Bayeux Tapestry, Normandy

The Bayeux Tapestry is actually more of an embroidery, which measures around 70 meters (230 feet) in length. Many historians now believe that the Tapestry was made in England, possibly in Canterbury, by a team of embroiderers who were both English and Norman. Both Anglo-Saxon and Old French influence the Latin text and captions. The tapestry itself is a pictorial depiction of the Conquest of England, in the 11th Century.   The Tapestry gives us an unparalleled depiction of civilisation in the late 11th Century. It is an amazing survival.

The Bayeux Tapestry is created out of coloured woollen yard, on an unbleached fine linen background. It is composed of nine panels, joined together with fine stitching. Two decorative borders frame the middle section of the tapestry, with the reverse side protected by a lining. The woollen yarn was dyed from three plant-based dyes, Madder which was red, Weld which was yellow and Woad, which was indigo blue. These were then often blended and mixed by dyers, to produce around 10 different shades, so shades in red, yellow, beige, dark blue and green could be used in the tapestry. The embroiderers used four different stitches in its creation; the main stitch was laid work, which is also known as the Bayeux stitch. This involves laying the threads across the surface of the fabric and then covering them with a second layer of threads, at right angles, spaced roughly 3mm apart, with small stitches used to attach the threads to the fabric. This produces a slightly raised effect.

The central part of the tapestry is framed by an upper and lower border, much of it contains a bestiary of both real and imaginary animals, we can see dogs, horses, oxen, sheep, lions, bears, camels, leopards, wolves, centaurs, griffins and dragons. The lower section, under the battle, shows the dead and dying soldiers.

Several ships are depicted in the tapestry. All of them are of Scandinavian type, they feature a raised bow and stern, often decorated with dragon like figures, known in Old Norse as a Dreki. These ships were clinker built, meaning they were made using overlapping planks of wood. They were propelled using sails or oars. Many of the ships shown are warships, with twenty lines of rowers.  William's fleet comprised more than one thousand ships.

Of the six hundred characters that make up the Bayeux Tapestry, only three are women. In one scene, a noble woman and her son are forced to flee, when their manor is set on fire.

The soldiers are shown with hauberks, helms and shields. The hauberk may have been a coat of mail, or possibly a leather garment which small iron plates were attached to. The helm included nasal protection, but the entire face and eyes were still exposed. The shield was generally oblong in shape and was particularly designed for Knights, but was also used by the English foot soldiers, although some would have preferred the round shields. The horses depicted are small, the riders legs all dangle down well past their horse’s belly. Some may have been Spanish horses crossed with Barbs or Arabians.

The Norman soldiers are shown on horseback armed with lances, while William the Conqueror leads them into battle.

The English foot soldiers are shown tightly packed together to form a shield wall.

The death of Harold’s two brothers, Leofwine and Gyrth, are shown by the gruesome fall of three horses.

The Tapestry depicts Harold’s death twice. It shows the King falling to the ground after being struck on the thigh by a Norman Knight, after it has just shown him wounded by an arrow. Perhaps even the embroiderers were confused by exactly how he died.