06 April 2008

Millennium





The Mead Benchers



The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium: An Englishman's World by Robert Lacey.

As the year 2000 approached with all the obsession over Y2K, a charming little book came out to take your mind off of impending doom by giving you a picture of the people who awaited the impending doom of the first millennium. The fact that both the oriental and Hebraic calendars were working on years of much higher numbers escaped their notice. The Year 1000 offered a month by month picture of daily life in Anglo-Saxon England. When everyone seemed obsessed with the future, this book took a sometimes surprising look at everyday life in Anglo-Saxon England. It focuses on aspects of daily living by depicting a practical but extremely superstitious people. While most people were illiterate, their daily language would become spread throughout the world.

There are pictures of daily life such as the total absence of sugar while honey was used as a monetary exchange. Bathing was virtually unknown and most adults died in their 40s. It was a wealthy country but plagued by Viking raids. What we think of full summer in July was the "starving" month ... late enough that stored provisions were depleted but the harvest was still at least a month away. The closing chapter discusses the legacy of these Anglo-Saxons. The delightful drawings at the beginning of each chapter are from the Julius Work Calendar. If you would like to visit a capsule in time, this is a wonderful, fast read.

Just as a side note, here is a good article about a few women in the year one thousand in other places the world at a website that may become one of your favorites. Notable Women

Then just for fun, my second thought on the theme was Robert Thomas Veline better known to the world as Bobby Vee and a song that seems like it was from 1000 years ago in another world far, far away.




And if that didn't make you feel like dancing: Wilson Pickett



19 comments:

Sandee said...

Well, I didn't know all this went on in the year 1000. How entertaining this is. I loved the Bobby Vee. It is so 60s. Have a great MM. :)

Anonymous said...

No sugar? YIKES!

Love the Bobby Vee video! :-D)

Travis Cody said...

Love me some Pickett! Land of 1000 Dances...great choice!

Happy MM!

Gattina said...

It seems as if women were more emancipated in the year 1000 than in 1900 !!

anthonynorth said...

Great post. A little bit of history about my own country was appreciated. Thanks.

Schmoop said...

Well done Jamie...But of course, it was that pair of plaid swimming trunks that pulled the entire thing together. Cheers!!

Nancy Lindquist-Liedel said...

fascinating. thank you. July, the starving month. I would not have thought that.

maryt/theteach said...

So much for the good ol' days, Jamie! And why does Bobby Vee and the whole song, set and people look and sound soooo silly? And why does Wilson Pickett sound like he was performing at a concert yesterday? So hot, modern, rockin'? Shake whatcha brought witcha, Jamie!

Anonymous said...

Early summer was a tough time here too up until the freezer was invented...

Mo and The Purries said...

No sugar, no baths, and nothing for the ants to eat at the 4th of July Picnic! What? You say they didn't have 4th of July, either?
Aw HELL no!

The Mrs. said...

the book sounds like a fascinating read. I'll have to look for it.

you are very right on the diaper point, sigh, just another sign that mommydom is rotting my brain!

Sarge Charlie said...

I wanted to stop back again and thanks you for kind comment on my Manic Monday 1000 post.

Unknown said...

Happy MM! Very creative entry this week...

My MM meme is up and running.

peace, Villager

Daily Panic said...

I love to read about the trials of not living in the year 2008.
I'm a big fan of honey and my dad was a bee keeper,but I am not and in the yr 1000 i would have been broke.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic videos!! :)

Maria's Space said...

Great post. Chuck full of interesting information. Thanks for checking me out.

Anonymous said...

Whoof.... this is a fun MM post. Made me smarter.

Anonymous said...

Great Manic Monday post, Jamie. Very interesting, makes on think about how things were 1008 years ago... lol. Have a wonderful week.

Anonymous said...

Interesting.