<i>The Carolingian Economy</i> (review)
Lindsay Diggelmann
228 Reviews Parergon 21.1 (2004) (especially perhaps the holy transvestites) are more likely to have provided idealised rather than realistic exemplars for medieval women. And who were these women read and influenced by female hagiography? Tracy assumes a degree of sureness about audience vitae that many scholars would not feel confident claim. Surely, too, texts men both alongside male saints’ lives within Gilte Legende, carried meaning besides gendered, though does investigate or even acknowledge matters. These omissions make interpretative apparatus accompanying translated very slanted, if nevertheless tightly focussed student reader pursuing feminist literary history. The annotated ‘Select bibliography’ following essay is an appealing useful part volume, listing manuscript sources relevant reference works on hagiography. Like rest book, this appears been aimed at non-specialist scholar, though, given orientation, some entries remain opaque provide little assistance uninitiated. For example, Sparks’ Apocryphal Old Testament described as ‘a comprehensive edition Apocrypha’ (p.129) without explaining what group is, Acta sanctorum ‘an extensive collection hagiography in Latin detailing “the Acts Saints”’ (p. 129), any compilational nature their variable sources. Despite highly selective collection, volume valuable it provides non-reader Middle English access important understudied vernacular well specific reading material. Antonina Harbus Department University Sydney Verhulst, Adriaan, Carolingian Economy (Cambridge Medieval Textbooks), Cambridge, Cambridge Press, 2002; paperback; pp. 160; RRP£13.95; ISBN 0521004748. In year 776 man named Godebert bequeathed seventeen saltpans abbey Lorsch, Zeeland. 821 Emperor Louis Pious adjudicated 229 dispute between salt traders producers from Loire estuary, outcome which unknown us. From such scraps evidence Professor Verhulst constructs picture importance industry during period, identifying centres activity only Zeeland Atlantic coast, but also mouths Rhône Po. Indeed, one overriding impressions Verhulst’s brief effective summary economy paucity available wishing assess topic. Even standards wider research, ingenuity imagination use appear be just disciplined archival those working area. outset, author emphasizes his mandate: consider functioning parts Europe under rule c. 750 900. Areas outside Empire (England, Scandinavia, Byzantium) included when activities affected itself through trade warfare. As ‘textbook’ series, work aims introduction topic newcomers, while still making original contribution its field. discussion clearly elegantly structured, taking into account factors demography, agricultural craft production, trade, monetary systems. Each chapter balances overview major themes with consideration scholarly tradition. succinct concluding section, argues eighth ninth centuries witnessed broad economic expansion, punctuated several decades stagnation 830 850. Arriving point view no easy task. Naturally, surviving documents manorial monastic inventories polyptychs (the latter containing information rents, services, tenant obligations) employed possible. Elsewhere, conclusions must based archaeological findings, coinage, development place names, pollen analysis. Problems continually appear. Knowledge glass production based...
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