Okay, apparently this is the wrong time of year to purchase Dress in Ireland by Dunleavy. I'm going to assume classes are just starting in the very near future that need this book as part of its course reading. I have no idea, but this is the second site to cancel my order on me. I'm getting a bit perturbed by this and there is no way I'm paying over $40 for this book. I'm sorry, it's not quite worth *that* much to me. So here I am, left without the book I was wanting yet again and it's core to the research that I'm trying to do *and* I'm unwilling to pay exorbitant amounts to get it. Guess now I can get the Book of Kells on CD instead, but I was really hoping for the Dunleavy book. *sigh*
[End rant]
I'm going to be patient and see where things stand next month. Who knows what might happen :)
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Irish Mythology - Cycles
For a more detailed description of the following, I suggest visiting the Wikipeida entry on Irish Mythology. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_mythology#The_sources)
One of the best sites to view the Cycles in detail - (http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/index_irish.html)
Mythological Cycle - Stories of the former gods and origins of the Irish. Sometimes referred to as the Irish Golden Age.
Lore of Places (Metrical Dindshenchas) 4 vol. - the great onomastic work of early Ireland, giving the naming legends of significant places in a sequence of poems. It includes a lot of important information on Mythological Cycle figures and stories, including the Battle of Tailtiu, in which the Tuatha Dé Danann were defeated by the Milesians.
Lore of Women (Bansenchnas)
Book of Invasions (Lebor Gabála Érenn) - a pseudo-history of Ireland, tracing the ancestry of the Irish back to Noah. It tells of a series of invasions or "takings" of Ireland by a succession of peoples, one of whom was the people known as the Tuatha Dé Danann, who were believed to have inhabited the island before the arrival of the Gaels, or Milesians. They faced opposition from their enemies, the Fomorians, led by Balor of the Evil Eye. Balor was eventually slain by Lug Lámfada (Lug of the Long Arm) at the second battle of Magh Tuireadh. With the arrival of the Gaels, the Tuatha Dé Danann retired underground to become the fairy people of later myth and legend. [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/leborgabala.html]
The Dream of Aengus (Aislinge Óenguso)
The Wooing of Etain (Tochmarc Étaine)
The (first) Battle of Magh Tuireadh (Cath Maige Tuiredh Cunga)
The (second) Battle of Magh Tuireadh (Moytura - Cath Maige Tuiredh)
The Tragedy of the Children if Lir (Oidheadh Clainne Lir)
The Roll of the Kings (Do flathiusaib Hérend)
The Book of Britain: Irish Nennius (Lebor Bretnach)
The Jewel of the Tuatha De Danann (Tuath De Danand na set soim)
The Satire of Cairpre upon Bres
The Fate of the Children of Turenn (Oidheadh Chloinne Tuireann)
The Progress of the Sons of Mil from Spain to Ireland (Tochomold mac Mileadh a hEspain i nErind)
How the Dagda Got His Magic Staff
How Oengus Won the Brugh (De Gabáil in t-Sída)
The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel (Togail Bruidne Da Derga)
The Fate of the Children of Lir (Oidheadh Chloinne Lir)
The Fosterage of the House of Two Milk-pails (Altram Tige Dá Medar)
The Tale of Tuan mac Carill (Scél Túain maic Cairill)
The Settling of the Manor of Tara (Suidigud Tellaich Temra)
The Adventures of Leithin (Eachtra Léithín)
The Hawk of Achill (Moí coire coir goiraith)
The Cauldron of Poesy (Arsaidh sin a eoúin Accla)
The Scholar's Primer (Auraicept na n-Éces)
The Ogham Book (Lebor Ogaim)
The Fitness of Names (Cóir Anmann)
Ulster Cycle - Similar to the Mythological Cycle, but would be more like the Irish Heroic Age in comparison. The Ulster Cylce is set around the beginning of the Christian era and most of the action takes place in the provinces of Ulster and Connacht.
The Cattle-Raid of Cooley: The First Recention (Tain Bo Cuailnge)
The Recovery of the Tale of the Cattle Raid of Cooley (Do Faillsigud Tána Bó Cúailnge)
How Oengus Won the Brugh (De Gabáil in t-Sída)
The Quarrel of the Pigkeepers (De Chopur in dá Muccida)
The Tidings of Conchobar son of Ness (Scéla Conchobuir meic Nessa)
The Birth of Conchobhar (Compert Conchobuir)
Medb's Men, or, the Battle of the Boyne (Ferchuitred Medba (AKA Cath na Bóinne))
The Birth of Athirne
Athirne the Unsociable
The Birth of Cú Chulainn (Compert Con Culainn)
The Boyhood Deeds of Cú Chulainn (Maccgnimrada Con Culaind)
The Wooing of Emer (Tochmarc Emire)
TheTraining of Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn's Shield
The Death of Derbforgaill (Aided Derbforgaill)
The Pursuit of Gruaidh Ghriansholus (Toruigheacht Gruaidhe Griansholus)
The Tragic Death of Connla, or, the Death of Aife's only Son (Aided Óenfir Aífe)
The Wasting Sickness of Cú Chulainn, and the Only Jealousy of Emer (Serglige Con Culainn)
The Tale of Mac Datho's Pig (Scéla Mucce Meic Dathó)
The Affliction of the Ulstermen (Ces Ulad)
The Debility of the Ulstermen (Noínden Ulad)
The Cattle-Raid of Fraech (Táin Bó Fráich)
The Cattle-Raid of Regamon (Táin Bó Regamain)
The Cattle-Raid of Dartaid (Táin bó Dartada)
The Driving of Flidais' Cattle (Táin bó Flidais)
The Cattle-Raid of Regamna (Táin bó Regamna)
The Intoxication of the Ulstermen (Mesca Ulad)
The Cause of the Exile of Fergus mac Roig (Fochond loingse Fergusa meic Roig)
Bricriu's Feast (Fled Bricrenn)
The Feast of Bricriu and the Exile of the Sons of Doél Dermait (Fled Bricrenn)
The Exile of the Sons of Usnach (Longes mac n-Uislenn)
The Wooing of Ferb (Tochmarch Ferbe)
The Adventures of Nera, or, the Cattle-Raid of Angen (Echtra Nerai [al. Táin Bó Aingen]
The Tragic Death of Cu Roi mac Dairi (Aided Conrói maic Dáiri)
The Colloquy of the Two Sages (Immacallam in Dá Thúarad)
The Death of Celtchar (Aided Cheltchair maic Uthechair)
The Death of Leogaire Buadach (Aided Lóegairi Búadaig)
The Death of Cuchulain (Aided Conculaind)
The Great Defeat on the Plain of Muirthemne (Brislech mór Maige Murthemni)
The Battle of Airtech (Cath Airtig)
The Death of Cet mac Magach (Aided Cheit maic Mágach)
The Death of Fergus mac Roich (Aided Fergusa maic Róich)
The Death of Ailill and Connal Cernach (Aided Ailella)
The Death of Medb (Aided Meidbe)
The Phantom Chariot of Cú Chulainn (Síaburcharpat Con Culainn)
The Genealogy of Cú Chulainn (De genelogia Con Culaind)
One of the best sites to view the Cycles in detail - (http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/index_irish.html)
Mythological Cycle - Stories of the former gods and origins of the Irish. Sometimes referred to as the Irish Golden Age.
Lore of Places (Metrical Dindshenchas) 4 vol. - the great onomastic work of early Ireland, giving the naming legends of significant places in a sequence of poems. It includes a lot of important information on Mythological Cycle figures and stories, including the Battle of Tailtiu, in which the Tuatha Dé Danann were defeated by the Milesians.
Lore of Women (Bansenchnas)
Book of Invasions (Lebor Gabála Érenn) - a pseudo-history of Ireland, tracing the ancestry of the Irish back to Noah. It tells of a series of invasions or "takings" of Ireland by a succession of peoples, one of whom was the people known as the Tuatha Dé Danann, who were believed to have inhabited the island before the arrival of the Gaels, or Milesians. They faced opposition from their enemies, the Fomorians, led by Balor of the Evil Eye. Balor was eventually slain by Lug Lámfada (Lug of the Long Arm) at the second battle of Magh Tuireadh. With the arrival of the Gaels, the Tuatha Dé Danann retired underground to become the fairy people of later myth and legend. [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/leborgabala.html]
The Dream of Aengus (Aislinge Óenguso)
The Wooing of Etain (Tochmarc Étaine)
The (first) Battle of Magh Tuireadh (Cath Maige Tuiredh Cunga)
The (second) Battle of Magh Tuireadh (Moytura - Cath Maige Tuiredh)
The Tragedy of the Children if Lir (Oidheadh Clainne Lir)
The Roll of the Kings (Do flathiusaib Hérend)
The Book of Britain: Irish Nennius (Lebor Bretnach)
The Jewel of the Tuatha De Danann (Tuath De Danand na set soim)
The Satire of Cairpre upon Bres
The Fate of the Children of Turenn (Oidheadh Chloinne Tuireann)
The Progress of the Sons of Mil from Spain to Ireland (Tochomold mac Mileadh a hEspain i nErind)
How the Dagda Got His Magic Staff
How Oengus Won the Brugh (De Gabáil in t-Sída)
The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel (Togail Bruidne Da Derga)
The Fate of the Children of Lir (Oidheadh Chloinne Lir)
The Fosterage of the House of Two Milk-pails (Altram Tige Dá Medar)
The Tale of Tuan mac Carill (Scél Túain maic Cairill)
The Settling of the Manor of Tara (Suidigud Tellaich Temra)
The Adventures of Leithin (Eachtra Léithín)
The Hawk of Achill (Moí coire coir goiraith)
The Cauldron of Poesy (Arsaidh sin a eoúin Accla)
The Scholar's Primer (Auraicept na n-Éces)
The Ogham Book (Lebor Ogaim)
The Fitness of Names (Cóir Anmann)
Ulster Cycle - Similar to the Mythological Cycle, but would be more like the Irish Heroic Age in comparison. The Ulster Cylce is set around the beginning of the Christian era and most of the action takes place in the provinces of Ulster and Connacht.
The Cattle-Raid of Cooley: The First Recention (Tain Bo Cuailnge)
The Recovery of the Tale of the Cattle Raid of Cooley (Do Faillsigud Tána Bó Cúailnge)
How Oengus Won the Brugh (De Gabáil in t-Sída)
The Quarrel of the Pigkeepers (De Chopur in dá Muccida)
The Tidings of Conchobar son of Ness (Scéla Conchobuir meic Nessa)
The Birth of Conchobhar (Compert Conchobuir)
Medb's Men, or, the Battle of the Boyne (Ferchuitred Medba (AKA Cath na Bóinne))
The Birth of Athirne
Athirne the Unsociable
The Birth of Cú Chulainn (Compert Con Culainn)
The Boyhood Deeds of Cú Chulainn (Maccgnimrada Con Culaind)
The Wooing of Emer (Tochmarc Emire)
TheTraining of Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn's Shield
The Death of Derbforgaill (Aided Derbforgaill)
The Pursuit of Gruaidh Ghriansholus (Toruigheacht Gruaidhe Griansholus)
The Tragic Death of Connla, or, the Death of Aife's only Son (Aided Óenfir Aífe)
The Wasting Sickness of Cú Chulainn, and the Only Jealousy of Emer (Serglige Con Culainn)
The Tale of Mac Datho's Pig (Scéla Mucce Meic Dathó)
The Affliction of the Ulstermen (Ces Ulad)
The Debility of the Ulstermen (Noínden Ulad)
The Cattle-Raid of Fraech (Táin Bó Fráich)
The Cattle-Raid of Regamon (Táin Bó Regamain)
The Cattle-Raid of Dartaid (Táin bó Dartada)
The Driving of Flidais' Cattle (Táin bó Flidais)
The Cattle-Raid of Regamna (Táin bó Regamna)
The Intoxication of the Ulstermen (Mesca Ulad)
The Cause of the Exile of Fergus mac Roig (Fochond loingse Fergusa meic Roig)
Bricriu's Feast (Fled Bricrenn)
The Feast of Bricriu and the Exile of the Sons of Doél Dermait (Fled Bricrenn)
The Exile of the Sons of Usnach (Longes mac n-Uislenn)
The Wooing of Ferb (Tochmarch Ferbe)
The Adventures of Nera, or, the Cattle-Raid of Angen (Echtra Nerai [al. Táin Bó Aingen]
The Tragic Death of Cu Roi mac Dairi (Aided Conrói maic Dáiri)
The Colloquy of the Two Sages (Immacallam in Dá Thúarad)
The Death of Celtchar (Aided Cheltchair maic Uthechair)
The Death of Leogaire Buadach (Aided Lóegairi Búadaig)
The Death of Cuchulain (Aided Conculaind)
The Great Defeat on the Plain of Muirthemne (Brislech mór Maige Murthemni)
The Battle of Airtech (Cath Airtig)
The Death of Cet mac Magach (Aided Cheit maic Mágach)
The Death of Fergus mac Roich (Aided Fergusa maic Róich)
The Death of Ailill and Connal Cernach (Aided Ailella)
The Death of Medb (Aided Meidbe)
The Phantom Chariot of Cú Chulainn (Síaburcharpat Con Culainn)
The Genealogy of Cú Chulainn (De genelogia Con Culaind)
Fenian Cycle - The Fenian Cycle is concerned with the deeds of Irish heroes. The stories of the Fenian Cycle appear to be set around the 3rd century and mainly in the provinces of Leinster and Munster.
Colloquy of the Old Men (Acallam na Senórach) - found in two 15th century manuscripts, the Book of Lismore and Laud 610, as well as a 17th century manuscript from Killiney County Dublin.
The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Grainne (Toraigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghrainne) - is likely the origin of the Tristan and Iseult (Isolde?) story.
Oisín in Tír na nÓg
Historical Cycle
Brat or Cloak
The brat was worn by both men and women and the pictorial evidence is quite consistent. All 
show the brat worn around the shoulders. It was secured with a pennanular brooch [example to the right of a falcon pennanular brooch; below that another example of a brooch, tho as to either of their periodness, I haven't researched yet] on the right shoulder for men and below the chin for women. There are no illustrations showing the brat being worn across the body as in 'Braveheart' or in the style favoured by some Welsh groups. The length of the brat was a symbol of wealth and status although by our period it seemed to have been a standard length roughly equivalent to the wearer's height. There is no clear evidence for a hood attached to the brat although some illustrations show the brat worn covering the head and secured as usual with a brooch. If the brat was at least the same length as the 
wearer's height it would be possible to form a hood and still secure it with a brooch. The brat was usually rectangular in shape, of a single colour with a contrasting border. It could be lined with a contrasting colour which wrapped around to form the border. Another decorative device was the addition of a tablet woven fringe or braid, again of a contrasting colour. There is no evidence that the fringe was an integral part of the brat itself. In Henken's Lagore Report he illustrates a method for tablet weaving a fringed braid. When making a brat it would be best to cut a large piece of cloth into narrower strips of material which are then sown together to simulate the cloth production of the period. Strips could vary between 24" and 36".
show the brat worn around the shoulders. It was secured with a pennanular brooch [example to the right of a falcon pennanular brooch; below that another example of a brooch, tho as to either of their periodness, I haven't researched yet] on the right shoulder for men and below the chin for women. There are no illustrations showing the brat being worn across the body as in 'Braveheart' or in the style favoured by some Welsh groups. The length of the brat was a symbol of wealth and status although by our period it seemed to have been a standard length roughly equivalent to the wearer's height. There is no clear evidence for a hood attached to the brat although some illustrations show the brat worn covering the head and secured as usual with a brooch. If the brat was at least the same length as the 
wearer's height it would be possible to form a hood and still secure it with a brooch. The brat was usually rectangular in shape, of a single colour with a contrasting border. It could be lined with a contrasting colour which wrapped around to form the border. Another decorative device was the addition of a tablet woven fringe or braid, again of a contrasting colour. There is no evidence that the fringe was an integral part of the brat itself. In Henken's Lagore Report he illustrates a method for tablet weaving a fringed braid. When making a brat it would be best to cut a large piece of cloth into narrower strips of material which are then sown together to simulate the cloth production of the period. Strips could vary between 24" and 36".
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Leine
This was a garment worn by both men and women and was made of linen. For women it reached to the feet and for men to about ankle length. It was either made from bleached white linen or else a single bright colour which was described as 'gel'. It is possible that the white was reserved for ecclesiastical clothing with the bright colours or plain linen being preferred by everyone else. [Since linen is relatively easy to bleach, I find it much more likely that the linen for most everyone was white. Here's the simple rule (tho I haven't tested this out myself yet): wet linen will bleach white in the sun, dry linen will yellow. I don't recall where I found this information, but I'm going to test this theory on a small swatch of linen from my next purchase.] 
that I've gleaned from various places on the net. Not all of these images will help with leine research, but some of them should make it easier to mentally picture what the leine should resemble. This page to the right, for example, while not showing the leine, it is showing a male figure in the top right corner. Tho at first glance it may not appear as if he's wearing anything of significance, on closer examination, it's possible he's wearing a leine pulled up to his thighs as has been represented in various carvings and descriptions of Irish individuals wearing their leine. This method of wearing the leine, which was likely for easier movement and ventilation when necessary, has been misconstrued and misinterpreted as the wearing of a kilt.
The Book of Kells shows leines of various colours e.g. red, green and blue. [I have a theory of which I'm having a difficult time proving, but I believe that the colors represented for or used to describe some of these leine were used for another purpose beyond strickly color. I find in quite a few texts that most of the mantles are green or crimson. Sometimes, tho they are refered to as green, the mantle is in fact another color entirely. Whether this theory ever proves out or not remains to be seen, but for now it's going to sit in the back of my head until I can find proof one way or another.]
The sleeves were wide or loose at the shoulder and tapered to a tight fit at the cuffs. There are no illustrations of wide loose sleeves at the wrist so it is a case of snips, needle and thread for any wide sleeves. The 8th century illustrations show the leine as a loose fitting, single coloured garment decorated at cuffs, neck and hem with bands of braid or embroidery. There is no pictorial evidence for two or multi coloured leini. The neck opening was usually circular with an occasional v shape being used. The plates of the Shrine of St Moedoc could possibly represent pleated leine as the folds seem too regularly defined for a representation of normal folds in cloth. As the shrine is 11th century it could possibly indicate a fashion or style change influenced by the Scandinavian pleated kyrtle. The leine was secured about the waist with a crois or belt. This was made of either tablet woven wool or leather and would also serve for hanging a pouch, knife or other articles. In warm weather or when engaged in work or fighting the leine would be 'pouched ' over the crois to allow greater mobility. The depiction of Cain and Able on the Cross of Muiredach at Monasterboice shows the leine being worn in this manner. Likewise a warrior depicted on the Cross of Scriptures wears his leine gathered. It should not be confused with a kilt for which there is no evidence.
On careful examination of the available evidence and in consultation with others, I have found no credible evidence that the Irish or Scottish Gaels gathered or pleated the sleeves of their shirts along the top of the arm. Leine is pronounced, very roughly, \LANE-yeh\, where \LANE\ is like the English word "lane" and the \y\ is like the one in the English word "yes". (http://www.medievalscotland.org/clothing/leine.shtml)
One point to bear in mind is that drawstrings in the sleeve of a leine is a contemporary development, coming out of American RenFaires in the 1960-70s Be careful what advice you take. (http://garbindex.com/content/leine.php)
Quoting from "Irish Noble Dress: 5th century B.C. to 17th century C.E." by T.H. Lady Lughbec ni Eoin (Nancy Lynch)
--"Styles and fashions of many differing centuries were worn side by side throughout the Middle Ages in Ireland. The Gaeils, being proud to display their connections to the past, traditionally honored their lineage by wearing garments to recall ancestral heros or events. Up to and including the Anglo-Norman period, just about any Irish garment style that was worn in earlier periods would have been worn by some Irish noble person. After the 12th century there were many confrontations regarding this custom and all other "things Irish" between the Anglo/Normans who had invaded the island country, and the Gaeil. Then in the 14th century the English=Tudors began strengthening the anti-Irish policies, becoming firmer with each succeeding monarch. Legislation, punishments, and even death sentences were doled out to those of the aristocracy and peasantry, both English bred and Gaeil, caught by those in power, wearing clothing or hairstyles "after the Irish fashion". The Tudor-English Crown was bent on Anglisizing and "de-Irishizing" all of Ireland."-- (http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/4715/costume/clothing.html)
that I've gleaned from various places on the net. Not all of these images will help with leine research, but some of them should make it easier to mentally picture what the leine should resemble. This page to the right, for example, while not showing the leine, it is showing a male figure in the top right corner. Tho at first glance it may not appear as if he's wearing anything of significance, on closer examination, it's possible he's wearing a leine pulled up to his thighs as has been represented in various carvings and descriptions of Irish individuals wearing their leine. This method of wearing the leine, which was likely for easier movement and ventilation when necessary, has been misconstrued and misinterpreted as the wearing of a kilt.
Gael Agus Gall / Vikings Online
I think I found a good basis for how I'm going to mold my own garb. I found this group, Gael Agus Gall, which is a living history group that concentrates on 10th century life and crafts. More specifically, their focus is Hiberno Viking and Gaelic (tho more Viking due to available resources). Using their site (http://homepage.eircom.net/~gael/gaelweb/kit.html) [this site is also copied or was a copy and can be found at http://www.vikingsonline.org.uk/resources/authenticity/gaelic/index.htm. I'm uncertain which is the originating group I'm afraid] and the references provided, I think there is a strong basis in what a feasible kit would be for my persona. In the next few posts, I'm going to put their descriptions of the various pieces of clothing as well as pictures and addendums that they didn't post with their information. Anything below within []s are my own additions.
To start, these are the principal resources from which they pulled their descriptions...
1. Cross of the Scriptures at Clonmacnoise
[Clonmacnoise has three crosses. The Cross of the Scriptures has quite a few panels of which are listed:
West face (pictured right above) - Watching of the Tomb, the Arrest, the Betrayal and, above, the Crucifixion;
East face (pictured right middle) - King Dermot is depicted helping St Ciaran to lay the cornerpost of the church, above this are a number of unidentified figures, and above these again, the Last Judgement
South face - a Bishop and David with his Harp
North face (pictured right bottom) - another bishop, a man with Pan pipes and a falconer
Base - a hunting scene with horsemen, chariots and various animals. If I can find more detailed pictures of these crosses I'll post them at a later date and time.]
2. Cross of Muiredach at Monasterboice ( 923 AD. )
[Info in a previous post.]
3. Cross of Durrow
4. Cross of Kells
5. Book of Kells ( 8th century )
6. Shrine of St. Moedoc ( 11th century )
7. Giraldus Cambrensis ( 1183 - 1185 ) and other various texts, annals and reports for references to colour and textiles.
8. Durer's drawings in the 16th century of Irish poor men and soldiers.
Some of these I've already explored in minor detail and as things progress I'll explore more thoroughly. (Especially after I purchase the Book of Kells on CD :D) Until then, more happy research in the future.
To start, these are the principal resources from which they pulled their descriptions...
1. Cross of the Scriptures at Clonmacnoise
[Clonmacnoise has three crosses. The Cross of the Scriptures has quite a few panels of which are listed:
West face (pictured right above) - Watching of the Tomb, the Arrest, the Betrayal and, above, the Crucifixion;
East face (pictured right middle) - King Dermot is depicted helping St Ciaran to lay the cornerpost of the church, above this are a number of unidentified figures, and above these again, the Last Judgement
South face - a Bishop and David with his Harp
North face (pictured right bottom) - another bishop, a man with Pan pipes and a falconer
Base - a hunting scene with horsemen, chariots and various animals. If I can find more detailed pictures of these crosses I'll post them at a later date and time.]
2. Cross of Muiredach at Monasterboice ( 923 AD. )
[Info in a previous post.]
3. Cross of Durrow
4. Cross of Kells
5. Book of Kells ( 8th century )
6. Shrine of St. Moedoc ( 11th century )
7. Giraldus Cambrensis ( 1183 - 1185 ) and other various texts, annals and reports for references to colour and textiles.
8. Durer's drawings in the 16th century of Irish poor men and soldiers.
Some of these I've already explored in minor detail and as things progress I'll explore more thoroughly. (Especially after I purchase the Book of Kells on CD :D) Until then, more happy research in the future.
The Second Battle of Moytura
The Second Battle of Moytura
ftp://ftp.ucc.ie/pub/celt/texts/T300011.txt
This is a section from the Mythological Cycle found more by accident than design. I'll put together a listing of the various cycles after I'm finished with this current mental thread.
Clothing references are as follows:
"A mantle with bands of golden thread was around him. His shirt had trimmings of golden thread. On his breast was a brooch of gold, with the sheen of a precious stone therein. Two white silvern spears, and in them two smooth riveted shafts of bronze. Five circlets of gold on his neck. A golden-hilted sword with (inlayings) of silver and studs of gold."
"Unseemly was his apparel. A cape to the hollow of his two elbows. A dun tunic around him, as far as the swelling of his rump. It is, moreover, long-breasted, with a hole in the peak. Two brogues on him of horse-hide, with the hair outside. A wheeled [gap: meaning of text unclear/extent: one word] fork to carry which required the effort of eight men, behind him so that its track after him was enough for the boundary-ditch of a province."
ftp://ftp.ucc.ie/pub/celt/texts/T300011.txt
This is a section from the Mythological Cycle found more by accident than design. I'll put together a listing of the various cycles after I'm finished with this current mental thread.
Clothing references are as follows:
"A mantle with bands of golden thread was around him. His shirt had trimmings of golden thread. On his breast was a brooch of gold, with the sheen of a precious stone therein. Two white silvern spears, and in them two smooth riveted shafts of bronze. Five circlets of gold on his neck. A golden-hilted sword with (inlayings) of silver and studs of gold."
"Unseemly was his apparel. A cape to the hollow of his two elbows. A dun tunic around him, as far as the swelling of his rump. It is, moreover, long-breasted, with a hole in the peak. Two brogues on him of horse-hide, with the hair outside. A wheeled [gap: meaning of text unclear/extent: one word] fork to carry which required the effort of eight men, behind him so that its track after him was enough for the boundary-ditch of a province."
The History of Ireland (Book I-II) by Keating
The History of Ireland (Books I-II) by Geoffry Keating
ftp://ftp.ucc.ie/pub/celt/texts/T100054.txt
This book has a reference to:
"It was in the time of Tighearnmhas that clothes were first dyed purple, blue, and green in Ireland. It was also in his time that embroidery, fringes, and filigree were first put on mantles in Ireland. It was he in the same way that introduced into Ireland the custom of having but one colour in the dress of a slave, two colours in the dress of a peasant, three in the dress of a soldier or young lord, four in the dress of a brughaidh, five in the dress of a district chief, six in the dress of an ollamh and in the dress of a king or queen."
"Thereupon Macha undid the gold bodkin that was in the mantle on her breast, and with it measured the site of the fort which the sons of Diothorba were obliged to build."
"Another reason, too, that Aodh had for bainishing the filés was that they went to demand a gold bodkin that was in his mantle. Now this was a bodkin that each king left as an heirloom to each succeeding king, and it was their inordinate demand of this bodkin that incited Aodh to drive them out, so that they were banished to Dal Riada of Ulster."
"...and thereupon as the king of Leinster himself put his shoulder under the mast assigned to the Ui Faolain, wearing a satin tunic which Brian had given him sometime before, and which had gold borders to it and a silver clasp."
ftp://ftp.ucc.ie/pub/celt/texts/T100054.txt
This book has a reference to:
"It was in the time of Tighearnmhas that clothes were first dyed purple, blue, and green in Ireland. It was also in his time that embroidery, fringes, and filigree were first put on mantles in Ireland. It was he in the same way that introduced into Ireland the custom of having but one colour in the dress of a slave, two colours in the dress of a peasant, three in the dress of a soldier or young lord, four in the dress of a brughaidh, five in the dress of a district chief, six in the dress of an ollamh and in the dress of a king or queen."
"Thereupon Macha undid the gold bodkin that was in the mantle on her breast, and with it measured the site of the fort which the sons of Diothorba were obliged to build."
"Another reason, too, that Aodh had for bainishing the filés was that they went to demand a gold bodkin that was in his mantle. Now this was a bodkin that each king left as an heirloom to each succeeding king, and it was their inordinate demand of this bodkin that incited Aodh to drive them out, so that they were banished to Dal Riada of Ulster."
"...and thereupon as the king of Leinster himself put his shoulder under the mast assigned to the Ui Faolain, wearing a satin tunic which Brian had given him sometime before, and which had gold borders to it and a silver clasp."
Green & Crimson Mantle
Here's my current thought process. As I was going through The Colloquy of the Ancients, I realized that most of the mantles were either crimson or green. This felt significant to me somehow, so I'm attempting to find out if there is any significance to the mantles being refered to as one or the other. From something someone else mentioned, a "green mantle" might not necessarily mean that it's the color green. Was that particular mantle worn by a particular class of people, gender, or age? I'm going to pull out more clothing descriptions from other texts as I find the time and hopefully I can do a comparison or summary of them and determine what they may or may not mean.
Doing an internet search for "green mantle" or "crimson mantle" specifically only brings up various passages where they are used, not necessarily what they were.
Doing an internet search for "green mantle" or "crimson mantle" specifically only brings up various passages where they are used, not necessarily what they were.
Clothing Glossary
Some Clothing of the Middle Ages - Glossary
http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/cloth/glossary.html
I found this site as I was attempting to find something significant on "green mantle" or "crimson mantle". I hope this site is beneficial to anyone doing clothing research.
http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/cloth/glossary.html
I found this site as I was attempting to find something significant on "green mantle" or "crimson mantle". I hope this site is beneficial to anyone doing clothing research.
Fenian Cycle
Unfortunately, there is much debate as to the true origin of the Fenian Cycle. It's generally believed that it was written sometime around 1200AD, but the only surviving copy was included in the 16th cent manuscript, Book of Dean Lismore. Regardless, there are a few descriptions of individuals within The Colloquy of the Ancients (translated by Standish Hayes O'Grady [http://www.yorku.ca/inpar/colloquy_ogrady.pdf]) that I'm going to present here. Their similarity to the entries from Tain Bo Cualgne make them at least feasible for now.
1) Falartach, son of Fergus ("The rule over Bregia's tuatha and Meath's, and over the Decies of Tara, is that which constitutes my right; but I am a freebooter and an outlaw.") - a) about him was a crimson mantle, b) in it a fibula of gold, c) next to his skin a shirt of yellow silk.
2) Credhe's mansion - "A bowl she has whence juice of berries flows, with which she has been used ot make her eyebrows black; crystal vats of fermenting grains, cups she has and goblets exquisite. The colour of her dun is as that of lime; coverlets and rushes [for the beds] abound among them there; silk is among them, and many a blue mantle; among them are red gold and the polished drinking-horn." (There is a fairly detailed description of her house here that I'll not enter, but later in the paragraph it continues.) ..."The household that is in her house, to them it is that above all their lines are fallen in pleasant places; their mantles are neither pale nor smooth [i.e. neither faded nor worn to a gloss], their redundant locks are curly and in colour fair."
3) Uncertain exactly who they are describing on page 33 - "with a fringed mantle thrown over him, and indued with a soft crimson hood"
4) Page 37 - "Against Bresal's green-mantled son..."
5) Derg dianscothach son of Eoghan out of the tuatha of Usnach - a) a crimson mantle, fringed, enfolded him, b) high on his breast was a silver brooch, c) a white shield having ornament of interlaced creatures in red gold, d) his hair behind was rolled into a ball covered with a golden cuach.
6) Aillen mac Midhna - "...Finn opposed the crimson and fringed mantle which he wore..."
7) Donn son of Aedh son of Garadh mac Morna - a) a fringed mantle, b) a fibula of gold upon the breast, c) a tunic of solf silk
8) Trenbrugaid son of Treon's company - a) every man of them had on a deep blue mantle, b) beautiful shirts of pure white
9) rath Artrach, in the land of Kinelconall - "The gentle nubile yellow-haired damsels and the small green-mantled boys of the residence..."
10) 'non-warrior' page 93 - "... a) wore a fair green mantle, b) having in it a fibula of silver, c) a shirt of yellow silk next his skin, d) over and outside that again a tunic of soft satin, e) a timpan of the best slung on his back
11) Eoghan, the arch-hospitaller - a) a crimson mantle wrapped around him, b) with a brooch of gold
12) Aedh son of Aedh - a) next to his skin he had a shirt of yellow silk, b) a handsome green mantle round him, c) and in the same a brooch of gold surmounting his breast
13) Scothniamh or 'Flower-luster', daughter of the Daghda's son Bodhb derg - a) a mantle of green, b) a smock of soft silk being next her skin, c) and on her forehead a glittering plate of yellow gold.
14) Caeilte mac Ronan - a) around him a crimson mantle, b) a brooch of gold in it
15) Dark-browed young man page 122 - a) about him a fringed mantle of fair crimson b) with a brooch of gold
16) Doireann, daughter of the Daghda's son Bodhb Derg - a) girt with a silken tunic b) wrapped in a green mantle c) held with a brooch of gold d) on her head was a golden diadem, emblem of a queen.
17) A strapping young fellow page 131 - "...clad in garb of defence and wearing a mantle of wethers' wool from the flock-abounding land of promise; and his cloak's skirtful of healing and balsamic herbs..."
18) Donn mac Midir (?) - "... a shirt of king's satin was next his skin; over and outside it a tunic of the same soft fabric, and a fringed crimson mantle confined with a bodkin of gold upon his breast;"
19) A gift page 157 - "...a ribbed shirt in the which while thou art no opposition shall affect thee [in thy undertakings]; a fringed mantle likewise, purely crimson, of wool of the land of promise from beyond, and its border yellow with gold:"
20) Echna, daughter of Muiredach mac Finnachta, the king of Connacht's daughter - "A smock of royal silk she had next to her skin; over that an outer tunic of soft silk, and around her a hooded mantle of crimson fastened on her breast with a golden brooch."
1) Falartach, son of Fergus ("The rule over Bregia's tuatha and Meath's, and over the Decies of Tara, is that which constitutes my right; but I am a freebooter and an outlaw.") - a) about him was a crimson mantle, b) in it a fibula of gold, c) next to his skin a shirt of yellow silk.
2) Credhe's mansion - "A bowl she has whence juice of berries flows, with which she has been used ot make her eyebrows black; crystal vats of fermenting grains, cups she has and goblets exquisite. The colour of her dun is as that of lime; coverlets and rushes [for the beds] abound among them there; silk is among them, and many a blue mantle; among them are red gold and the polished drinking-horn." (There is a fairly detailed description of her house here that I'll not enter, but later in the paragraph it continues.) ..."The household that is in her house, to them it is that above all their lines are fallen in pleasant places; their mantles are neither pale nor smooth [i.e. neither faded nor worn to a gloss], their redundant locks are curly and in colour fair."
3) Uncertain exactly who they are describing on page 33 - "with a fringed mantle thrown over him, and indued with a soft crimson hood"
4) Page 37 - "Against Bresal's green-mantled son..."
5) Derg dianscothach son of Eoghan out of the tuatha of Usnach - a) a crimson mantle, fringed, enfolded him, b) high on his breast was a silver brooch, c) a white shield having ornament of interlaced creatures in red gold, d) his hair behind was rolled into a ball covered with a golden cuach.
6) Aillen mac Midhna - "...Finn opposed the crimson and fringed mantle which he wore..."
7) Donn son of Aedh son of Garadh mac Morna - a) a fringed mantle, b) a fibula of gold upon the breast, c) a tunic of solf silk
8) Trenbrugaid son of Treon's company - a) every man of them had on a deep blue mantle, b) beautiful shirts of pure white
9) rath Artrach, in the land of Kinelconall - "The gentle nubile yellow-haired damsels and the small green-mantled boys of the residence..."
10) 'non-warrior' page 93 - "... a) wore a fair green mantle, b) having in it a fibula of silver, c) a shirt of yellow silk next his skin, d) over and outside that again a tunic of soft satin, e) a timpan of the best slung on his back
11) Eoghan, the arch-hospitaller - a) a crimson mantle wrapped around him, b) with a brooch of gold
12) Aedh son of Aedh - a) next to his skin he had a shirt of yellow silk, b) a handsome green mantle round him, c) and in the same a brooch of gold surmounting his breast
13) Scothniamh or 'Flower-luster', daughter of the Daghda's son Bodhb derg - a) a mantle of green, b) a smock of soft silk being next her skin, c) and on her forehead a glittering plate of yellow gold.
14) Caeilte mac Ronan - a) around him a crimson mantle, b) a brooch of gold in it
15) Dark-browed young man page 122 - a) about him a fringed mantle of fair crimson b) with a brooch of gold
16) Doireann, daughter of the Daghda's son Bodhb Derg - a) girt with a silken tunic b) wrapped in a green mantle c) held with a brooch of gold d) on her head was a golden diadem, emblem of a queen.
17) A strapping young fellow page 131 - "...clad in garb of defence and wearing a mantle of wethers' wool from the flock-abounding land of promise; and his cloak's skirtful of healing and balsamic herbs..."
18) Donn mac Midir (?) - "... a shirt of king's satin was next his skin; over and outside it a tunic of the same soft fabric, and a fringed crimson mantle confined with a bodkin of gold upon his breast;"
19) A gift page 157 - "...a ribbed shirt in the which while thou art no opposition shall affect thee [in thy undertakings]; a fringed mantle likewise, purely crimson, of wool of the land of promise from beyond, and its border yellow with gold:"
20) Echna, daughter of Muiredach mac Finnachta, the king of Connacht's daughter - "A smock of royal silk she had next to her skin; over that an outer tunic of soft silk, and around her a hooded mantle of crimson fastened on her breast with a golden brooch."
32 Descriptions from Tain Bo Cualgne
These were taken from the Book of Leinster, 1150 AD., Dunn's translation, pages 316 to 377 (which was taken from Old Irish and Highland Dress by McClintock Appendix, pages 173 to 177). What I would like to do eventually is find various translations and see what the concensus is in that regard, but for now, here's Dunn's translation. In these, we already have some questions and possible conclusions.
1) Conchobar, High King of Ulster - a) a purple mantle with fringes, five-folded, wrapped around him, b) a salmon-shaped brooch of red gold in the mantle over his breast, c) a shining-white, hooded shirt, "under red interweaving of gold," next to his white skin.
2) Cuscraid Menn, Conchobar's son - a) a green mantle wrapped around him, b) a bright-silvern pin in the mantle at his breast, c) a brown-red soldier's tunic, under interweaving of red gold, trussed up against his fair skin down to his knees.
3) Sencha mac Aillil - a) a dark-grey cloak with fringes folded around him, b) a leaf-shaped brooch of silvered bronze in the mantle over his breast, c) a white-hooded shirt, reaching to his knees, next to his skin.
4) Eogan mac Durthacht - a) a dull grey cloak girt around him, b) a silver pin in the cloak over his breast, c) a bright, sleeved tunic next to his skin.
5) Loegaire Buadach - a) a yellow, close-napped (?), cloak around him, b) a pin of yellow gold in the cloak over his breast, c) a yellow tunic with lace next to his skin.
6) Muremar mac Gerrcend - a) a dun-coloured cloak of curly wool about him, b) a brooch of pale gold in the cloak over his breast, c) a three-striped tunic of silk with red embroidery next to his skin.
7) Connud mac Morna - a) a streaked-grey cloak around him, b) a salmon-shaped brooch of copper in the cloak over his breast, c) a hooded kirtle (sic) round him reaching down to his calves.
8) Fedlimid mac Ilar Cetach - not described
9) Rochad mac Fatheman - a) a purple cloak wrapped round him, b) a brooch of gold in the mantle over his breast, c) a hooded tunic of royal silk with red hem of red gold.
10) Fergus mac Lete - not described
11) Amargin mac Ecetsalach ("The choice flower of royal poets.") - a) a green mantle "pieced together with the choicest of all colours" folded about him, b) a brooch of pale gold in the cloak over his breast, c) "Next to his skin a blue, narrow bordered cloth, with strong woven and twisted hoops of silvered bronze with - buttons of red gold on its slashes and breast-borders."
12) Feradach Finn - no description
13) Ros, Dare and Imchad - a) cloaks folded upon them, b) gold brooches "over their arms", c) sleeved tunics with embroidery of red gold.
14) Fiacha, and Fiachna, sons of Conchobar, the king - a) green cloaks wrapped about them, b) bright-silver brooches in the cloaks over their breasts, c) tunics of smooth yellow silk next to their skin.
15) Celtchar mac Uthecar - a) a streaked-grey cloak about him, b) a skewer of iron in the cloak over his breast, reaching from one of his shoulders to the other, c) a rough-three-striped tunic next to his skin.
16) Errge Echbel - a) a black, flowing mantle around him, b) a wheel-shaped brooch of tin in the mantle over his breast, c) a cunningly wrought tunic next to his skin.
17) Menn mac Salcholga - a) a many-coloured cloak about him, b) a wheel-shaped brooch of silver therein, c) "A bright, hooded shirt tucked around him, that reached down to his knees."
18) Fergna mac Findchoem - a) a cloak of red curly wool about him, b) a brooch of white silver in the cloak over his breast, c) an all-white, linen shirt next to his skin.
19) Furbaide Ferbeen, son of Conchobar, (whether the king, or some other Conchobar is not stated) - a) an exceeding fine cloak folded about him, b) a brooch of gold in the cloak over his breast, c) a tunic with red ornaments, d) a golden crown on his head.
20) The poets - "A sharp, proud folk; a stately royal company, with their apparel of many colours, as well white and blue and black and purple... a feast for the eyes of a host to gaze on their... garb."
21) Fercedne (one of the leaders of the Poets) - a) a dark grey mantle fringed with gold thread about him, b) a brooch o fgold in the mantle over his breast, c) a tunic of rare silk next to his skin, d) sandals of lamb skin.
22 & 23) Athirne, the Chief Poet. Ailill Miltenga ("Honey tongue") - a) reddish grey mantles around them, b) white silver brooches in the mantles over their breasts, c) tunic--not mentioned, d) purple sandals.
24) The Druids - "Another company - a most terrible, dreadful sight to behold them. Blue and pied and green, purple, grey and white mantles."
25) Cathba, the Chief Druid - a) a blue-purple cloak about him, b) a leaf-shaped brooch with ornamentation of gold in the cloak over his breast, c) tunic--not mentioned, d) yellow sandals.
26) Imrinn and Genonn Gruadsolus, sons of Cathba - a) green cloaks, b) brooch--not mentioned, c) blue tunics, purple sandals.
27) The Physicians - "A numberless, bright-faced band. Unwonted garments they wore; a little bag at the waist of each man of them."
28) Fingin, the Chief Physician - a) "A black, flowing robe, with edges of purple around him.", b) a many coloured, leaf-shaped brooch with gems in the robe over his breast, c) a ribbed tunic of thread of gold.
29) Glasne and Menn the leaders of Conchobar's household - a) dark grey tunics (sic) about them, b) silver pins set with stones, c) glossy tunics next to their skin.
30) Glas, Mane, and Conaing, sons of Conchobar - a) curley red kirles (sic), b) brooches of silvered bronze, c) sparkling tunics of silk with golden seams tucked up about them.
31) Conall Cernach - a) a magnificient red-brown mantle, b) a round brooch adorned with precious stones--in his mantle over his right shoulder, c) a striped tunic of silk with a golden hem next to his skin.
32) Erc, son of Fedlimid Nocruthach, Conchobar's daughter - a) a purple, fringed mantle folded about him, b) a salmon-shaped brooch of gold in the mantle over his breast, c) a bright hooded tunic of royal silk with red trimming of red gold next to his white skin.
1) Conchobar, High King of Ulster - a) a purple mantle with fringes, five-folded, wrapped around him, b) a salmon-shaped brooch of red gold in the mantle over his breast, c) a shining-white, hooded shirt, "under red interweaving of gold," next to his white skin.
2) Cuscraid Menn, Conchobar's son - a) a green mantle wrapped around him, b) a bright-silvern pin in the mantle at his breast, c) a brown-red soldier's tunic, under interweaving of red gold, trussed up against his fair skin down to his knees.
3) Sencha mac Aillil - a) a dark-grey cloak with fringes folded around him, b) a leaf-shaped brooch of silvered bronze in the mantle over his breast, c) a white-hooded shirt, reaching to his knees, next to his skin.
4) Eogan mac Durthacht - a) a dull grey cloak girt around him, b) a silver pin in the cloak over his breast, c) a bright, sleeved tunic next to his skin.
5) Loegaire Buadach - a) a yellow, close-napped (?), cloak around him, b) a pin of yellow gold in the cloak over his breast, c) a yellow tunic with lace next to his skin.
6) Muremar mac Gerrcend - a) a dun-coloured cloak of curly wool about him, b) a brooch of pale gold in the cloak over his breast, c) a three-striped tunic of silk with red embroidery next to his skin.
7) Connud mac Morna - a) a streaked-grey cloak around him, b) a salmon-shaped brooch of copper in the cloak over his breast, c) a hooded kirtle (sic) round him reaching down to his calves.
8) Fedlimid mac Ilar Cetach - not described
9) Rochad mac Fatheman - a) a purple cloak wrapped round him, b) a brooch of gold in the mantle over his breast, c) a hooded tunic of royal silk with red hem of red gold.
10) Fergus mac Lete - not described
11) Amargin mac Ecetsalach ("The choice flower of royal poets.") - a) a green mantle "pieced together with the choicest of all colours" folded about him, b) a brooch of pale gold in the cloak over his breast, c) "Next to his skin a blue, narrow bordered cloth, with strong woven and twisted hoops of silvered bronze with - buttons of red gold on its slashes and breast-borders."
12) Feradach Finn - no description
13) Ros, Dare and Imchad - a) cloaks folded upon them, b) gold brooches "over their arms", c) sleeved tunics with embroidery of red gold.
14) Fiacha, and Fiachna, sons of Conchobar, the king - a) green cloaks wrapped about them, b) bright-silver brooches in the cloaks over their breasts, c) tunics of smooth yellow silk next to their skin.
15) Celtchar mac Uthecar - a) a streaked-grey cloak about him, b) a skewer of iron in the cloak over his breast, reaching from one of his shoulders to the other, c) a rough-three-striped tunic next to his skin.
16) Errge Echbel - a) a black, flowing mantle around him, b) a wheel-shaped brooch of tin in the mantle over his breast, c) a cunningly wrought tunic next to his skin.
17) Menn mac Salcholga - a) a many-coloured cloak about him, b) a wheel-shaped brooch of silver therein, c) "A bright, hooded shirt tucked around him, that reached down to his knees."
18) Fergna mac Findchoem - a) a cloak of red curly wool about him, b) a brooch of white silver in the cloak over his breast, c) an all-white, linen shirt next to his skin.
19) Furbaide Ferbeen, son of Conchobar, (whether the king, or some other Conchobar is not stated) - a) an exceeding fine cloak folded about him, b) a brooch of gold in the cloak over his breast, c) a tunic with red ornaments, d) a golden crown on his head.
20) The poets - "A sharp, proud folk; a stately royal company, with their apparel of many colours, as well white and blue and black and purple... a feast for the eyes of a host to gaze on their... garb."
21) Fercedne (one of the leaders of the Poets) - a) a dark grey mantle fringed with gold thread about him, b) a brooch o fgold in the mantle over his breast, c) a tunic of rare silk next to his skin, d) sandals of lamb skin.
22 & 23) Athirne, the Chief Poet. Ailill Miltenga ("Honey tongue") - a) reddish grey mantles around them, b) white silver brooches in the mantles over their breasts, c) tunic--not mentioned, d) purple sandals.
24) The Druids - "Another company - a most terrible, dreadful sight to behold them. Blue and pied and green, purple, grey and white mantles."
25) Cathba, the Chief Druid - a) a blue-purple cloak about him, b) a leaf-shaped brooch with ornamentation of gold in the cloak over his breast, c) tunic--not mentioned, d) yellow sandals.
26) Imrinn and Genonn Gruadsolus, sons of Cathba - a) green cloaks, b) brooch--not mentioned, c) blue tunics, purple sandals.
27) The Physicians - "A numberless, bright-faced band. Unwonted garments they wore; a little bag at the waist of each man of them."
28) Fingin, the Chief Physician - a) "A black, flowing robe, with edges of purple around him.", b) a many coloured, leaf-shaped brooch with gems in the robe over his breast, c) a ribbed tunic of thread of gold.
29) Glasne and Menn the leaders of Conchobar's household - a) dark grey tunics (sic) about them, b) silver pins set with stones, c) glossy tunics next to their skin.
30) Glas, Mane, and Conaing, sons of Conchobar - a) curley red kirles (sic), b) brooches of silvered bronze, c) sparkling tunics of silk with golden seams tucked up about them.
31) Conall Cernach - a) a magnificient red-brown mantle, b) a round brooch adorned with precious stones--in his mantle over his right shoulder, c) a striped tunic of silk with a golden hem next to his skin.
32) Erc, son of Fedlimid Nocruthach, Conchobar's daughter - a) a purple, fringed mantle folded about him, b) a salmon-shaped brooch of gold in the mantle over his breast, c) a bright hooded tunic of royal silk with red trimming of red gold next to his white skin.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Old Irish & Highland Dress / Monasterboice
I'm attempting to study this book in a little more detail and I'm finding that there are a couple of hindrances toward this endeavor. First, this book was originally published in 1943, which in and of itself makes it old enough that some of the terminology *might* be defined differently. Second, the sources that tend to be cites in the text are generally, of course, older than the published text. For instance, page one refers to Professor Macalister's Muiredach, Abbot of Monasterboice (890-923 A.D., His Life and Suroundings), which I find out was originally published in 1914. Needless to say, it won't be easy to get a hold of that book unless I can somehow find it in a library somehow. On the brighter side, there are photographs available concerning Monasterboice, at least, and the cross inscribed with Muiredach's name. (Muiredach's Cross is pictured at the right, East face)Monasterboice is the monastery which was founded by Saint Buite, who died in 521AD. This site contains three of the High Crosses in Ireland. These crosses are made of sandstone with two dating to around the 9th century. The names of the crosses are The Cross of Muiredach (named due to an inscription at it's base between two cats saying it was erected by Muiredach), The Tall Cross or West Cross (named for being the tallest High Cross in Ireland) and The North Cross, which apparently was of later period construction. Each of these crosses have intricate carvings on all four surfaces.
The West face (pictured to the right) contains - the Flight into Egypt, the baptism of Christ, Christ being mocked by Roman soldiers and Christ in the tomb.
The East face contains - Adam and Eve and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Cain and Abel, Moses striking the rock, Sampson toppling the pillars, and David with the head of Goliath.
This is a close up view
of a panel on the west face of the cross (Christ's baptism? or Christ in the tomb?).--In the center Christ holds up His right hand as if saying to Thomas on his right, "Reach your finger here; see my hands. Reach your hand here and put it into my side. Be unbelieving no longer, but believe" (John 20:27). The figure on the right with the book may be St. John the Evangelist, who alone tells this post-resurrection story.--
http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/muiredach/muiredach.html
This picture to the left is below the first picture and it's described as follows (likely the one described as Christ being mocked by Roman soldiers):
--A young beardless Christ stands in the center held by two soldiers; thus, this could be a depiction of the arrest of Christ. Because Christ is dressed in regal fashion with a large, ornate brooch and because he carries a wand (sceptre), this may represent the mocking of Christ when the soldiers dressed Him in a purple robe and crown of thorns and gave him a mock sceptre of reed, hailing Him as "King of the Jews." (John 19:4-6)--
This next two pictures to the right are from the East face of Muiredach's Cross depicting Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel. These are two different angles showing differeing details.[As I find more detailed photos of the crosses, I'll update old entries to keep everything together.]
What I like about these pictures are the detail
the photographers were able to capture. Using these photos in conjunction with OIHD it's easy to see where they determined what the early Irish wore. According to OIHD, 'the two main garments worn by persons of importance in Ireland were a long close-fitting smock, for which the Irish was leine, and an outer mantle thrown over it which in Irish was called brat. Looking at the second photo, that's quite similar to what Christ is wearing between the soldiers. If you look close enough, the brat is being held closed by the traditional cloak pin against Christ's upper right chest.One of his other references to early Irish dress comes from Tain Bo Cualnge, which I refered to in an earlier post. Within the Tain are 32 descriptions of noble individuals. [I'll provide this in another post.] Other than in color, there were two main articles of clothing that were common, the leine (a tunic or shirt, sometimes hooded, and nearly always described as being worn "next to the skin") and the brat (a cloak or mantle, almost always described as being fastened on the breast with a brooch or pin). According to McClintock, most of the tunics or shirts are mentioned as described as silk (sioda or sroll). Yet on the other side of that, on the EMI group, they've indicated that in Old Irish, silk could simply be used to refer to any type of material that was very finely made. Refer back to my earlier post on silk for more information. Linen was specifically mentioned in No. 18 of McClintock's Appendix. From the research I've done thus far, wool and linen were the main staples of early Irish dress, and silk, since it was so expensive, was almost never used to make an entire outfit. It was used for trim and embroidery.
As to footwear, only the Poets or Druids were described to have worn sandals (I'd like to know what their definition of sandals was). McClintock claims the fighters went barefoot. It is difficult to tell from the etchings above if the warriors are barefoot or not, but since there is no obvious delineation either at the ankle or anywhere else below the trews (or trousers), it's safe to assume for now that they went barefoot.
More later...
Textiles and Clothing
What did I do with my refunded money? Bought another book, of course. Textiles and Clothing c.1150-1450 (Medieval finds from excavations in London) by Crowfoot, Pritchard & Staniland. I figured I might want to try the cheaper of the two books and see if they are worth the time and effort. I'll let you know in about 2 weeks if it is.
Frustration Roadblock
I had to reorder Dress in Ireland by Dunleavy... I'm rather annoyed. The place I ordered it from ran out of stock, so now I'm having to get it at twice the cost from a local company. Rather than rant here, I'll rant elsewhere, but I hope I'll still get the book next week.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Dress Accessories & Textiles and Clothing
Oh, and I don't want to lose this reference (maybe another book I'll get at some point)...
Dress Accessories, c.1150-c.1450 (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London) (Hardcover) by Geoff Egan, Frances Pritchard at Amazon. Lists at $42. Sounds like it should be a reasonable book for the kind of research I'm attempting to do. It is based in London, but it appears as if the Irish raided the British coast very similarly to how the Norse raided the Irish coast during the Viking Age. The only difference being that the Irish did their raiding before the Norse. I haven't found a reference that states that the Irish raided at the same time as the Norse or afterward. Some of the artifacts found along the British coast could, in all likelihood, be Irish in some form or another.
If I find the above book to be beneficial, Textiles and Clothing, c.1150-1450 (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London) (Paperback) by Elisabeth Crowfoot, Frances Pritchard, Kay Staniland is by at least one of the same authors. Lists at $25.81.
Dress Accessories, c.1150-c.1450 (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London) (Hardcover) by Geoff Egan, Frances Pritchard at Amazon. Lists at $42. Sounds like it should be a reasonable book for the kind of research I'm attempting to do. It is based in London, but it appears as if the Irish raided the British coast very similarly to how the Norse raided the Irish coast during the Viking Age. The only difference being that the Irish did their raiding before the Norse. I haven't found a reference that states that the Irish raided at the same time as the Norse or afterward. Some of the artifacts found along the British coast could, in all likelihood, be Irish in some form or another.
If I find the above book to be beneficial, Textiles and Clothing, c.1150-1450 (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London) (Paperback) by Elisabeth Crowfoot, Frances Pritchard, Kay Staniland is by at least one of the same authors. Lists at $25.81.
Found another link while I was, go figure, looking for something else. In their own words...
LibraryIreland.com is a free information resource on Irish antiquities, biography, genealogy,
history (general, local and social), literature, and much more besides. You can search the
library, browse the extensive subject index, or subscribe to our mailing list for free bulletins
of what's new on the library. If you find the site useful then there are various ways in which
you can help support us. The latest additions to the Library are featured below. Enjoy!
http://www.libraryireland.com/
And we can't forget, while we're on this subject of free books online...
Digital Library Online - http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/
Project Gutenberg - http://www.gutenberg.org/
Bartleby - http://www.bartleby.com/
LibraryIreland.com is a free information resource on Irish antiquities, biography, genealogy,
history (general, local and social), literature, and much more besides. You can search the
library, browse the extensive subject index, or subscribe to our mailing list for free bulletins
of what's new on the library. If you find the site useful then there are various ways in which
you can help support us. The latest additions to the Library are featured below. Enjoy!
http://www.libraryireland.com/
And we can't forget, while we're on this subject of free books online...
Digital Library Online - http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/
Project Gutenberg - http://www.gutenberg.org/
Bartleby - http://www.bartleby.com/
Dress in Ireland
I have Dress in Ireland by Dunleavy on order! It's supposed to ship on the 9th of August. Yup, this is one of the books I've seen cited more than once concerning, what else, the dress in Ireland. Slowly I'm building up my library on medieval Ireland.
My next purchase is now up for debate. Do I want to go with Early Irish Farming by Kelly, which from the blurbs I'm finding is all about every aspect of Irish living from the early to the late medieval period as based in Irish law, or do I want to get the Book of Kells on CD? I'm thinking Early Irish Farming would be the better purchase right now, since I'm not as concerned about illumination and I am concerned about the every day life of the Irish. With 721 pages in EIF, it should hopefully be very informative and I found it cheapest at Dave Brown Book Company (http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/20179//Location/DBBC) for $32.50.
My next purchase is now up for debate. Do I want to go with Early Irish Farming by Kelly, which from the blurbs I'm finding is all about every aspect of Irish living from the early to the late medieval period as based in Irish law, or do I want to get the Book of Kells on CD? I'm thinking Early Irish Farming would be the better purchase right now, since I'm not as concerned about illumination and I am concerned about the every day life of the Irish. With 721 pages in EIF, it should hopefully be very informative and I found it cheapest at Dave Brown Book Company (http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/20179//Location/DBBC) for $32.50.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Cain Adamnain: An Old-Irish Treatise on the Law of Adamnan
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/CainAdamnain.html
This is a rather interesting treatise. It claims to be the first Irish law to protect women, children, and clergy from violence. In fact, part of the third passage deals with women going to war and being whipped by their husbands to continue fighting. Anyway, the date they claim this treatise deals with is 697.
P2 uses the term 'cumalach'. This is what women were called prior to Adamnan freeing them. Cumalach is the derivative of cumal, a female slave or bondmaid.
P3 states that the best women were fighters going to battle and that the highest prizes at that time were women's heads and their breasts.
P5 Women were granted half of their household by the work of Adomnan.
Reading this treatise is like reading a fantasy, because some of the things supposedly done to Adomnan would not likely be survivable. It seems to be a rather far-fetched fiction, yet is there some truth to it in some form? It sounds like a son who was badgered by his mother, did what he could as a cleric to free women from their slavery. I find it a bit difficult to believe that it can be read literally. That women were fighters and died in battle is not difficult to believe, that they were likely fallen under a certain type of slavery is not difficult to believe, but that Adomnan suffered survival in a stone chest for any long length of time in order to free them, especially with what is said happened to him is hard to believe. I'll need to do more research on what battles were taking place at the time that this was supposed to have been written.
Trying to find a timeline to give me an idea of the battles or wars, this site (http://www.clannada.org/timeline.php) is saying the Book of Darrow was roughly started 680AD and previously to that, a plague killed about a third of the population of Ireland and Britain (664-666AD).
This is a rather interesting treatise. It claims to be the first Irish law to protect women, children, and clergy from violence. In fact, part of the third passage deals with women going to war and being whipped by their husbands to continue fighting. Anyway, the date they claim this treatise deals with is 697.
P2 uses the term 'cumalach'. This is what women were called prior to Adamnan freeing them. Cumalach is the derivative of cumal, a female slave or bondmaid.
P3 states that the best women were fighters going to battle and that the highest prizes at that time were women's heads and their breasts.
P5 Women were granted half of their household by the work of Adomnan.
Reading this treatise is like reading a fantasy, because some of the things supposedly done to Adomnan would not likely be survivable. It seems to be a rather far-fetched fiction, yet is there some truth to it in some form? It sounds like a son who was badgered by his mother, did what he could as a cleric to free women from their slavery. I find it a bit difficult to believe that it can be read literally. That women were fighters and died in battle is not difficult to believe, that they were likely fallen under a certain type of slavery is not difficult to believe, but that Adomnan suffered survival in a stone chest for any long length of time in order to free them, especially with what is said happened to him is hard to believe. I'll need to do more research on what battles were taking place at the time that this was supposed to have been written.
Trying to find a timeline to give me an idea of the battles or wars, this site (http://www.clannada.org/timeline.php) is saying the Book of Darrow was roughly started 680AD and previously to that, a plague killed about a third of the population of Ireland and Britain (664-666AD).
Name Search Continued
So far, in the various sources I've been finding, I can't actually find a reference for when "Ireland" became Ireland. Granted, "Ireland" is the English translation of Eire, but when did they first call themselves Eire? Okay, that I can find thus far, Ireland has been called the following Erinn, Eire, Eriu (after a goddess), and Hibernia. Hibernia is what Ptolemy, a Greek who lived in the Hellenistic culture of Roman Egypt, called Ireland in 100 AD (Ptolemy's Geography). Therefore, until I find something that tells me otherwise, I think I can safely continue the thought that Ireland has simply been Ireland throughout the medieval period, even unto the first years.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Silk
Silk is an interesting topic when it comes to the SCA. What type of silk was period? And for whom? How much silk was actually used? Would entire garments have been made of silk? Embroidery? Tablet-woven trim?
For now, I'm going to post some information that was gleaned from an email group of which I'm a member. In case someone else wants to join, it's the Early-Medieval-Ireland@yahoogroups.com or EMI (as the posts generally are titled). Back in March, 2006, there was a discussion concerning a green silk dress reference that a woman was trying to find, because she wanted to make the self same outfit for an upcoming event. I'm going to do a bit of cutting and pasting in this post, so enjoy!
Begin Thread...
[Ealawen]
1) Use of silk in Early Medieval Ireland - most sources i have been able to identify refer to the use of silk in garments and braid on garments, however there is not much reference to the type of silk available. From my sources about the availability of silk in mainland europe, brocades and satins would have been prohibitively expensive as they would have had to come from the middle/far east at that time...Byzantinium is still quite a distance from Dublin. I am planning to go with raw silk, and yet even some sources debate the availability of any silk during this time period in ireland. Does anyone have any direct references for the types of silks used in this time period?
2) Can anyone help me locate the annal entry/mythological tale i cant seem to identify. The closest i can find is the Wooing of Etain, where she is wearing a green mantle with red and gold trim. I can remember vaguely something about the Arthurian Elayne/Elaine, but as this not always a good historical reference point. I am hoping for something more substantial.
[LindaC]
I am not sure on the history of trading. Ireland has a history of lace making. In Pennsylvania (USA) we had silk mills and lace mills. If the era is correct you could wear Irish lace with silk.
[AndyN]
This came up as a long discussion session on the list of an early medieval re-enactment group of which I'm a member.
The consensus of opinion, after checking a wide number of academic sources [the delights of a group with a number of serious fabric geeks on it :) ], was that there is no good evidence for entire garments made of silk in early medieval North West Europe - with the exception of a some high-status wimples and a couple of ecclesiastical items. As a result my hand-dyed (woad over weld) silk tunic is consigned to the cupboard :(, and I am left withsilk bands at the cuff and neck of my best (seriously high-status, silk-embroidered, gold and pearl-couched) woollen tunic.
I'm not sure about types of silk - we got round the problem by issuing 'this is right, this is wrong' silk swatches to all the authenticity officers. However it was noted that there seems to be no record of silk from the Indian species of silkworm being found in Britain or Scandinavia in an early medieval context.
[MalachiM]
Dear Megan,
In your question about Silk in Early Medieval Ireland, you use of the term "historical re-enactment". This suggests to me a desire for historical accuracy, though I also get a sense from your "...planning to go with raw silk..." that you would like to wear that green silk dress that you vaguely remember, the "...young woman wearing a green silk dress when meeting a hero for the first time.")
You may indeed have encountered some ancient references to silk in Ireland. In my collection "Herself Long Ago"* --which is the poetry of six Irish women from the 8th to the 10th C that I translated-- in an extraordinary "leannan sidhe" (vision) poem entitled "Creide's House", comes the verse:
"Her beautiful complexion is lime-colored;
A quilt is between her and the rushes
silk between her and her blue cloak;
redgold between her and her drinking horn."
There is another reference in the poem to a "black shawl" being washed (dyed?) in a vessel into which the juice of berries drips --I imagine those to be probably elderberries (Sambucus canadensis), which grew in profusion in Creide's native Kerry. (In "Sambucca" the Italians discovered another laudable use for elderberries, but that didn't reach our shores until comparatively recently --as far as I know.)
You do need to be aware that the Irish words for silk, "sioda" and "sita", are sometimes used for wool --just to confuse the issue.
Clearly, however, to all practical purposes, silk was almost non-existent in early Ireland. (A young lad from Portugal walking in the streets of Cork in 1491 wearing a silk suit drew a huge crowd of amazed locals who were convinced he must be a foreign prince from a distant land.)
Indeed, silk was extremely rare (and very expensive) anywhere in Europe --in fact, anywhere outside of China.
The Huguenots --refugees from Louis XIV's bloody tyranny in France-- who came to Ireland in the late 1600's, and who are credited with bringing so many great innovations to Ireland (probably chief among them the linen industry) were interested in bringing the cultivation of silk to Ireland. Unfortunately, their efforts to grow that chief ingredient in silk --to wit, the mulberry tree -- failed for reasons of inhospitable climate. (The Chinese had made a rougher kind of silk, called pongee, by feeding oak leaves to silkworms, but that's another story.)
From these few historical references it's easy to get a sense of how rare silk in Ireland was.
All that said, however, I think I'd still go with that green silk dress --if not exactly "historically accurate", it was definitely "historically possible." And silk is always fabulous: there is an old --and decidedly un-burkan-- Arabic proverb* which is one of my favorites: "Silk was invented so a woman could go naked in clothes."
Enough said,
Malachi McCormick
*If you need any further information about these books you can find it on my site www.stonestreetpress.com
Welcome to our list and good luck with the re-enactment
[Ranvaig]
What exactly do you mean by "raw silk"? Usually it used for "silk noil", a low sheen, nubby fabric. The cost of the silk so far from its source will nearly all be "shipping charges" so silk noil would cost almost as much as those satins and brocades.
There are several finds of silk scarves and caps in Dublin, dating from the 10th to mid 12th century. These were all very fine, almost sheer, smooth silk, the weave is open, almost gauzy. http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/43630//Location/DBBCViking Age Headcoverings from Dublin by Elizabeth Wincott Heckett
There are other finds of silk "samite" bands appliqued as trim, this was a heavier, multicolored weave from the Middle East. http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/textilebiblio.html A whole gown of silk might not be impossible, but would have been VERY expensive and unusual.
[Morgwn]
Okay: coupla-three things.
I don't know of *any* hard evidence of silk garments in early period Ireland - keep in mind that most of the Irish sagas/myths we have access to were written down much later. Not all, but most. So what would seem reasonable to a twelfth century scribe is not necessarily what was in the original version, and silk seems to be a common word used as almost an emotional shorthand for "rich/exotic/fabulous/mythical". That doesn't mean that there wasn't the very occasional garment long since disintegrated, although judging from Norse sources (admittedly not quite the same) it seems silk was so precious that larger pieces were cut up and used for trim.
However, silk was not usually the raw stuff with all the slubs. Look for the smooth stuff. A lot was unspun (straight off the cocoon, basically). I'd stay away from the slubby rough stuff, I really would.
[AmyG]
Hello,
Though the topic/costume decision seems to have been resolved, I thought I'd offer the passage, which happens to open chapter 3 "The Christian Triumph: The Golden Age," by Liam de Paor, in Treasures of Early Irish Art: 1500 B.C. to 1500 A.D., published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1977.
It's a description of Etain, from the saga "The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel."
"He saw a woman at the edge of a well, and she had a silver comb with gold ornament. She was washing in a silver basin in which were four birds of gold, and bright little gems of purple carbuncle in the chasing of the basin. She wore a purple cloak of good fleece, held with silver brooches chased with gold, and a smock of green silk with gold embroidery. There were wonderful ornaments of animal design in gold and silver on her breast and shoulders. The sun shone upon her, so that the men saw the gold gleaming in the sunshine against the green silk. There were two golden tresses on her head, plaited in four, with a ball at the end of every lock."
It's a gorgeous picture, but I have to agree that it may well be the storyteller's imagination giving the richest possible effect.
I'd be glad to see more information on Irish dress of the Early Christian period, myself, and if anyone can discuss the legal right to wear colors (how many, and which ones), that would be wonderful, too! Thanks!
...end Thread [unfortunately]
I'll do a bit more research on this later, but this is another good starting point for Irish persona.
For now, I'm going to post some information that was gleaned from an email group of which I'm a member. In case someone else wants to join, it's the Early-Medieval-Ireland@yahoogroups.com or EMI (as the posts generally are titled). Back in March, 2006, there was a discussion concerning a green silk dress reference that a woman was trying to find, because she wanted to make the self same outfit for an upcoming event. I'm going to do a bit of cutting and pasting in this post, so enjoy!
Begin Thread...
[Ealawen]
1) Use of silk in Early Medieval Ireland - most sources i have been able to identify refer to the use of silk in garments and braid on garments, however there is not much reference to the type of silk available. From my sources about the availability of silk in mainland europe, brocades and satins would have been prohibitively expensive as they would have had to come from the middle/far east at that time...Byzantinium is still quite a distance from Dublin. I am planning to go with raw silk, and yet even some sources debate the availability of any silk during this time period in ireland. Does anyone have any direct references for the types of silks used in this time period?
2) Can anyone help me locate the annal entry/mythological tale i cant seem to identify. The closest i can find is the Wooing of Etain, where she is wearing a green mantle with red and gold trim. I can remember vaguely something about the Arthurian Elayne/Elaine, but as this not always a good historical reference point. I am hoping for something more substantial.
[LindaC]
I am not sure on the history of trading. Ireland has a history of lace making. In Pennsylvania (USA) we had silk mills and lace mills. If the era is correct you could wear Irish lace with silk.
[AndyN]
This came up as a long discussion session on the list of an early medieval re-enactment group of which I'm a member.
The consensus of opinion, after checking a wide number of academic sources [the delights of a group with a number of serious fabric geeks on it :) ], was that there is no good evidence for entire garments made of silk in early medieval North West Europe - with the exception of a some high-status wimples and a couple of ecclesiastical items. As a result my hand-dyed (woad over weld) silk tunic is consigned to the cupboard :(, and I am left withsilk bands at the cuff and neck of my best (seriously high-status, silk-embroidered, gold and pearl-couched) woollen tunic.
I'm not sure about types of silk - we got round the problem by issuing 'this is right, this is wrong' silk swatches to all the authenticity officers. However it was noted that there seems to be no record of silk from the Indian species of silkworm being found in Britain or Scandinavia in an early medieval context.
[MalachiM]
Dear Megan,
In your question about Silk in Early Medieval Ireland, you use of the term "historical re-enactment". This suggests to me a desire for historical accuracy, though I also get a sense from your "...planning to go with raw silk..." that you would like to wear that green silk dress that you vaguely remember, the "...young woman wearing a green silk dress when meeting a hero for the first time.")
You may indeed have encountered some ancient references to silk in Ireland. In my collection "Herself Long Ago"* --which is the poetry of six Irish women from the 8th to the 10th C that I translated-- in an extraordinary "leannan sidhe" (vision) poem entitled "Creide's House", comes the verse:
"Her beautiful complexion is lime-colored;
A quilt is between her and the rushes
silk between her and her blue cloak;
redgold between her and her drinking horn."
There is another reference in the poem to a "black shawl" being washed (dyed?) in a vessel into which the juice of berries drips --I imagine those to be probably elderberries (Sambucus canadensis), which grew in profusion in Creide's native Kerry. (In "Sambucca" the Italians discovered another laudable use for elderberries, but that didn't reach our shores until comparatively recently --as far as I know.)
You do need to be aware that the Irish words for silk, "sioda" and "sita", are sometimes used for wool --just to confuse the issue.
Clearly, however, to all practical purposes, silk was almost non-existent in early Ireland. (A young lad from Portugal walking in the streets of Cork in 1491 wearing a silk suit drew a huge crowd of amazed locals who were convinced he must be a foreign prince from a distant land.)
Indeed, silk was extremely rare (and very expensive) anywhere in Europe --in fact, anywhere outside of China.
The Huguenots --refugees from Louis XIV's bloody tyranny in France-- who came to Ireland in the late 1600's, and who are credited with bringing so many great innovations to Ireland (probably chief among them the linen industry) were interested in bringing the cultivation of silk to Ireland. Unfortunately, their efforts to grow that chief ingredient in silk --to wit, the mulberry tree -- failed for reasons of inhospitable climate. (The Chinese had made a rougher kind of silk, called pongee, by feeding oak leaves to silkworms, but that's another story.)
From these few historical references it's easy to get a sense of how rare silk in Ireland was.
All that said, however, I think I'd still go with that green silk dress --if not exactly "historically accurate", it was definitely "historically possible." And silk is always fabulous: there is an old --and decidedly un-burkan-- Arabic proverb* which is one of my favorites: "Silk was invented so a woman could go naked in clothes."
Enough said,
Malachi McCormick
*If you need any further information about these books you can find it on my site www.stonestreetpress.com
Welcome to our list and good luck with the re-enactment
[Ranvaig]
What exactly do you mean by "raw silk"? Usually it used for "silk noil", a low sheen, nubby fabric. The cost of the silk so far from its source will nearly all be "shipping charges" so silk noil would cost almost as much as those satins and brocades.
There are several finds of silk scarves and caps in Dublin, dating from the 10th to mid 12th century. These were all very fine, almost sheer, smooth silk, the weave is open, almost gauzy. http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/43630//Location/DBBCViking Age Headcoverings from Dublin by Elizabeth Wincott Heckett
There are other finds of silk "samite" bands appliqued as trim, this was a heavier, multicolored weave from the Middle East. http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/textilebiblio.html A whole gown of silk might not be impossible, but would have been VERY expensive and unusual.
[Morgwn]
Okay: coupla-three things.
I don't know of *any* hard evidence of silk garments in early period Ireland - keep in mind that most of the Irish sagas/myths we have access to were written down much later. Not all, but most. So what would seem reasonable to a twelfth century scribe is not necessarily what was in the original version, and silk seems to be a common word used as almost an emotional shorthand for "rich/exotic/fabulous/mythical". That doesn't mean that there wasn't the very occasional garment long since disintegrated, although judging from Norse sources (admittedly not quite the same) it seems silk was so precious that larger pieces were cut up and used for trim.
However, silk was not usually the raw stuff with all the slubs. Look for the smooth stuff. A lot was unspun (straight off the cocoon, basically). I'd stay away from the slubby rough stuff, I really would.
[AmyG]
Hello,
Though the topic/costume decision seems to have been resolved, I thought I'd offer the passage, which happens to open chapter 3 "The Christian Triumph: The Golden Age," by Liam de Paor, in Treasures of Early Irish Art: 1500 B.C. to 1500 A.D., published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1977.
It's a description of Etain, from the saga "The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel."
"He saw a woman at the edge of a well, and she had a silver comb with gold ornament. She was washing in a silver basin in which were four birds of gold, and bright little gems of purple carbuncle in the chasing of the basin. She wore a purple cloak of good fleece, held with silver brooches chased with gold, and a smock of green silk with gold embroidery. There were wonderful ornaments of animal design in gold and silver on her breast and shoulders. The sun shone upon her, so that the men saw the gold gleaming in the sunshine against the green silk. There were two golden tresses on her head, plaited in four, with a ball at the end of every lock."
It's a gorgeous picture, but I have to agree that it may well be the storyteller's imagination giving the richest possible effect.
I'd be glad to see more information on Irish dress of the Early Christian period, myself, and if anyone can discuss the legal right to wear colors (how many, and which ones), that would be wonderful, too! Thanks!
...end Thread [unfortunately]
I'll do a bit more research on this later, but this is another good starting point for Irish persona.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Ireland, what's in a name? (Cathach, Book of Invasions, Book of Armagh, Book of the Dun Cow
The Cathach is currently seen as the oldest surviving book from Ireland. It has been dated to roughly the 6th or 7th centuries and contains the Psalms from 30:10 - 105:13. This book has been associated with Saint Columba (The Psalter of St Columba), but apparently there is doubt as to this claim. This book is currently being housed in the Royal Irish Academy (Acadamh Rioga na hEireann) or RIA and the RIA published a CD-ROM format of the book in 2002. I found a review of the CD on Medieval Academy of America (http://www.medievalacademy.org/medacnews/news_karkov.htm) and while it doesn't give an amazingly glowing review, it does indicate it is one of the better actual CDs of this genre. Unfortunately, it also leads me to believe that the translation included on the CD is also simply a translation of the Psalms and nothing much more. I will say that it appears to be reasonably priced at $40 (considering it's 58 pages of a book nearly 1500 years old).
Why did I try to find the oldest book in Ireland (or Eire, it seems, if you're from there)? I was attempting to find out when 'Ireland' (the word) was first used to describe the island. The earliest I've seen so far, is a reference in the Book of Invasions (Lebor Gabala Erren) [http://members.aol.com/lochlan2/lebor.htm] section of the Book of Leinster (Lebar na Nuachongbala), AD 1150.
A coffeetable book, The Ancient Books of Ireland by Michael Slavin, indicates two other books beyond the Cathach as important ancient books; the Book of Armagh - 9th cent (which I wrote a little about before) and the Book of the Dun Cow - 11th cent (Lebor na hUidre). I do find it interesting that two of the ancient books were held by the same family, the O'Donnells, but that could simply be coincidence. I'll do more research on that later. [Btw, The Ancient Books of Ireland shelves at the $40 price range]
After all that, the oldest reference I've found thus far to 'Eire' (named for the goddess Eriu in Old Irish) is in the Book of Invasions (roughly 1150AD), but I haven't read through either the Book of Armagh or the Book of the Dun Cow. More about those in another post.
Why did I try to find the oldest book in Ireland (or Eire, it seems, if you're from there)? I was attempting to find out when 'Ireland' (the word) was first used to describe the island. The earliest I've seen so far, is a reference in the Book of Invasions (Lebor Gabala Erren) [http://members.aol.com/lochlan2/lebor.htm] section of the Book of Leinster (Lebar na Nuachongbala), AD 1150.
A coffeetable book, The Ancient Books of Ireland by Michael Slavin, indicates two other books beyond the Cathach as important ancient books; the Book of Armagh - 9th cent (which I wrote a little about before) and the Book of the Dun Cow - 11th cent (Lebor na hUidre). I do find it interesting that two of the ancient books were held by the same family, the O'Donnells, but that could simply be coincidence. I'll do more research on that later. [Btw, The Ancient Books of Ireland shelves at the $40 price range]
After all that, the oldest reference I've found thus far to 'Eire' (named for the goddess Eriu in Old Irish) is in the Book of Invasions (roughly 1150AD), but I haven't read through either the Book of Armagh or the Book of the Dun Cow. More about those in another post.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
SCA Documentary
Okay, so it's not strictly Irish or Ireland related, but it's a good brief introduction to the SCA that someone produced and posted to YourTube. It think this is pretty neat and I hope we can do a lot more. For a few weeks now, I'd been considering putting up a podcast on medieval subject matter. Yes, I know next to nothing about podcasting other than what I've been researching, but I think it would be a really cool idea to have a podcast for the things ppl would like to learn about or know about in the SCA. I have a bit more thinking to do on it to figure out how I want to handle all this, but I think it's doable. I don't mind recording my voice and putting together my own material for broadcast, it's just going to take time and careful planning. Guess I should also research to see if someone hasn't already done one, eh?
Anyway! The link for the SCA Documentary (which is only 10 minutes long, so watch it!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-9e6gppHqU
Anyway! The link for the SCA Documentary (which is only 10 minutes long, so watch it!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-9e6gppHqU
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