Entertainment in Anglo Saxon Times (Part of the Anglo Saxon Survival Guide)

With no Television, radio or even newspapers and books (for the most component) right here are some methods that the Anglo Saxons had enjoyable in the dark evenings.

Indoor entertainment and feasts

There was a higher degree of ceremony connected with feasts. It would begin outdoors the hall. A horn was blown to summon the guests to table and the host would fantastic them at the door exactly where there would be a hand washing ceremony at the door. The doors had been shut to maintain gate crashers away!

Then the guests would enter and sit at benches lining lengthy tables. The king's warriors or thegns might sit in his halls but only men of higher rank would sit at the higher table. Ladies of higher rank would be cup bearers and pour drinks for the king and lords. In the Christian era bread was blessed and then broken in remembrance of the Eucharist or holy communion/ mass.

Feasts may go on all day and evening: there had been even some three day feasts.

It was regarded as a severe matter to commit an offense or undertake violence at a feast

Entertainment at feasts: These may well consist of playing the harp, lyre, horn, trumpet, drums flute or cymbals. There would be accompanying signing: frequently songs recalling battles.

They enjoyed dancing and juggling, poets and stories and the asking of riddles. Right here is a common Anglo-Saxon riddle from the Exeter book which has numerous riddles. Some are obscure and some lewd and suggestive. This one is straighter forward.

On the wave a miracle: water turned to bone.

What is the answer? See at the finish of this section.

Games:

The Anglo-Saxons have been fond of dice games. Dice have been produced from the knuckle bones of animals such as pigs. Boardgames have been also well-liked and usually recalled battles in a symbolic way. An instance is Tables which is played utilizing stone pieces on a carved wooden board. One player's pawns coming from the corners of the board would attack the other side's kings and pawns which had been positioned in the centre. The player with the King would be attempting to get him off the board (to escape from the battle) while the other player would attempt and trap him. These un-even games - exactly where the two sides have been of various sizes and skills - had been quite prevalent in Anglo-Saxon and later Viking cultures.

Outdoor Sports:

Horse racing was pointed out in Beowulf in 8th century and by the writer Bede in 7th. There are records of dog racing, hunting, ice skating, swimming, falconry, hawking, acrobatics wrestling and gymnastics.

Answer to the riddle:

On the wave a miracle: water turned to bone.

Ice or iceberg.

I have far more Anglo Saxons riddles and answers on my internet site.

Richard Denning: Writer
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