Synopsis: |
Horses played a vital role in medieval life. This catalogue describes and illustrates over 400 medieval finds, associated with horses, excavated in London in recent years. It includes harness, horseshoes, spurs and curry combs, and ranges from everyday artefacts to highly wrought decorative pieces. An introductory chapter surveys the role of the horse and horse husbandry in medieval London, discussing the use of pack-horses and carts in and around London, and the function of the marshal or farrier. The book also deals with the size and power of the medieval horse, including the size of a knight's "Great Horse", and why it took three horses to haul a medieval cart. |