Long live the boar! This blog post calls attention to the role of the boar in medieval English royal prophecies.
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Dutch Anglo-Saxonist website changes its name
In light of recent discussions about the term 'Anglo-Saxonist' and the debate around the name of the International Society for Anglo-Saxonists, I have decided to change the name of my blog. Some thoughts on the matter follow below. On the terms 'Anglo-Saxon' and 'Anglo-Saxonist' One of the few contemporary uses of the term 'Anglo-Saxon': a … Continue reading Dutch Anglo-Saxonist website changes its name
The Medieval in Middle-Earth: Anglo-Saxon Elves
From various elf types to ambivalent Wood-Elves and elf-friends, Tolkien's Middle-Earth has close connections to early medieval England. Learn more about Anglo-Saxon elves and their connection to the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien.
Old age as a prefiguration of Hell: Senescence in early medieval England
This blog looks at some of the downsides of growing old in early medieval England and identifies some cases of what may be termed ‘gerontophobia’, the fear for old age.
Anglo-Saxon gift horses: Equine gifts in early medieval England
Whether as a royal present, a reward for heroism, a treasured heirloom or an impressive bride price, a horse was the perfect gift in early medieval England!
An Old English love poem from 1879
In 1879, a Dutch student tried to woo his sweetheart with an Old English love poem. Learn more about "Se glēo-mann" [The minstrel]!
Cooked crow’s brains and other early medieval remedies for headaches from the Leiden Leechbook
The ninth-century manuscript fragment known as the Leiden Leechbook is a unique witness to medical practice in the early Middle Ages and the multilingual nature of the documents from this period.
‘The last king of medieval Frisia’: Redbad and the Anglo-Saxon missionaries
A blockbuster movie depicting Redbad as an early medieval Frisian freedom fighter? A late medieval Frisian audience would not have agreed.
The history of Beowulf’s sandwich: A sketch about ‘fake news’ from 1909
Before 'fake news', there was 'Beowulf's sandwich'. A reconstruction of a comic sketch from 1909.
Early Medieval Magical Medicine: An Anglo-Saxon Trivia Quiz
An Anglo-Saxon trivia quiz that will test (and/or increase) your knowledge about magical medicine in early medieval England!
Thijs Porck 