The Representation of the Book in the Visual and Textual Culture of Southern Anglo-Saxon England: mid-ninth to mid-eleventh centuries

The role of the book in early medieval culture has received widespread scholarly attention. From investigations into the production and circulation of books, to scrutiny of the codex as a symbol of devotion, more than ever is known about the meaning and function of the book in the medieval world. This study, whilst drawing on this work, yet takes a rather different approach. It asks not how the book was made or used, but how the codex was portrayed in contemporary sources. Through examination of a range of late Anglo-Saxon sources, this thesis probes how books were represented in texts and images from the period. It argues, overall, that late Anglo-Saxon book culture can better be understood by attention to the way that contemporaries themselves described, imagined and imaged the book. Analysis of these images and their meaning allows, furthermore, some important insights into the political and socio-cultural significance of books as they were portrayed between the late ninth and early eleventh centuries.