Ships and Shipping in Medieval Manuscripts

The ship loomed large in the medieval world and mind: whether cruising upriver laden with grain, cresting the high seas bristling with guns, or symbolizing a wealth of virtues, from power and promise to strength and safety. Both upstream and downstream, inland and offshore, ships of every size and shape provided a vital means of travel, transport, and trade, linking villages and cities, land and sea, countries and continents. In Ships and Shipping in Medieval Manuscripts, marine archaeologist Joe Flatman focuses on these everyday vessels in manuscript illuminations—drawn from the British Library’s matchless collection—in order to trace the changing shape of ships in European life and culture from the eleventh to the sixteenth centuries, a period of unprecedented technological and maritime progress.

To unravel the realities and myths of the maritime world, Flatman first explores its multi-layered symbolism, essentially Christian, but rooted in pagan culture. Highlighting the dichotomy between life-giving freshwater and death-dealing saltwater, he explores the mythology behind the serene streams which promise hope and salvation and the stormy seas that teem with bewitching sirens and shipwrecked sailors. Turning to the realities of seaside life, this volume further examines the extraordinary advances in shipping and naval warfare, alongside an expanding maritime culture that came to include seafaring folk at work and play, on bustling decks and busy shores. Vividly brought to life by over 150 diverse images—from mermaids to eels, barges to warships—Ships and Shipping in Medieval Manuscripts paints a vibrant portrait of maritime life during an era of unmatched progress, expansion, and interest.