Context - Stage 1
STAGE 1 - The “Birth” of the Exeter Book
10th Century England
The Exeter Book was created in the 10th century by what most believe to be a single scribe. Although its exact date of creation is unknown, it is predicted to have been written between 960 to 990. Research done by Patrick Conner also suggested that the book was not initially created as a single entity, but instead created as 3 separate volumes that were combined into one codex during this same time frame. The contents include a large collection of poems and at least 90 riddles. As previously described, there are some simple ornamentations, mainly in the form of simple drop caps and dry point illustrations. Perhaps the simplicity of this book may point towards a financially disadvantaged scribe.
Here, I include an image of a very ornate cross from 10th century England to demonstrate the religious importance of this culture. In the Exeter Book, a central theme is religion, specifically Christianity. This peice of material culture can be linked to the creative expression of the 10th century, as the piousness of this carefully ornamented cross is also denoted in the poetry within the Exeter Book.
However, the Exeter Book not only compiles works that not only represent the deeper religious and moralistic values of the civilization at the time, but also includes many works and riddles that centre daily life and crude, basal humour. This reveals a very intimate view into both the moral, creative expression and the typical, mundane life of this cultural era.
Donation
1072 Exeter, Devon
The Exeter Book was donated to Bishop Leofric of Exeter Cathedral in 1072, right before his death. Richard Gameson writes that researchers know this due to analysis of a donation record that Leofric kept. As this was not common at the time, Gameson asserts that this represents the significance of the donation of the Exeter Book, and thus the importance of the Exeter Book itself. After donation, the Exeter Book was placed in the Bishop’s Palace at Exeter Cathedral for safekeeping.
The Loss
Between 1072 – end of the 18th century
Unfortunately, the Exeter Book experiences a drop in interest. The Old English language, of which the Exeter Book uses, ceased to be spoken by around the mid 1100’s. This most likely had an influence on the valuation of this artefact, as an attitude of “if I can’t read it, why should I value it ?” is not unpredictable. During this time, the book sustained significant abuse due to this lack of appreciation. As previously described, there are slashes, spills, rips, stains, and cuts on many of the pages due to this misuse.