, there have been significant new archaeological discoveries, major advances in scientific archaeology, and new ways of thinking about the past, meaning it is now possible to say much more about everyday life during this time period than ever before. Drawing on a combination of archaeological and textual evidence, including the latest scientific findings from DNA and stable isotope analysis, this book looks at the life course of the early medieval English from the cradle to the grave, as well as how daily lives changed over these centuries. Topics covered include maintenance activities, education, play, commerce, trade, manufacturing, fashion, travel, migration, warfare, health, and medicine.

Sally Crawford has lectured in medieval archaeology at the Universities of Birmingham and Oxford, UK. She is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Timeline
Glossary
1. DOMESTIC LIFE
Family
Children
Women
Men
Marriage
Rites of Passage
Primary Document A: Wynflæd's Will, Part I: Widow Wynflæd Thinks of Her Family
Primary Document B: A Remedy for Successful Birth
Primary Document C: On Legal Marriage (Be wifmannes beweddunge)
2. RURAL LIFE
Seasons
Farming and Agriculture
Famine
Ethnicity and Migration
Social Class
Slavery
Primary Document D: Gerefa, Part I: How to Be an Expert Land Manager (Be sceadwisan gerefan)
Primary Document E: Wynflæd's Will, Part II: Wynflæd Decides What to Do with Her Slaves
3. ECONOMIC LIFE
Urban Life
Trade
Travel
Labor
Money
Primary Document F: Gerefa, Part II: Providing Tools for the Laborers and Craftspeople on the Estate
Primary Document G: Ælfric's Colloquy-the Merchant and the Smith
4. INTELLECTUAL LIFE
Training and Education
Health, Disease, and Disability
Science
Primary Document H: Ælfric's Colloquy-the Pupils and the Plowman
Primary Document I: Remedies for Eye Problems and a Test for Meningitis from Bald's Leechbook
5. MATERIAL LIFE
Possessions
Housing
Lighting
Furniture
Clothing
Hairstyles
Primary Document J: Wulfwaru's Will: The Joy of Stuff
Primary Document K: Wynflæd's Will, Part III: Cloths and Clothing
6. POLITICAL LIFE
Government Structure
Laws and Policies
Crime and Punishment
Warfare
Primary Document L: From the Laws of Æthelred II: Matching the Punishment to the Crime
Primary Document M: Cynewulf and Cyneheard, from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 757
Primary Document N: Extract from the Old English Life of St. Guthlac
7. RECREATIONAL LIFE
Exercise, Sports, and Games
Music
Dance
Visual Arts
Literature
Humor
Feasting, Food, and Drink
Holidays and Festivals
Primary Document O: Riddles from the Exeter Book: Bagpipe
Primary Document P: More Riddles from the Exeter Book: Onion and Inkwell
Primary Document Q: Old English Cookery: Seed Bread, Sage Omelet, and Soup
8. RELIGIOUS LIFE
Beliefs
Funerals
Sacred Spaces
Ritual Deposits
Church
Magic and Superstitions
Primary Document R: The Father of English Religious Poetry? Cædmon's Dream Song
Primary Document S: An Extract from the Sermon of the Wolf to the English
Primary Document T: Æcerbot: A Field Blessing Ritual
Bibliography
Index