For anyone interested who hasn't already heard about it, my booklet
"Bedes Byddyng: Medieval Rosaries and Paternoster Beads" has been
published (finally!) as issue #135 of the Compleat Anachronist (an
SCA quarterly). It's available at $4.50 per copy at: https://
secure.sca.org/cgi-bin/stockclerk/ca.html (Go to page 14 of the site
and scroll down)
This is a short introduction to the history of rosary beads (mostly
Christian ones), along with a look at the social history: what
materials were used for beads, threads and accessories; numbers and
significance of beads; how rosaries were made, sold, worn, and used;
and a few pointers on how to tell whether a string of beads is a
rosary or not. There is also an appendix with full instructions on
making a rather generic set of medieval-style beads.
It was stressful to write, but satisfying. I hadn't seen it since I
turned in the manuscript six months ago, and I am now grimacing over
the usual quota of typos, formatting mistakes and bits of authorial
disorganization that made it into the printed version. I'll do better
next time: but I'm happy to have it to offer.
I'd be interested in anyone's comments (on or off list) once you've
read it.
____________________________________________________________
O Chris Laning <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> - Davis, California
+ http://paternoster-row.org - http://paternosters.blogspot.com
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