Early Medieval Art I
Quote: "Bitter is the wind tonight, it tosses the ocean's white hair: Tonight I fear not the fierce warriors of Norway Coursing on the Irish Sea." -- Written by Monk in response to fears by Vikings and their raids over Western Europe.
The Vikings - In the 8th Century Norse seamen (Vikings) explored and plundered the rest of Europe. Iceland and Greenland can be included in Scandinavia. Would come out of Fjorded regions of this region, plundering and raiding modern day England and Ireland. Would travel in flotillas-groups of ships.
* Ex: Viking ship raiding 9th century France. Ships weren't extremely large typically (Oseberg ship is only 22m long).
In year 793, Vikings began moving outside of Scandinavia, pushing beyond traditional raiding grounds of coastal regions of England and Ireland, moving inward to Europe. Primarily because plundering and stealing was easier than making own good, but a more likely reason--their population was growing much larger, so they had to relocate. Scandinavia is a very small, shallow coastal plain that is interrupted by mountain regions. Or maybe because they were very skilled in their crafts and art, and Europe was a growing market for Norse art.
* Helmets were made of tight-fitting leather or metal
* The sword was made of Iron and often decorated with runes. It was the owner's honor, telling their own story. Runes were characters of Norse alphabet. Ex: Double-edged sword (sharpened on both sides, enabling greater wielding powers, more effective than a single sharpened samurai blade), also has hard point to thrust into enemy. Hilt of sword was decorated in ivory, silver, gold, and jewels.
Special Note: Vikings were the only fighters across Europe to use an axe in battle.
* If part of a king's army, there was a standardized uniform, though most would simply manage their own setup.
* Leather helmet shaped to fit individual would have a ridge where the seem of the two leather pieces came in contact together, and was often continued down the nose. Goggle looking portion was added for aeschtetic .
* Long axe were 1-1 &1/2 m in length. Effective tool in battle.
Oseberg Ship
* Ex: Used as a grave ship for a woman of high rank. Found buried in layer and layers of soil, which allowed wooden ship to remain preserved. Was plundered at one point, since gold and items of value were missing.
* The prow spirals into a tiny serpent's shape
* Carved, intertwined animals known as the "gripping beasts" adorn the bow and Stern of the ship. They are grotesque, cat-like creatures with large bodies, small head, gigantic heads--frightening creatures; part of fear factor of Vikings.
Scandinavia
Norway, Sweden, Denmark; Iceland, Greenland.
* Forest boundaries in Northern Scandinavia--non forest mountain area on to. Mountain birch forest is in between. The coniferous forest and other land is bottom. Coniferous are pine, Christmas trees. Birch is a deciduous tree that has broader leaves, birch tree has white bark--similar to Aspen tree. Birch tree has soft, subtle arches to it, soft wood, malleable, whereas coniferous trees have a linear, solid, rigid structure.
| Wattle and daub
* Posts connected to a woven framework of wood, filled with mud or a plaster compound.
* Requires soft wood that can be bent, woven--Birch forests
Horizontal Log Construction
* Similar to American log cabin, derived from Scandinavian timber frame construction.
* Very strong, long and linear horizontal piece--coniferous forests
Stave Church, Borgund, Norway
* Four beams are called staves, four central supports of church
* Classified as the the best preserve stave church in Norway.
* Most likely built in 12th century -- timber architecture--long linear.
Ottonian Architecture
* Ex: Church of Saint Cyriakus, located in Gernrode in Germany.
* Tried to replicate magesty of early Christian architecture in Rome, but architects only knew of local ideas.
* Bland, less ornate, uses quite a bit of timber-framed architecture--making them suceptible to fire. Gallery region function unknown in Ottonian Architecture.
Ottonian Sculpture
* Commissioned by archbishop Gero of Cologne
* Somewhat bland.
* removable pieces of work, not affixed to church.
Ex: Gero Crucifix
* Commissioned by Archbishop Gero of Cologne, meant for alter of church
* Stands more than 6 ft tall
* Made of paint and gilded oak-- appears to make of gold, but only thin layer
* One of the few large works of carved wood to survive the early middle ages
* Sad, somber of crucifix-- shows his humanity.
Extra definition
Vikings - Eighth century seamen from Scandinavia.
Oseberg Ship - A well-preserved Viking ship.
Prow - The most forward part of a ship that cuts through the water.
Gripping beasts - Intertwined animals found in Viking imagery.
Scandinavian - A geographical region of Northern Europe including Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.
Stave Church - Medieval wooden church found in Scandinavia.
Wattle and daub - a sticky substance used for building walls; made from wet soil, clay, sand, straw, and animal dung
Timber architecture - A style of architecture that uses wooden logs and beams.
Clerestory - A wall with a row of windows along the top.
Arcade -