Books at Books@Stones

Medieval Household Hints now in stock at my local bricks-and-mortar book shop BooksStones You might not know, but they also stock the cutest Australian animal puppets (check out that little possum! )

I have to confess, while it's a pretty awful photo of me, it really does highlight how much better I look in a barbette and with my hairnet all stuffed out with fake hair. It dresses my face, I think, and I really do understand why medieval women didn't mind wearing them, even though us modern gals say they look silly!

Also stay tuned for a pre-Mother's Day book event with me here, which I'll be announcing tomorrow!

Heraldic surcotes on women

Heraldic surcotes. It's always exciting when we find a new source, and for me, this is a new one! Two ladies and one man. One woman like the gentleman, one halved with another. Very cool!  It comes from between 1280-1300 - the frescoes of St. Christophe in Mesnard-la-Barotiere.

 

 

Thanks to Medieval Advisor who describes it thus:
 

 

A medieval sight well off the beaten path - a very rare surviving example of late 13th century frescoes (could be early 14th as well, I think) for the whole region between Nantes, Angers and Poitiers.

Hidden away in a church in the village of Mesnard-la-Barotiere located in a very rural area. The preservation of the frescoes is very notable.