Monthly Archives: June 2016

Christian and Roman conversion

Posted on June 14, 2016 by Ruth

Christianity came first to the Near East; its earliest adherents were in the Roman provinces of Palestine, Egypt and Ethiopia, Syria, Macedonia, and other places around the Mediterranean rim. In 301, Armenia formally adopted the Christian religion. During the next … Continue reading →

Posted in Med. and Magic | Comments Off on Christian and Roman conversion

High religion: War gods and Wyrd

Posted on June 12, 2016 by Ruth

As I explained in the last post, I am dividing pagan beliefs into “low” and “high” religion. Low religion is the daily stuff of getting along with the earth and raising children. High religion is the philosophy and mythos of … Continue reading →

Posted in Med. and Magic | Tagged , , | Comments Off on High religion: War gods and Wyrd

Low religion: Nerthus and Frey

Posted on June 11, 2016 by Ruth

When I say “low,” I am thinking of the way the Anglicans distinguish between “high church” and “low church,” and applying this distinction analogically to early European pagan beliefs. For this purpose, low religion is everything connected to daily life … Continue reading →

Posted in Med. and Magic | Tagged , | Comments Off on Low religion: Nerthus and Frey

Medicine and Magic: what is the world?

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Ruth

We interact with our planet in so many ways, but most importantly, we have to interact with a bit of the physical world in our own corporeal nature. We have bodies, the world acts upon them, we become injured, sick, … Continue reading →

Posted in Med. and Magic | Tagged , | Comments Off on Medicine and Magic: what is the world?

Medieval international merchants

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Ruth

International merchants were, of course, the largest sales ventures. They sent representatives to the larger regional/national fairs, but their chief trading occurred elsewhere. To go back to Charlemagne’s time, a group of Jewish merchants based around the Rhone River traveled … Continue reading →

Posted in Medieval cycle of life | Tagged , | Comments Off on Medieval international merchants

Medieval merchants and regional fairs

Posted on June 4, 2016 by Ruth

Medieval traveling salesmen, 2 of 3: The middle range of traveling salesmen were merchants who worked within one region or nation, moving things farther than ordinary people could easily travel. They were not as limited by roads, since they could … Continue reading →

Posted in Medieval cycle of life, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments Off on Medieval merchants and regional fairs

Medieval traveling tinkers and small merchants

Posted on June 4, 2016 by Ruth

Medieval traveling salesmen, 1st of 3: Medieval merchants came in sizes small, medium and large. The small ones did the thankless work of bringing small, cheap things to rural and even remote villages. They were up against two obstacles: lack … Continue reading →

Posted in Medieval cycle of life | Tagged , | Comments Off on Medieval traveling tinkers and small merchants

Medieval traveling lives: masons

Posted on June 4, 2016 by Ruth

This fits into the Medieval Cycle of Life series, after the traveling minstrel. Today’s “Masonic Lodge” has no direct connection to the actual Freemasons of the Middle Ages, but some of the traits and tropes we associate with them, like … Continue reading →

Posted in Castles, Crafts, Medieval cycle of life | Comments Off on Medieval traveling lives: masons