3. 1 - the work of farmers

fifth century early medieval ireland overview

• arrival of christianity

• rome built towns and cities in other european countries, but it was not in ireland, so there were no towns and cities, only rural settlements

• so in ireland, we get unique early christianity

• bishops held power in other places, but that didn’t work, and instead it was the monasteries that ruled

  • so abbots held power rather than bishops since they run monasteries

• people who keep records are monastic scribes → first literate people on the island, and mainly concerned with the happenings of the church exclusively

• we also see here change in structure of society; in iron age → tribal, in 5th century → larger groups split and divide into smaller family based dynasties

important dates of fifth century early medieval ireland

• 431 → palladius sent as bishop (first written account of christianity in ireland)

• 432 → arrival of patrick

• 444 → armagh founded

• 946 → storming of downpatrick

6th century dates

• 516 → battle of druim dergi

• 563 → battle of moin dairi lothair, Iona founded by Colmcille

• 575 → convention of druim cett

• 581 → death of beatan maccairill

takeaway: church becomes political power (Iona), Kings go overseas (druim cett, beatan), “high king” is unstable title

7th century overview

• widespread acceptance of christianity

• we see people leave ireland to spread christianity to other parts of europe

• even if people claim “high king”, didn’t mean much because no one ruled the whole island

8th century overview

• height of early medieval art

• book of kells

• despite recording of battles, peace must’ve been because you don’t produce great treasures in wartime

• battles held at predetermined times and places, battle for short time, not a lot of long lasting ones

• end of 8th century rathlin burned marking vikings

9th century overview

• churches have fully integrated throughout society

• larger monasteries are focal points

  • also host fairs and produce crafts and art

• first written record of viking contact 495

  • most active in 9 and 10 century

10th century overview

• viking raids move from sporadic to converted efforts

• norse vikings (norway)

11th century overview

• vikings who settled become integrated into irish society

• intermarriage, settlements taken over by irish ruler, trade, etc

12th century overview

• church organization changes → becomes aligned with mainland europe

• ireland become aware of whats going on in other island (normans arrive and battle in hastings)

• anglonormans arrive on irish shore 1169

  • marks the start of the medieval centuries

social structure in early medieval society

strictly hierarchical, but not a caste system (you can move up or down)

1. nobility

2. free

3. unfree

nobility ranking

kings

• provincial king

• overking of a few tuaithe (territories)

• king of one tuatha

lords

• lord of superior testimony

• lord of precedence

• high lord

• lord of vassalry

lords were measured in economic terms. lord at bottom may have x amount of sheep and the one above may have 2x. also depends on number of clients (tenants). lords would have x amount of tenants of lower standing (farmers for ex).

free people ranking

1. strong farmer → boaire

2. small farmer → ocaire

3. semi-independent youth → fer midboth

lord can give things (protection, land, animals) and free must give (military service, labor, hospitality)

unfree ranking

• semi-freeman → fuidir

  • tenant at will

• cottier → bothack

• hereditary serf → senchleithe

• male/female slave → mug/cumal

slavery here was usually a temporary affair. people defeated in battle may be taken as slave for x amount of time before being sent home. slavery disappeared with intro of christianity, but reemerged with the vikings (where we see more modern slavery).

economy in early medieval

• crop cultivation

• animal husbandry

• gathering, hunting, fishing

• craft activity

• exchange and barter

crop cultivation early medieval

1. clearance

   1. prepare the land, use iron blades

2. ploughing

   1. largely made of wood, iron parts survive, generally plant in spring

3. harvesting

   1. iron blades/sickles

4. threshing and winnowing

   1. separates grain

   2. not much archaeological evidence here

5. kiln drying

   1. to dry wet crops

6. grain storage

7. rotary quern

   1. used to make flour

   2. grounds grain to make flour

8. horizontal water mill

   1. for the wealthier in society

   2. water powered so no need rotary quern

other archaeological evidence of crop cultivation

• charred or burnt grain

  • mainly barley, oats, rye

  • not much wheat unless you’re wealthy bc not readily available bc not suited for irish weather

animal husbandry in early medieval

• cows → dairy

• sheep → wool

• pig → meat

• horses → riding, some evidence of eating meat

• chickens → eggs

• dogs and cats

hunting in medieval

red deer, wild boar, ferret, otter, wolf, hare, fox, seal, pine marten, badger

fowling in medieval

wild duck, swan, goose, sea eagle, blackbird, gull, puffin, crow, common crane, barn owl, etc

gathering

fishing in medieval

crafting in medieval

• making clothes

  • flax seeds → make linen

  • wool → tools for spinning

  • weaving → threads from spinning to make cloth

• leather working

  • making shoes!

• metalworking

  • iron slag → abundant in ireland

• ross island furnace

• we find crucibles and molds for non ferace metals

• stone working

• bone, antler, horn → combs

• wood working → furniture, drinking vessel, wood plate

• clary working → pottery, molds, crucible

• glass working → beads, bracelets, limited high status

trade and exchange in early medeival

• amber → from the Baltic region

• tin → southwest of England

oenach

• fair gatherings where trading would occur

• used to be secular but monasteries took over