Book fastenings and furnishings : an archaeology of late medieval books
Throughout the late medieval period, books were an integral part of religious monastic life, and yet such objects have received little attention from an analytical archaeological perspective, despite the significant quantity of metal book fittings recovered from archaeological sites. This thesis explores the archaeological collections held by English Heritage together with published excavation reports, investigating late medieval book fittings, dating between the mid-eleventh and mid-sixteenth centuries, which have been archaeologically recovered from English monastic sites. This work presents the first typology of these artefacts and considers in detail the many and varied forms of late medieval book fittings. In order to contextualise and give a clear understanding of this material, this study investigates late medieval book production, monasticism, and the types of books housed within monasteries and the locations in which they were used and stored. This research goes on to examine the wider social and cultural contexts of book fittings within late medieval monastic society using pictorial and documentary evidence, and extant late medieval bookbindings and library catalogues, in conjunction with the archaeological
Howsam, Charlotte L.
Book fastenings and furnishings : an archaeology of late medieval books. Throughout the late medieval period, books were an integral part of religious monastic life, and yet such objects have received little attention from an analytical archaeological perspective, despite the significant quantity of metal book fittings recovered from archaeological sites. This thesis explores the archaeological collections held by English Heritage together with published excavation reports, investigating late medieval book fittings, dating between the mid-eleventh and mid-sixteenth centuries, which have been archaeologically recovered from English monastic sites. This work presents the first typology of these artefacts and considers in detail the many and varied forms of late medieval book fittings. In order to contextualise and give a clear understanding of this material, this study investigates late medieval book production, monasticism, and the types of books housed within monasteries and the locations in which they were used and stored. This research goes on to examine the wider social and cultural contexts of book fittings within late medieval monastic society using pictorial and documentary evidence, and extant late medieval bookbindings and library catalogues, in conjunction with the archaeological
book furnishing archaeology late_medieval book throughout late_medieval period book integral_part religious monastic life yet object receive_little_attention analytical archaeological_perspective despite_significant quantity metal book fitting recover_archaeological site explores archaeological_collection hold english heritage together publish_excavation report investigate late_medieval book fitting date mid eleventh archaeologically recover english monastic site work_present first typology artefacts considers detail many varied form late_medieval book fitting order_contextualise give clear material study_investigates late_medieval book_production monasticism type book house within monastery location use store examine wider_social cultural_context book fitting within late_medieval monastic society use pictorial documentary_evidence extant late_medieval library catalogue conjunction archaeological