Food Culture in Medieval Scandinavia

Eleven articles from the growing field of Scandinavian food history include contributions from the realms of art history, anthropology, linguistics, literature, philology, and rhetoric. They “focus on primary sources, including archaeological findings, Old Norse saga literature, the Eddas, skaldic poetry, and legal texts.”

The contributions assume a broad awareness of Scandinavian culture during the period, but are rewardingly comprehensible to those just beginning to pursue deeper knowledge of the subject.

The articles are:

• Magic, Miracles, and Rituals to Fight Famine in Old Norse Literature

• Divine Intervention in the Preparation of Food and Drink in Old Norse Culture

• The Rise and Extent of Commercial Stockfish Production and Trade in Medieval North-Norwegian Coastal Society

• Food and Exclusion: Beer, Chicken, and Social Mobility in the Saga World

• What Did the Norwegians Drink?

• Stockfish Distribution: Getting Stockfish to the Consumer

• The Theft of Food in Thirteenth-Century Norway and Iceland

• The Semiotics of Hanging Around in the Kitchen in Late Sagas and Rímur

• Consumption and Intoxication in an Old Norse Legendary Saga

• Conflicts Regarding Hospitality in Old Norse Sources

• The Practice of Feasting in Medieval Iceland

Each article is accompanied by full bibliography of primary and secondary sources, a boon to anyone interested in pursuing further inquiry.

Hardcover.