Elves in Anglo-Saxon England: Matters of Belief, Health, Gender and Identity

Elves and elf—belief during the Anglo—Saxon period are reassessed in this lively and provocative study.

Anglo—Saxon elves [Old English ælfe] are one of the best attested non—Christian beliefs in early medieval Europe, but current interpretations of the evidence derive directly from outdated nineteenth— and early twentieth—century scholarship. Integrating linguistic and textual approaches into an anthropologically—inspired framework, this book reassesses the full range of evidence. It traces ...