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