anglo-saxon at the british library
that point to Anglo-Saxon martial prowess; and such events as the Viking incursions and their influence on Anglo-Saxon culture get only the briefest of mentions. More strikingly, there is no essay devoted specifically to Anglo-Saxon manuscript art or to its manu- script culture. The lack of any attempt to o V er any sort of overview of either the materiality or the aesthetics of the manuscripts that comprise the bulk of the exhibition seems curious. The dynamics of manuscript production invite proper contextualization. Where were the chief sites of production? How did scripts and decoration evolve? What was their range of their sources of influence? The lack of clear guidance on such fundamental matters, so centrally related to the exhibition, must be a cause for regret in a catalogue that will deservedly become a standard reference tool and hence a guide for those newly approaching Anglo-Saxon manuscript study.
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