Animal–human relationships in the early medieval period, particularly in Anglo-Saxon England, have been a staple of archaeological research since the late 1980s, particularly through zooarchaeological remains from cemeteries and settlements (eg Bond Reference Bond1993, Reference Bond1996; Bond and Worley Reference Bond and Worley2006; Cherryson Reference Cherryson2001; Crabtree Reference Crabtree1989, Reference Crabtree1994, Reference Crabtree1995, Reference Crabtree1996; Fern Reference Fern2007; Pluskowski Reference Pluskowski2005, Reference Pluskowski2006, Reference Pluskowski2007), animals (real and imagined) on metalwork and occasional ceramics (eg Dickinson Reference Dickinson2005; Hicks Reference Hicks1986, Reference Hicks1993; Jennbert Reference Jennbert2004, Reference Jennbert2007) and the ongoing Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture, which catalogues numerous animal motifs. This volume provides a welcome addition to these evolving discourses by harnessing a commendably wide compendium of evidence, within and across the papers, encompassing metalwork, figurines, iconography, poetry, histories, landscapes, place names and wills, and charters from archaeologists, linguistic scholars and historians. Several of the papers (eg Brunning, Osborn, Lacey) also make crucial use of animal behaviour studies. It is truly a multidisciplinary volume and the only obvious topic lacking is zooarchaeology. This self-contained publication seeks to spark further discussion, and undoubtedly will. However, it feels disconnected from the large body of existing literature since the introduction misses a prime opportunity to engage fully with the past three decades of archaeological research cited above. Without this context it is difficult to identify where this volume sees itself contributing to current debates in early medieval animal studies.

This should not, however, overshadow the rich array of papers. The first four studies (Adams, Brunning, Symons, Osborn) focus on animals in material culture regarding belief and transmission of shared cultural heritage. The remaining seven centre on written sources dealing with animals associated with hidden knowledge (Lacey, Chardonnens), humans identifying with animals (North) and the conceptual links humans have made between animals and landscapes (Williams, Bintley, Baker, Hooke). The editors argue that this structure offers a juxtaposition of evidence types, although it may inadvertently continue to underpin the segregation of material-culture-based versus text-based studies.

Adams contextualises early Anglo-Saxon animal art of predators and prey on metalwork within Roman, ‘Celtic’ and Arabic iconography of the Hunt, arguing against ‘Germanic paganism’ attributed to Style I and II animal art, and favouring a degree of continuity from, and reinvention of, Roman models of hunt imagery. The conclusion states: ‘the outcome of the chase, the food preparation and washing, were household activities in charge of women, who therefore had a vested interest in successful hunting’ (p 50). That women only encountered wild animals in their role as cooks and did not capture animals, or that men did not perform ‘household activities’, is an unqualified assertion.

Brunning provides a richly considered exploration of swords and serpents in kennings and material culture, whose ambiguity as creative and destructive metaphors allowed them to transcend Christian conversion processes in the period ad 750–1050. Equally compelling is Symons’ fruitful comparison of runes and serpents in Beowulf and Old Norse literature, arguing that they were ‘conceptually opposing forces’ (p 88). Their juxtaposition on Scandinavian carved memorials is interpreted as an ironic visual pun, the runes revealing positive circulation of wealth between generations, and the serpents concealing, hoarding wealth. Osborn examines the Lejre seated figurine, rightfully querying its superficial attribution to Odin and his ravens and suggests a non-deified female identity instead. The interpretation is brave, exciting and worthy of further discussion but the conclusion sadly lacks confidence. Lacey provides an accessible deep-reading of the long-standing dispute over a ‘blithe-hearted’ raven in Beowulf which seems to contradict the more common description of ravens as mortuary emblems.

Chardonnens highlights various prognostication methods in Anglo-Saxon sources that employed animals, rightly emphasising differences between the highly educated and the lay audience. Dissemination, and the reception of ideas, is as important to identify as the thought-worlds themselves, and would have added nuance to some other papers in this volume. North examines corporate identification with pigs / boars among Vandals (predominantly military men) although it is difficult to follow his line of thought through the meandering sources. Both Chardonnens and North offer dense readings of texts with steep learning-curves for the uninitiated reader.

Williams and Bintley both explore Anglo-Saxon landscapes through contemporary texts: Williams on battlefields and Bintley on types of places where animals were imagined and encountered. These two papers refocus the volume onto the rich potential of synthesising problematic yet intriguing evidence. Baker and Hooke both inventory place-name evidence of various insects (Baker) and other animals (Hooke) in Anglo-Saxon landscapes. While detailed, there is little theoretical discussion of animal conceptualisation from either author.

A monolithic ‘Anglo-Saxon culture’ model infuses certain areas of this volume, as do uncritical deployments of ‘Roman’, ‘Celtic’, ‘Anglo-Saxon’ and ‘Viking’ as bounded, homogenous cultural groups. These criticisms aside, the volume is relevant, the evidence and insights fresh and compelling and the outlook rightly optimistic about the future of animal–human studies to which this volume makes a vital contribution.