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Dress in Anglo-Saxon England
A vivid and detailed reconstruction of the costume worn in England before the arrival of the Norman conquerers.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
About the author
Gale R. Owen-Crocker
49 books3 followersFor books published in her early career, see also: Gale R. Owen.
Prof. Owen-Crocker's chief research interests are Anglo-Saxon literature and culture and medieval dress/textiles. She has lectured by invitation at universities in Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Spain, Taiwan and the USA. She has advised museums and archaeological units on medieval dress. She appeared in this role on BBC TV's 'Meet the Ancestors' and has broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour and in Radio 3's 'Anglo-Saxon Portraits' series. She is co-founder/editor of the journal Medieval Clothing and Textiles and was Chief Editor of the Brill Encyclopaedia of Medieval Dress and Textiles of the British Isles c. 450-1450 (published 2012) She is Director of the Manchester Centre for Anglo-Saxon Studies, and directs a 5-year AHRC funded project 'The Lexis of Cloth and Clothing' http://lexisproject.arts.manchester.a...
Prof. Owen-Crocker's chief research interests are Anglo-Saxon literature and culture and medieval dress/textiles. She has lectured by invitation at universities in Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Spain, Taiwan and the USA. She has advised museums and archaeological units on medieval dress. She appeared in this role on BBC TV's 'Meet the Ancestors' and has broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour and in Radio 3's 'Anglo-Saxon Portraits' series. She is co-founder/editor of the journal Medieval Clothing and Textiles and was Chief Editor of the Brill Encyclopaedia of Medieval Dress and Textiles of the British Isles c. 450-1450 (published 2012) She is Director of the Manchester Centre for Anglo-Saxon Studies, and directs a 5-year AHRC funded project 'The Lexis of Cloth and Clothing' http://lexisproject.arts.manchester.a...
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 20, 2013
Or rather, what can be deduced from what evidence we have.
In the earliest period, we have graves, and nothing but graves, except for such analogies as can be made to other societies. Some of it is useful -- that women typically had two brooches, one at each shoulder, it appears they had a sleeveless gown like the pelops. (Note, we don't even have an English name for it.) The author does, however, mention that that reenactors love it, and in hot weather stick to it and forgo the tunic under it. Glass beads and their colors were common. Men are worse, because they were more often buried with rich weapons than rich jewelry, giving fewer hints. And hair styles -- pins have been seriously overly likely to be taken for hairpins regardless of where found in the grave. Some may have been, but the only real evidence is the abundance of combs, so at least we know it was kempt. A lack of footware -- the author notes that reenactors find wearing shoes when walking on new-plowed land is too cumbursome.
The advent of Christianity mean the diminishment of grave goods to just about nothing, but the increase from nothing of writing and and even in the transitional era we get a description of writing. Intended as a denunciation, but still acting as a description. Then we start to get wills that bestow clothing, and illuminated manuscripts with pictures. Still, wariness is needed. Some colors in tapestry are flat out impossible, obviously chosen, and hair cuts in illuminations always showed Anglo-Saxon men with short cut hair, and Anglo-Saxon women with covered hair -- including not only unmarried ones but even young girls. Vikings had more lavish hair, but then again, moralists denounced men for having fancy, curled hair. The import of dyes and silk, the making of fabric and clothes. . . .
Lots of interesting stuff.
In the earliest period, we have graves, and nothing but graves, except for such analogies as can be made to other societies. Some of it is useful -- that women typically had two brooches, one at each shoulder, it appears they had a sleeveless gown like the pelops. (Note, we don't even have an English name for it.) The author does, however, mention that that reenactors love it, and in hot weather stick to it and forgo the tunic under it. Glass beads and their colors were common. Men are worse, because they were more often buried with rich weapons than rich jewelry, giving fewer hints. And hair styles -- pins have been seriously overly likely to be taken for hairpins regardless of where found in the grave. Some may have been, but the only real evidence is the abundance of combs, so at least we know it was kempt. A lack of footware -- the author notes that reenactors find wearing shoes when walking on new-plowed land is too cumbursome.
The advent of Christianity mean the diminishment of grave goods to just about nothing, but the increase from nothing of writing and and even in the transitional era we get a description of writing. Intended as a denunciation, but still acting as a description. Then we start to get wills that bestow clothing, and illuminated manuscripts with pictures. Still, wariness is needed. Some colors in tapestry are flat out impossible, obviously chosen, and hair cuts in illuminations always showed Anglo-Saxon men with short cut hair, and Anglo-Saxon women with covered hair -- including not only unmarried ones but even young girls. Vikings had more lavish hair, but then again, moralists denounced men for having fancy, curled hair. The import of dyes and silk, the making of fabric and clothes. . . .
Lots of interesting stuff.
October 14, 2011
Great book; borrowed from a friend but it is so chock-a-block full of excellent information and well rendered illustrations that it is on my wish list to buy.
January 18, 2014
I enjoyed every word, foot note and bibliographic citation.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews