Early Medieval c. 5th century - 1400 CE Carolingian Empire: c. 768-877 Ottonian Empire: c. 919-1002
Dec 25, 2015
Early Medieval
c. 5th century - 1400 CE
Carolingian Empire: c. 768-877
Ottonian Empire:c. 919-1002
Early Medieval
Burial Ship, Osberg, Norway c. 815-20Wood, length 75’6”
Post, from Osberg Burial Ship. Wood approx 36”
Early Medieval
Early Medieval
Scythnian Lion-head finial, Kul Oba, Russia. Gold and bronze.
Early Medieval
Purse Cover, from Sutton Hoo burial ship, Suffolk, England. c. early 7th century. Cloisonné and enamel, length 8”
Other treasures from Sutton Hoo
Early Medieval
Early Medieval
Silver Helmet from the Sutton Hoo burial ship
Celtic cross, Ahenny, Tipperary, Ireland, late 8th century. Granite.
Early Medieval
Early Medieval “High” Crosses
Early Medieval
South Cross of Ahenny, Ireland, 8th century, stone. Approx. 7’
Vocabulary: scriptoria (singular: scriptorium)Early Medieval
Early Medieval
Two pages from the Gospel Book of Durrow, Iona, Scotland, c. 650. Ink and tempera on parchment. Each page 9.5”x6.125”
Gospel of Matthew: left, Gospel of Mark, right
Early Medieval
Tunc Crucifixerant XPI, from the Book of Kells, late 8th or early 9th century. Illuminated manuscript on vellum, 9 1/2" x 13".
Early Medieval
Chi Rho Iota page, from the Book of Kells, probably from Iona, Scotland. Late 8th or early 9th century. Ink and pigment on vellum.
Early Medieval
Book of Kells:
Evangelists page
Matthew= Angel (or Man)
Mark= Lion
Luke= Ox
John= Eagle
Early Medieval Carolingian Europe 8th - 9th centuries
“What scripture is to the educated, images are to the ignorant.”
-- Pope Gregory the Great (Papacy 590 – 604)
Plans: San Vitale, 6th cent - Aachen 9th cent
Early Medieval
Palace Chapel of Charlemagne, exterior view
Early Medieval
Odo of Metz - architect, interior of Charlemagne's palace chapel, Aachen, c.800
Early Medieval
San Vitale, Ravenna 6th cent - Aachen 9th cent
Early Medieval Plan of the St. Gall Monastery Switzerland. Early 9th century
•Charlemagne ordered simple, uniform, legible Latin script
•Majuscules or CAPITALS were used for very formal text
•Minuscules or lower case were used for everyday writings
•Easy to read but no punctuation marks or spaces between words
Early Medieval
Early Medieval
Court School of Charlemagne, Christ Blessing, from the Godescalc Gospels, 781-783. Gold and silver on vellum, 12" x 8 1/4".
Early Medieval
Godescalc Evangelistary: St. ????? c. 781-83. Ink, gold and pigment on vellum, 12.5” x 8.5”
Early Medieval
Four Evangelists, from a Carolingian Gospel book, palace chapel school, Aachen, early 9th century.
Matthew= Angel (or Man)
Mark= Lion
Luke= Ox
John= Eagle
Early Medieval
Lindau Gospels (cover), c. 870-80. Gold, pearls, sapphires, garnets and emeralds, 13.75” x 10.5”
Early Medieval
Ottonian Empirec.1000
Restored abbey church of St. Michael's, Hildesheim, c. 1001-1031
Early Medieval
Doors of Bishop Bernward, from St. Michael’s, Hildesheim, Germany. 1015 CE, Bronze, height 16’6”
Early Medieval
Doors of Bishop Bernward: Temptation and FallandThe Crucifixion
Early Medieval
Doors of Bishop Bernward: Expulsion from Paradise