Sites for Historical Authors

Like most historical authors, I am always on the lookout for interesting sites (like the one you are presently on), where I can learn more about the way people in the past lived, worked, worshipped, and spent their days. One never knows when, in the process of writing, we will come across a question like Was lipstick invented yet? What kind of underwear did ladies wear back then? What do cartoons have to do with tapestry making? I have shelves full of research books, but sometimes, search as I may, my quest is not answered there. That is when I turn to the internet.
I keep a list of trusted sites, because I frequently give workshops on How to Research for Historicals, like the one I presented last year at RWA National, and what I’ll be giving at the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, ‘Colorado Gold’ conference in September. One site I ran across recently, which offers up a smorgasbord of little-known items from the past, is www.oldandinteresting.com. Another fun site is www.historyundressed.blogspot.com. Have fun browsing these two great sites, and don’t forget to make notes or put the links to them in your favorites.

Palace Secrets and King Henry's Bed

On a recent trip to London, I was privileged to join a small group of people who took an archaeological tour through Hampton Court. The tour guide, knowledgeable and friendly, was in charge of protecting and storing artifacts connected with the palace.
He took us through abandoned rooms, royal apartments, and even into an upstairs storage room. Here, he unveiled treasures from the past and allowed us to photograph the items.
He unwrapped a lovely (and rare) terracotta likeness of a queen, and we all snapped pictures. I’m awaiting confirmation as I write this blog, but if memory serves, the carved likeness is of Elizabeth I.

Another rare treasure was a section of the lower part of Henry VIII’s bed, gilded and heavily ornamented. As I snapped the image you see here, I could not help but think of the lovely young girls who may have lain beside him in this bed, later to find themselves in the Tower, awaiting their execution.
Have you ever been to London? If not, what would you like to see there? If so, what was your favorite part of the city?

Medieval Trade Fairs

The European trade fairs, which thrived in the 12th and 13th centuries, linked the economies of the north with those of the Mediterranean. Especially popular in France, these fairs were held annually, in cities located along ancient land routes, and were governed by an established set of rules known as “merchant laws”.
Textiles, leather, furs, and spices were sold at the fairs, and traders came from all over Europe to display their wares. There were six fairs throughout the year. Each fair lasted six weeks. The schedule, while not firm, generally reserved the first eight days for vendors to set up their sites. The final days, about four, were needed to settle accounts.
From Genoa, it took a month to reach the fair cities. Pack mules crossed the Alps loaded with wares. From Spain, merchants traveled the well-worn pilgrim route from Santiago de Compostela. Well-to-do merchants might hire freight handlers to move the goods to the fair location.
In my October release from Five Star, titled The Tapestry Shop, Catherine visits the Colde Fair in Troyes, where she shops for household goods and visits a fortune teller.
One of the images (above) is of the lower floor of a medieval warehouse in Provins which was rented by merchants during the faire. Goods were stored here, and the displays would have been on the upper floor. In Provins, visitors can see a permanent exhibition (top image) depicting a medieval market.

A Medieval Recipe for Travelers

Two days before Christmas, I got the final edit from the copy-editor at Five Star, for my upcoming book, The Tapestry Shop. At this stage, it has already been edited, and the last copy-editor gives it her nod. I was grateful that the changes were only a few commas and a word or two, so it turned out to be a nice gift after all. This is all to explain why my blog is a bit brief this time, what with being gone and the deadline to return the manuscript.
That said, I promised earlier I would blog from time to time about food, ancient and medieval, so after a nine-hour drive home from spending Christmas with my daughter, I thought this recipe, from a collection of recipes in a cookbook in the Public Domain, sounded like just what I needed. Besides, it’s supposed to work wonders, as the ancient cook promises, giving endurance and strength to a weary traveler.

Honey Refresher for Travelers
Conditum Melizonium1 Viatorium
The wayfarer's honey refresher (so called because it gives endurance and strength to pedestrians)2 with which travelers are refreshed by the wayside is made in this manner: flavor honey with ground pepper and skim. In the moment of serving put honey in a cup, as much as is desired to obtain the right degree of sweetness, and mix with spiced wine not more than a needed quantity; also add some wine to the spiced honey to facilitate its flow and the mixing.