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IMC 2013: Sessions

Session 719: Pain, Profit, and a Little Pleasure in Medieval Scandinavia, I

Tuesday 2 July 2013, 14.15-15.45

Sponsor:Creating the New North Research Programme, Universitetet i Tromsø
Organiser:Richard Holt, Institutt for historie og religionsvitenskap, Universitetet i Tromsø - Norges Arktiske Universitetet
Moderator/Chair:Kerstin Hundahl, Historiska Institutionen, Lunds Universitet
Paper 719-aEating to Live or Living to Eat?: The Living Standards of North Norwegian Fishing Families
(Language: English)
Richard Holt, Institutt for historie og religionsvitenskap, Universitetet i Tromsø - Norges Arktiske Universitetet
Index terms: Archaeology - Artefacts, Daily Life, Economics - Trade, Social History
Paper 719-bImported Pottery - Imported Habits?: Table Manners in Late Medieval Northern Norway
(Language: English)
Yassin Nyang Karoliussen, Institutt for arkeologi og sosialantropologi, Universitetet i Tromsø - Norges Arktiske Universitetet
Index terms: Archaeology - Artefacts, Daily Life, Economics - Trade
Paper 719-cPleasure, Jealousy, and Magic: The Witchcraft Trial of Ragnhild Tregagaas in 1325
(Language: English)
Rune Blix Hagen, Institutt for historie og religionsvitenskap, Universitetet i Tromsø - Norges Arktiske Universitetet
Index terms: Folk Studies, Gender Studies, Mentalities, Sexuality
Abstract

To all appearances, the fishermen of northern Norway lived poor lives, and displayed a low level of material culture. In reality, both their diet and their material culture could be surprisingly good, a consequence of their producing a valuable trade commodity which enabled them to eat well and to import quite luxurious items. Farming families of southern Norway followed traditional European marriage strategies, and disputes over marriage settlements produced documentation that allows a close study of the issues at dispute. On at least one occasion, a dispute over personal relationships led to charges of sorcery and witchcraft.