Crossing Boundaries : Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Art, Material Culture, Language and Literature of the Early Medieval World

Essays presented to Professor Emeritus Richard N. Bailey, OBE, in honour of his eightieth birthday. Interdisciplinary studies are increasingly widely recognised as being among the most fruitful approaches to generating original perspectives on the medieval past. In this major collection of 27 papers, contributors transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries to offer new approaches to a number of themes ranging in time from late antiquity to the high Middle Ages. The main focus is on material culture, but also includes insights into the compositional techniques of Bede and the "Beowulf"-poet, and the strategies adopted by anonymous scribes to record information in unfamiliar languages. Contributors offer fresh insights into some of the most iconic survivals from the period, from the wooden doors of Sta Sabina in Rome to the Ruthwell Cross, and from St Cuthbert's coffin to the design of its final resting place, the Romanesque cathedral at Durham. Important thematic surveys reveal early medieval Welsh and Pictish carvers interacting with the political and intellectual concerns of the wider Insular and continental world. Other contributors consider what it is to be Viking, revealing how radically present perceptions shape our understanding of the past, how recent archaeological work reveals the inadequacy of the traditional categorisation of the Vikings as 'incomers', and how recontextualising Viking material culture can lead to unexpected insights into famous historical episodes such as King Edgar's boat trip on the Dee. Recent landmark finds, notably the runic-inscribed Saltfleetby spindle whorl and the sword pommel from Beckley, are also published here for the first time in comprehensive analyses which will remain the fundamental discussions of these spectacular objects for many years to come. This book will be indispensable reading for everyone interested in medieval culture. Interdisciplinary studies are increasingly widely recognised as being among the most fruitful approaches to generating original perspectives on the medieval past. In this major collection of 27 papers, contributors transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries to offer new approaches to a number of themes ranging in time from late antiquity to the high Middle Ages. The main focus is on material culture, but also includes insights into the compositional techniques of Bede and the Beowulf-poet, and the strategies adopted by anonymous scribes to record information in unfamiliar languages. Contributors offer fresh insights into some of the most iconic survivals from the period, from the wooden doors of Sta Sabina in Rome to the Ruthwell Cross, and from St Cuthberts coffin to the design of its final resting place, the Romanesque cathedral at Durham. Important thematic surveys reveal early medieval Welsh and Pictish carvers interacting with the political and intellectual concerns of the wider Insular and continental world. Other contributors consider what it is to be Viking, revealing how radically present perceptions shape our understanding of the past, how recent archaeological work reveals the inadequacy of the traditional categorisation of the Vikings as incomers, and how recontextualising Viking material culture can lead to unexpected insights into famous historical episodes such as King Edgars boat trip on the Dee. Recent landmark finds, notably the runic-inscribed Saltfleetby spindle whorl and the sword pommel from Beckley, are also published here for the first time in comprehensive analyses which will remain the fundamental discussions of these spectacular objects for many years to come.This book will be indispensable reading for everyone interested in medieval culture. Table of Contents Preface Abbreviations List of Illustrations Crossing Boundaries I. New Perspectives on Insular Sculpture and Art 1. Clare The Riddle of the Ruthwell Audience, Intention and Originator Reconsidered 2. Rosemary Heads you Lose 3. Elizabeth Depiction of Martyrdom in Anglo-Saxon Art and Contexts and Contrasts 4. Nancy Crucifixion Iconography on Early Medieval Sculpture in Wales 5. George Pictish Relief Some Problems of Interpretation 6. Isabel Reviewing the Relationship between Pictish and Mercian Art Fifty Years on II. Objects and Meanings 7. amonn Carrag The Santa Sabina Crucifixion Between Two Living Creatures you will be Known on Good Friday, at Hierusalem in Fifth-century Rome 8. Jane The Body in the the Iconography of the Cuthbert Coffin 9. Catherine Reading the Trinity in the Harley Psalter 10. Leslie Wundorsmia a Mercian Sword-pommel from the Beckley Area, Oxfordshire 11. James A Scandinavian gold brooch from Norfolk 12. John A Glimpse of the Heathen Norse in Lincolnshire 13. Helen Archaeological Evidence for Local Liturgical the Lead Plaques from Bury St Edmunds Machine Generated Contents Note: Pt. I New Perspectives On Insular Sculpture And Art -- 1. The Riddle Of The Ruthwell Cross: Audience, Intention And Originator Reconsidered / Clare Stancliffe -- 2. Heads You Lose / Rosemary Cramp -- 3. Depiction Of Martyrdom In Anglo-saxon Art And Literature: Contexts And Contrasts / Elizabeth Coatsworth -- 4. Crucifixion Iconography On Early Medieval Sculpture In Wales / Nancy Edwards -- 5. Pictish Relief Sculpture: Some Problems Of Interpretation / George Henderson -- 6. Reviewing The Relationship Between Pictish And Mercian Art Fifty Years On / Isabel Henderson -- Pt. Ii Objects And Meanings -- 7. The Santa Sabina Crucifixion Panel: `between Two Living Creatures You Will Be Known' On Good Friday, At `hierusalem' In Fifth-century Rome / Eamonn O. Carragain -- 8. The Body In The Box: The Iconography Of The Cuthbert Coffin / Jane Hawkes -- 9. Reading The Trinity In The Harley Psalter / Catherine E. Karkov -- 10. Wundorsmipa Geweorc: A Mercian Sword-pommel From The Beckley Area, Oxfordshire / Leslie Webster -- 11. A Scandinavian Gold Brooch From Norfolk / James Graham-campbell -- 12. A Glimpse Of The Heathen Norse In Lincolnshire / John Hines -- 13. Archaeological Evidence For Local Liturgical Practices: The Lead Plaques From Bury St Edmunds / Helen Gittos -- Pt. Iii Settlements, Sites And Structures -- 14. The Importance Of Being Viking / Deirdre O'sullivan -- 15. A Tale Of Two Cemeteries: Viking Burials At Cumwhitton And Carlisle, Cumbria / Caroline Paterson -- 16. Transactions On The Dee: The `exceptional' Collection Of Early Sculpture From St John's, Chester / David Stacker -- 17. Whitby Before The Mid-seventh Century: Some Ways Forward / Lorna Watts -- 18. Looking At, And For, Inscribed Stones: A Note From The Brough Of Birsay, Orkney / Christopher D. Morris -- 19. An Apsidal Building In Brixworth Churchyard, Northamptonshire / David Parsons -- 20. Designing And Redesigning Durham Cathedral / Eric Cambridge -- Pt. Iv Constructing Meanings -- 21. The Hero's Journey In Bede's Ecclesiastical History: The Case Of King Edwin / Colm O'brien -- 22. Furnishing Heorot / Gale R. Owen-crocker -- 23. A Miracle Of St Hilda In A Migrating Manuscript / A.i. Doyle -- 24. A Dastardly Deed? Bishop Ranulph Flambard And The Ravensworth Estate / David Heslop -- 25. Varieties Of Language-contact In Anglo-saxon Manuscripts / John Frankis -- 26. Flodibor Rex Francorum / Hermann Moisl -- 27. Lexical Heritage In Northumberland: A Toponymic Field-walk / Diana Whaley. Edited By Eric Cambridge And Jane Hawkes. Essays Presented To Professor Emeritus Richard N. Bailey, Obe, On The Occasion Of His Eightieth Birthday. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Preface -- List of Illustrations -- Abbreviations -- Introduction: Crossing Boundaries, by Jane Hawkes -- Part I. New perspectives on insular sculpture and art. 1. The riddle of the Ruthwell Cross: audience, intention and originator reconsidered / Clare Stancliffe -- 2. Heads you lose / Rosemary Cramp -- 3. Depiction of martyrdom in Anglo-Saxon art and literature: contexts and contrasts / Elizabeth Coatsworth -- 4. Crucifixion iconography on early medieval sculpture in Wales / Nancy Edwards -- 5. Pictish relief sculpture: some problems of interpretation / George Henderson -- 6. Reviewing the relationship between Pictish and Mercian art fifty years on / Isabel Henderson -- Part II. Objects and meanings. 7. The Santa Sabina crucifixion panel: 'between two living creatures you will be known' on Good Friday, at 'Hierusalem' in fifth-century Rome / Eamonn O Carragain -- 8. The body in the box: the iconography of the Cuthbert Coffin / Jane Hawkes -- 9. Reading the Trinity in the Harley Psalter / Catherine Karkov -- 10. 'Wundorsmitha geweorc': a Mercian sword-pommel from the Beckley area, Oxfordshire / Leslie Webster -- 11. A Scandinavian gold brooch from Norfolk / James Graham-Campbell -- 12. A glimpse of the heathen Norse in Lincolnshire / John Hines -- 13. Archaeological evidence for local liturgical practices: the lead plaques from Bury St. Edmunds / Helen Gittos -- Part III. Settlements, sites and structures. 14. The importance of being Viking / Deirdre O'Sullivan -- 15. A tale of two cemeteries: Viking burials at Cumwhitton and Carlisle, Cumbria / Caroline Paterson -- 16. Transactions on the Dee: the 'exceptional' collection of early sculpture from St John's, Chester / Paul Everson and David Stocker -- 17. Whitby before the mid-seventh century: some ways forward? / Lorna Watts -- 18. Looking at, and for, inscribed stones: a note from the Brough of Birsay, Orkney / Christopher D. Morris -- 19. An apsidal building in Brixworth churchyard, Northamptonshire / David Parsons -- 20. Designing and redesigning Durham Cathedral / Eric Cambridge -- Part IV. Constructing meanings. 21. The hero's journey in Bede's "Ecclesiastical History": the case of King Edwin / Colm O'Brien -- 22. Furnishing Heorot / Gale Owen-Crocker -- 23. A miracle of St. Hilda in a migrating manuscript / A. I. Doyle -- 24. A dastardly deed by Ranulph Flambard, Bishop of Durham? / Lindsay Allason-Jones and David Heslop -- 25. Varieties of language-contact in Anglo-Saxon manuscripts / John Frankis -- 26. 'Flodibor rex Francorum' / Herman Moisl -- 27. Lexical heritage in Northumberland: a toponymic field-walk / Diana Whaley -- Richard N. Bailey publications, compiled by Derek Craig -- Index. "Interdisciplinary studies are increasingly widely recognised as being among the most fruitful approaches to generating original perspectives on the medieval past. In this major collection of 27 papers, contributors transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries to offer new approaches to a number of themes ranging in time from late antiquity to the high Middle Ages. The main focus is on material culture, but also includes insights into the compositional techniques of Bede and the Beowulf-poet, and the strategies adopted by anonymous scribes to record information in unfamiliar languages. Contributors offer fresh insights into some of the most iconic survivals from the period, from the wooden doors of Sta Sabina in Rome to the Ruthwell Cross, and from St Cuthbert's coffin to the design of its final resting place, the Romanesque cathedral at Durham. Important thematic surveys reveal early medieval Welsh and Pictish carvers interacting with the political and intellectual concerns of the wider Insular and continental world. Other contributors consider what it is to be Viking, revealing how radically present perceptions shape our understanding of the past, how recent archaeological work reveals the inadequacy of the traditional categorisation of the Vikings as 'incomers', and how recontextualising Viking material culture can lead to unexpected insights into famous historical episodes such as King Edgar's boat trip on the Dee. Recent landmark finds, notably the runic-inscribed Saltfleetby spindle whorl and the sword pommel from Beckley, are also published here for the first time in comprehensive analyses which will remain the fundamental discussions of these spectacular objects for many years to come. This book will be indispensable reading for everyone interested in medieval culture."--Cover page 4 Interdisciplinary studies are increasingly widely recognised as being among the most fruitful approaches to generating original perspectives on the medieval past. In this major collection of 27 papers, contributors transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries to offer new approaches to a number of themes ranging in time from late antiquity to the high Middle Ages. The main focus is on material culture, but also includes insights into the compositional techniques of Bede and the Beowulf-poet, and the strategies adopted by anonymous scribes to record information in unfamiliar languages. 0 0Contributors offer fresh insights into some of the most iconic survivals from the period, from the wooden doors of Sta Sabina in Rome to the Ruthwell Cross, and from St Cuthbert?s coffin to the design of its final resting place, the Romanesque cathedral at Durham. Important thematic surveys reveal early medieval Welsh and Pictish carvers interacting with the political and intellectual concerns of the wider Insular and continental world. 0 0Other contributors consider what it is to be Viking, revealing how radically present perceptions shape our understanding of the past, how recent archaeological work reveals the inadequacy of the traditional categorisation of the Vikings as ?incomers?, and how recontextualising Viking material culture can lead to unexpected insights into famous historical episodes such as King Edgar?s boat trip on the Dee. 0 0Recent landmark finds, notably the runic-inscribed Saltfleetby spindle whorl and the sword pommel from Beckley, are also published here for the first time in comprehensive analyses which will remain the fundamental discussions of these spectacular objects for many years to come.This book will be indispensable reading for everyone interested in medieval culture