One of the most iconic objects of the Middle Ages is the drinking horn. In the new book The Story of the Drinking Horn, Vivian Etting explains the influence of this object on medieval western culture. Here are ten things we learned about medieval drinking horns from this book.
The Story of the Drinking Horn: Drinking Culture in Scandinavia during the Middle Ages, was made by the National Museum of Denmark and includes a catalogue of medieval and Renaissance horns in its collection. The book also covers the history of this object, from classical antiquity and Iron Age Scandinavia, to its use in the Middle Ages and its depiction in written and visual sources.
Etting writes, “Drinking horns were widespread in Scandinavia and Germany, but a strong Anglo-Saxon tradition in England is evident too. The dramatic and decorative appearance of drinking horns, decorated with gilt mounts, made them very suitable for use at various ceremonies and solemn meetings. Here the traditions surrounding the material ceremonies are evident, and perhaps the origins for this go all the way back to the Romans use of drinking horns at ceremonial feast commemorating the dead. Another interesting practice, which was maintained for centuries, was the use of drinking horns as a gesture of welcome. Even though the old traditions from the Viking Age were abandoned in the Middle Ages, it seems that, to some degree, the custom lived on. This appears in many medieval ballads and legends, where women handing out a drinking horn, are mentioned frequently. Sometimes the horn is filled with poison, and there seems to be a magical element in the use of drinking horns.”
To learn more about this book please visit the University Press of Southern Denmark.
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