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Yesterday was a day of good stuff.
Town and Hinterland
Anna Mayzlish spoke about social and communitary boundaries in Ypres in the 13th to 16th centuries. This was worked out via the medium of monopolies and exceptions from them in the craft of drapery, and I don't think I really understood what was going on. I did note that once one power has granted a monopoly, another power can then grant exceptions to the monopoly, which seem kind of like second-order financial instruments.
Another chap, who I'll avoid naming here in case he's searching for his own name, was so incredibly dull I couldn't listen to him. It was something about vineyards near Alexandria, but he monotoned so hard I think I might have zoned out entirely for his presentation.
Martina Bernardi spoke about the 'incastellamento' fortified-village/castles around the 10th century in Italy, specifically in Monti Lucretili. These were apparently a consequence of conflict between neighbouring powers, and were notable because they weren't royal or even noble residences, but merely the villagers fortifying their own places to live in a bit more safely. Some had strategic value, others were just where they were because of nearby resources. They faded from use after the Black Death and an earthquake in 1349. They looked _really_ interesting, and I'd like to see more about social structures in those villages.
Social Boundaries in a Medieval Town: Setting and Retention
This sesssion was moderated by a Russian woman, and all three presenters were also Russian women.
The first, Irina Mastayaeva, spoke in French, and while apparently I can follow Russian accented French perfectly well, I can't take notes while I do so. She was talking about the concepts of 'master' and 'school' in 12th century France, and it's the first time I've seen the what-we-talk-about-we-talk-about title in French: De quoi parle-t-on quand on parle de "l'école" et du "maître" dans la France du XII-eme siècle (le problème des limites terminologiques)?
Galina Popova presented about social boundaries on the borders between Toldeo and the Dar al-Islam in the 12th and 13th century, and the issues of legal jurisdiction over citizens of differing religions in different places.
Anna Anismova talked about the borders of medieval English towns, and again about jurisdiction of townspeople in charter towns and seigneurial towns. She also pointed out the difficulties of working with this stuff when we don't know where the actual boundaries of the towns were, only where the walls were - which is not necessarily the same thing.
Food History in England and the Leeds Symposium
This was a fringe session, mostly an introduction to food history, which included a basic book list for English food history. I own four of the six books; I'm working on acquiring the other two. I am amused that several of the recommended books are not in print.
Borders, Boundaries, Authorities, and Identities
I had ferocious difficulty with this session; no sound for much of it, and since chat was disabled to prevent trolling, no way to query it, and since re-entering the session wasn't allowed, not much point in restarting the machine. So I didn't really get to do this one.
Patrons and Elites
This session was excellent; really good topics and speakers.
Lesley Fraser spoke about English medieval tapicers (new word), and the contrast between their work and that of more expensive Netherlandish (new word) craftsmen, and how English gentry could commission hallings (new word: the set of tapestries necessary for a hall; wallhangings, bench covers and cushions) from English workers at reasonable enough sounding prices. There was a lot of excellent discussion of trade and tax pressures, comparative prices, class-based access to tapestry, and furnishings. Also noted that designs for tapestries were often done by painters, and then sent to the tapicers to be implemented.
Lisa Reilly spoke about stained glass patronage in the late Middle Ages - just before the Reformation - and specifically the windows in the Church of St Michael-le-Belfrey. There was some really good stuff in here on the emergent effects of the concept of purgatory, one of which was the support of sizable guilds of craftspeople dedicated to making church furnishings on which patrons could have their names and requests to pray for them. This included an effect whereby having one's name in a parish church, where it could stand out, was probably better than having it in a cathedral where it would blend in among many others.
Csilla Virág presented on the concepts of minstrels and class boundaries in Renaissance England. Muchof this made me think about how cooks and butchers were treated in the Middle Ages - people whose services were necessary, but who weren't quite trusted. Minstrels were supposed to have the power to corrupt entire communities, and were also able to blend in at any level of society. Some of the contemporary discussion reminded me of people wailing about the corrosive effects of TV or social media, which illustrates the lack of new things under the sun, etc. Also, the speaker looked worryingly like one of the ladies in Thamesreach, such that I actually thought it was her to begin, and was puzzled.
Town and Hinterland
Anna Mayzlish spoke about social and communitary boundaries in Ypres in the 13th to 16th centuries. This was worked out via the medium of monopolies and exceptions from them in the craft of drapery, and I don't think I really understood what was going on. I did note that once one power has granted a monopoly, another power can then grant exceptions to the monopoly, which seem kind of like second-order financial instruments.
Another chap, who I'll avoid naming here in case he's searching for his own name, was so incredibly dull I couldn't listen to him. It was something about vineyards near Alexandria, but he monotoned so hard I think I might have zoned out entirely for his presentation.
Martina Bernardi spoke about the 'incastellamento' fortified-village/castles around the 10th century in Italy, specifically in Monti Lucretili. These were apparently a consequence of conflict between neighbouring powers, and were notable because they weren't royal or even noble residences, but merely the villagers fortifying their own places to live in a bit more safely. Some had strategic value, others were just where they were because of nearby resources. They faded from use after the Black Death and an earthquake in 1349. They looked _really_ interesting, and I'd like to see more about social structures in those villages.
Social Boundaries in a Medieval Town: Setting and Retention
This sesssion was moderated by a Russian woman, and all three presenters were also Russian women.
The first, Irina Mastayaeva, spoke in French, and while apparently I can follow Russian accented French perfectly well, I can't take notes while I do so. She was talking about the concepts of 'master' and 'school' in 12th century France, and it's the first time I've seen the what-we-talk-about-we-talk-about title in French: De quoi parle-t-on quand on parle de "l'école" et du "maître" dans la France du XII-eme siècle (le problème des limites terminologiques)?
Galina Popova presented about social boundaries on the borders between Toldeo and the Dar al-Islam in the 12th and 13th century, and the issues of legal jurisdiction over citizens of differing religions in different places.
Anna Anismova talked about the borders of medieval English towns, and again about jurisdiction of townspeople in charter towns and seigneurial towns. She also pointed out the difficulties of working with this stuff when we don't know where the actual boundaries of the towns were, only where the walls were - which is not necessarily the same thing.
Food History in England and the Leeds Symposium
This was a fringe session, mostly an introduction to food history, which included a basic book list for English food history. I own four of the six books; I'm working on acquiring the other two. I am amused that several of the recommended books are not in print.
Borders, Boundaries, Authorities, and Identities
I had ferocious difficulty with this session; no sound for much of it, and since chat was disabled to prevent trolling, no way to query it, and since re-entering the session wasn't allowed, not much point in restarting the machine. So I didn't really get to do this one.
Patrons and Elites
This session was excellent; really good topics and speakers.
Lesley Fraser spoke about English medieval tapicers (new word), and the contrast between their work and that of more expensive Netherlandish (new word) craftsmen, and how English gentry could commission hallings (new word: the set of tapestries necessary for a hall; wallhangings, bench covers and cushions) from English workers at reasonable enough sounding prices. There was a lot of excellent discussion of trade and tax pressures, comparative prices, class-based access to tapestry, and furnishings. Also noted that designs for tapestries were often done by painters, and then sent to the tapicers to be implemented.
Lisa Reilly spoke about stained glass patronage in the late Middle Ages - just before the Reformation - and specifically the windows in the Church of St Michael-le-Belfrey. There was some really good stuff in here on the emergent effects of the concept of purgatory, one of which was the support of sizable guilds of craftspeople dedicated to making church furnishings on which patrons could have their names and requests to pray for them. This included an effect whereby having one's name in a parish church, where it could stand out, was probably better than having it in a cathedral where it would blend in among many others.
Csilla Virág presented on the concepts of minstrels and class boundaries in Renaissance England. Muchof this made me think about how cooks and butchers were treated in the Middle Ages - people whose services were necessary, but who weren't quite trusted. Minstrels were supposed to have the power to corrupt entire communities, and were also able to blend in at any level of society. Some of the contemporary discussion reminded me of people wailing about the corrosive effects of TV or social media, which illustrates the lack of new things under the sun, etc. Also, the speaker looked worryingly like one of the ladies in Thamesreach, such that I actually thought it was her to begin, and was puzzled.
