Tintagel: A Dark Age Beacon

 According to legend, Tintagel is the site of King Arthur's birth. Archaeologists have found remnants not only of a palace but of a thriving port. From Archaeology Magazine:

Scattered around the ruins of this medieval castle are the footprints of much older, smaller rectangular buildings. These are the remains of post-Roman Tintagel. English Heritage, the organization that manages the site, recently commissioned a five-year project to better understand this settlement. “The impetus of this project is to interpret Tintagel’s earlier history, which, for me, is more important than the later castle,” says Win Scutt, English Heritage properties curator.

The first excavations at Tintagel began in the 1930s, and researchers returned throughout the twentieth century. Given the small, cell-like appearance of some of the buildings, archaeologists once believed that Tintagel was the site of a secluded monastery, an interpretation researchers now question.

Nowakowski and her team are focusing on a previously unexcavated terrace clinging to the headland’s southern slope. They have found a complex of three well-preserved early buildings, the largest of which is an impressive 50 feet long with three-foot-thick walls. Tintagel’s inhabitants not only built heavily on the relatively flat central plateau of the site, but they constructed terraces along the steep hillsides in order to create more habitable land—no easy task, but one that must have been necessary. “Why would you build in such precarious positions if the whole island is not densely populated?” asks Scutt. “The civil engineering that went on at this site is phenomenal.” (Read more.)

On medieval legends. From Medieval History:

The origins of medieval legends are often shrouded in mystery, rooted in a blend of historical events and imaginative storytelling. These legends primarily originated from oral traditions before being committed to written form. Oral traditions were pivotal in disseminating stories across different regions and social classes. These tales were recited by bards, troubadours, and storytellers, who played a crucial role in preserving and adapting them to reflect their audiences’ changing values and circumstances.

Manuscripts and illuminated texts later became the primary vehicles for preserving these legends. Monasteries and scholarly communities meticulously copied and illustrated these manuscripts, ensuring their survival for future generations. For instance, the tales of King Arthur were preserved in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae and later in Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur. These texts chronicled the legends and embellished them, adding layers of chivalric and moralistic themes that resonated with contemporary audiences.

Specific figures and events became central to the medieval legendary tradition, each embodying the values and aspirations of their time. Some of the most enduring of these include:

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table: Perhaps the most enduring of medieval legends, the Arthurian cycle revolves around the mythical king and his knights, who embody ideals of chivalry, honour, and courtly love. The historical existence of King Arthur remains a topic of debate among scholars. However, his legendary status is undisputed, as the tales of his court, his quests, and the magical elements like the Sword in the  Stone and the Holy Grail continue to captivate audiences. The Arthurian legends, as recorded by Geoffrey of Monmouth and later expanded by writers such as Chrétien de Troyes and Thomas Malory, reflect the complex interplay between history and myth.

Charlemagne and the Paladins: Charlemagne, the King of the Franks and later Emperor of the Carolingian Empire, became the central figure of another important legendary cycle. The Chanson de Roland, one of the oldest surviving pieces of French literature, depicts Charlemagne’s knight, Roland, and his heroic stand at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass. This legend served to exemplify the ideals of feudal loyalty and martial valour. Scholars like Robert Morrissey have explored how the Chanson de Roland memorialized historical events and shaped the identity and values of medieval European nobility. (Read more.)