Res mediaevales: Medieval Ways of Making

Wonder how medieval people made and used everyday objects? Explore medieval ways of making at the experimental archaeology and artisan displays in Sangren Lobby from 9:00am to 4:30pm daily during Congress. 

Nordik Kraft

Ken and Cynthia Koll of Nordik Kraft will display and demonstrate crafts of Viking Age Scandinavian daily living, from food, fiber and fun, to bone and horn carving. Congress participants can touch raw fiber and embellished garments, see examples of medieval Scandinavian food and utensils, and see other recreated medieval artifacts. 

Sutton Hoo Ship-Burial Recreation 

George and Jeanne Johnson will showcase meticulously recreated artifacts of material culture discovered in the seventh century ship-burial site at Sutton Hoo. The objects which are on display are part of a full scale reconstructed burial chamber. 

Early English Textiles

Joy Selby Cain will provide an explanation of fabrics in the Sutton Hoo display including the warrior coat, compare the fabric recreation with a handspun, hand dyed and handwoven Old English kyrtel, and display her experiments in weaving velvet and other pile fabrics. 

Iron Bloomeries and Iron Objects

George Carroll will display items commonly made using bloom iron: hand forged nails, hoe blade, cauldrons, hammer, etc. In addition to these items, he will compare a Viking Age sword made of “steely” bloom iron and a falchion made from modern steel and their production techniques.

Historical Glassworks 

Jason Klein of Historical Glassworks will display video and physical examples of progress and experimentation toward recreating early medieval English glass, both the Prittlewell blue and green hand blown glass beakers in particular.