Dress in Anglo-Saxon England

Dress in Anglo-Saxon England.

Gale R Owen-Crocker. 

400p, 12 col pls, 238 b/w illus (Boydell & Brewer rev edn 2004)

`I became increasingly intrigued by the fact that while I could physically touch the mortal remains of Anglo-Saxon people by excavating their graves, and metaphorically touch their minds by appreciating their artefacts, my conception of their living presence was limited because I did not know how to dress them in my imagination.' So begins Gale Owen-Crocker's introduction to this new, revised edition of her excellent and comprehensive study of all that we know about dress in England between the 5th and 11th centuries. Drawing on recent archaeological discoveries, museum collections, tapestries, artworks and Old English terminology and literature, the well-known costume expert reconstructs the outer and under clothing of Anglo-Saxon and Viking men and women, supported by many fine line drawings of costumes, accessories and hair styles. The meticulous and detailed book includes an in-depth discussion of Anglo-Saxon textile production, types of textiles and the social status that certain types of clothing endowed on their wearer. Appendices present Old English garment names and the cutting plan of an 11th-century gown. With the first edition long out of print, this new, fully-updated and well-presented book is very welcome.