A Second Handbook of Anglo-Saxon Food & Drink

Book excerpt: Food production for home consumption was the basis of economic activity throughout the Anglo-Saxon period and ensuring access to an adequate food supply was a constant preoccupation. Used as payment and a medium of trade, food was the basis of the Anglo-Saxons' system of finance and administration. Information on the production and distribution of food from the fifth to the eleventh centuries from literary and archaeological sources has been brought together for the first time to give fascinating insights into this important aspect on Anglo-Saxon life. This second handbook complements the first and brings together a vast amount of information on livestock, cereal and vegetable crops, fish, honey, and fermented drinks. Related subjects such as hospitality, charity and drunkenness are also dealt with. The extensive twenty-seven page index enables the reader to find specific information quickly.