Water and Society in Early Medieval Italy, AD 400-1000

by Paolo Squatriti

Overview

This book offers an original discussion of an element—water—and its relationship with people. In particular it shows how early medieval Italian societies coped with the problems of having too much or too little water, and analyzes their use of it. Such treatment illuminates both the workings of postclassical societies and of the environments in which these societies lived. Domestic usage, bathing, irrigation and drainage, fishing, and milling all receive full coverage.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521621922
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	07/28/1998
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.63(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction; 1. Water for everyday use; 2. Water, baths, and corporeal washing; 3. The wet and the dry: water in agriculture; 4. Water, fish, and fishing; 5. Water and milling in early medieval Italy; 6. Conclusion: the hydrological cycle in the early Middle Ages.

Editorial Reviews

"...I learned a tremendous amount from this thoroughly documented and informative work, and I will be consulting it frequently..." Harry B. Evans, American Historical Review

"...a very interesting book that should appeal to many readers and must be applauded for its production..." Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies

"This is a fascinating book..." Neil Christie, The Medieval Review

From the Publisher