Age of Datini

This is a website about the things people in Italy and the neighbouring countries made and used in everyday life between roughly 1360 and 1410.

The contents of this site are divided into six categories. Artefacts cover a type of artefact with a common name such as "beds" or "knives (working)." The focus is on pointing to evidence, so these are more like 'pages from a notebook' than refined writing. Essays are more polished and 'atomic,' they are less likely to grow and change one sentence or citation at a time. Sources are things written or painted or carved during the middle ages, particularly written sources in the original language and sometimes translation. Reconstructions (in progress) are reconstruction of medieval artefacts. Vocationes are calls for sources and requests for comments. Bibliographies have information on the books, databases, artwork, and articles which I cite.

This site has a few guest posts such as this one on Anglo-Saxon Spears. The author, date, and date last updated of a post can be found at the bottom of the page.

In winter 2023/4 I have been thinking about what this site is. This website is a scrapbook or commonplace book. I write it to organize my thoughts and unburden my memory, and I share it in case its useful to anyone else. It is not as polished as a published book, although the web format lets me add or correct things as I learn more. I am happy if you link to it or let me know what was useful (especially if the reseach lets you make something cool), but please ask before quoting the translations in print. Some of the material on this site was compiled as early as 2013 and sometimes my language skills have improved or I have read something since that helps explain a tricky phrase.

Beginning in January 2024, this site is migrating to a responsive two-column layout with a blogroll and "What's New?" on every page. Some pages may still have the old format.

This site is free, but its not costless. Help keep it going with a donation on paypal.me, Patreon, ko-fi or Liberapay.

created and copyrighted on 2021-04-01 by S. Manning ~ last updated 2024-02-01