The sometimes entertaining, frequently beautiful, occasionally influential, sometimes utter rubbish magazine of Dryhtenfyrd, a generic early-medieval group based in the lower Blue Mountains, near Sydney. Initially released as Mountain Musings, it contracted a bad case of the Latins in late 1991 and continued as Mons Meditari. Not quite the same title, but alliteration was always more important than accuracy with this rag.
The magazine was the bastard lovechild of Wulfestunge and a local newsletter, and was published intermittently between 1989 and 1995. The 1988 newsletter is offered below to complete the set, but probably belongs with Wulfestunge instead as it pre-dates the split.
1988 | 1989 | 1990 |1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995
1988
| December… Post Bicentenary Newsletter | Download |
1989
| Information Sheet for Prospective Members | Download |
| Volume 1 Issue 1, Winter Solstice The Thane’s Thing (editorial) Rabid Review: David Gemmel’s Ghost King Combat Rule updates Letters to the Editor Castles and Defensible Houses Religion in Dark Age Britain Classless Classifieds |
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| Volume 1 Issue 2, Vernal Equinox The Thane’s Obscure Thing (editorial) 1000 years ago Lettuce to the Editor Anachronisms Explained High in the Highlands Games of Chance: Dice games; Ludis Pilae; Mora Spirit of the Celtic Catholic Church Rabid Reviews: Celtic Warriors, Tim Newark, Blandford Press; Rome’s Enemies 27 – Football Hooligans, Mike Mills, Osprey Viking Raiding Song Classless Classifieds |
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| Penrose Campaign Flyer, September 1989 |
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| Volume 1 Issue 3, Summer Solstice The Thane’s Obscene Thing (editorial) This Month’s Rude Thing – The Rude Man Marginalia from Manuscripts Classless Classifieds Erratum Rabid Reviews: Product review, Hand Forged Scottish Broadswords Roman Military Tent The Greek Hoplite in the 5th C BC Metalworking for Mugs: Riveting Metalworking for Mugs: Making a Plate Gauntlet Halfdan’s Tale Calendar Chronology Save Taren of Gower |
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1990
| Volume 2 No 1, Autumnal Equinox The Thane’s Extremely Obscene Thing (editorial) This Month’s Rude Thing – The Sheela-na-gig Classifieds The Life of Celtic Women Games of Skill: Dwyle Flunking; Ringing the Bull; Quoits The Bydel’s Bit – International Groups Helpful Hints – Making Your Own Costumes Berserk Vikings (Again) The Greek Hoplite in the 5th C BC – Part II |
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| Volume 2 No 2, Winter Solstice The Thane’s Excessively Obscene Thing (editorial) This Month’s Rude Thing – The Whalley Classless Classifieds Rabid Reviews: Michael Crichton, Eaters of the Dead; Branagh, Bill Shakespeare, Henry V My View of Penrose (by the Walking Wounded) How to Cook Your Horn Metalworking for Mugs – Lesson 2: Making a One-Piece Spearhead Music in the Early Church Ode to Four Letter Words (featuring St Matthew the Obscene as the border art) First Anniversary Banquet Invitation Who’s Who in Norse Mythology Sixth Medieval Conference Advert |
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| Volume 3, Issue 1, Vernal Equinox The Thane’s Long-winded Thing (editorial) Classless Classifieds The Minstrel’s Monstrosity Musica Sæcula in Ævum Medius Who’s Who in Norse Mythology – Part II Rabid Reviews: Patrick Tilley, Death Bringer – Book 5 of The Amtrak Wars; Kelber et al. Mittelalterliche Spielmannstänze aus Italien; Marion Bradley, Firebrand The Earliest Forms of Mail The Life and Times of the Sutton Hoo Helmet How to be a Cheap (and Nasty) Saxon The Tale of Penrose Forest (to the tune of Eskimo Nell) |
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| Volume 3, Issue 2, Summer Solstice Classless Classifieds The Thane’s Festive Thing The Thane’s Birthday Honours List The Secretary’s Slag Treasurer’s Titbit The Minstrel’s Monstrosity – Death… and bagpipes Bydel’s Worn Out Bit Rabid Reviews: Silverberg, Gilgamesh the King; Sandars (Ed.) The Epic of Gilgamesh; Newark, Barbarians – Warriors and Wars of the Dark Ages The Year in Review How to Make a Cheap (and Nasty) but Serviceable Mail Gauntlet How to Make a Cheap (but not Necessarily Nasty) Sword or Tanged Spearhead Poem: The Twelve Days of Torture (with a marginal reprise by St Matt the Obscene) Runes and the Ruthwell Cross |
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1991
| Mountain Musings – Winter Solstice Editorial Elucidations The Thane’s Inaugural Thing… The Conference Committee Speaks… Classless Classifieds Arrows and Archery Lurid Letters Rabid Reviews: Tannahill, Sex in History [1]; 1066 – Odinfest™; Quinnell and Quinnell, A History of Everyday Things in England, 1066-1499 Book 1 Fire of Byzantium Accurate, Authentic, Original Fantasy What’s Worn Under the (Great) Kilt Pisistratus – The Tyrant Ancient Coinage A Quick History of the Recorder [1] The first reported instance of footnoted footnotes |
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| Battle of Maldon Millennium Commemoration, 10 August 1991 |
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| Mons Meditari – Vernal Equinox Erudite Editorial The Thane’s Bureaucratic Thing Classless Classifieds Lurid Letters Rabid Reviews; Matthews, An Arthurian Reader; Wiseman and Wiseman, The Wars in Gaul – a New Translation Order La Toison d’Or Round the Scene – event reviews Helmets That Didn’t Quite Make It Etiquette – The Medieval View DIY Trenchers Celtic Coinage Paying the Ferryman in the 15th Century Silly Songs from the SCA: Plumber is icumin in; Bored in the SCA! Prohibited Weapons and Us |
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| Mons Meditari – Summer Solstice The Thane’s Festive Thing… The True History of Whisky Classless Classifieds Gladiators Sops Rabid Reviews: Boccaccio, The Decameron; Matthews, The Arthurian Tarot; The 1991 Celtic Studies Exhibition; i Celti |
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1992
| Autumnal Equinox The Thane’s Outgoing Thing Rabid Reviews: Webster & Dudley, The Roman Conquest of Britain, AD 43-57 Cartoon – The Adventures of Darrendelanix the Gaulish Postman Classless Classifieds Reconstructing the Gjermundbu Helmet Happy Old New Year The Art of Dyeing – for all walks of medievalists The Origin and Spectacle of the Gladiatorial Games A Woad Recipe What Works! Fiction – Bran by Jenni Monk The Seventh Australasian Medieval Convention Progress Report, February 1992 |
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| Winter Solstice The Thane’s Editorial Thing Classless Classifieds Quote of the Quarter Today’s Text: 1 ad Timotheum 6:10 On th’ Cover Rabid Reviews: Stauffer, Christ and the Caesars; 1066, Yobfest; Clare, I was There – Knights in Armour Random House; 1066, Snives Royal Agricultural Show; NEMAS, Armidale (OR How the West was Really Lost); Celtic Show, University of Sydney; Nepean Family History Society, Emu Plains The Ordination of Women in the Celtic Church Prices of Provision – AD 1314 Ecclesiastical Dress in the 16th Century Roman Cutlery New Clubs – Mayhem The Seventh Australasian Medieval Convention Progress Report, June 1992 |
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| Vernal Equinox The Thane’s Pontifical Thing Classless Classifieds ARLHO Notice Body Language in the Ancient World What’s up Front… The Condottieri – Mercenaries of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries From the WSJ – A Scud it’s Not, But the Trebuchet Hurls a Mean Piano Rabid Reviews: Penman, Falls the Shadow, 1988; ABC TV, Live and Sweaty Episode 50, Show 19/1992; Kurmond Hobbyfest; NVG Sydney Banquet starring the Diced Carrot Fairy The Seventh Australasian Medieval Convention Progress Report, October 1992 |
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1993
| 1993 Incorporating the Outremer Newsletter The Thane’s Bifurcated Thing Classless Classifieds Thought for the Day On the Cover Letters to the Editor Rabid Reviews: Ferrill, Caligula, 1991; Cremin, The Celts in Europe USyd Centre for Celtic Studies, 1992; Turner, Beowulf’s Downfall, HBJ, 1992 Spurs and Stirrups An Anonymous Convention Report Heavy Metal Department – Roman Nails Metalwork for Mugs – What do we do now, Al? Blood and Guts… What’s New – Ancient Copper Mines; Danish Bronze Age Swords; Roman Military Pay Scales; Longest Military Service Archaeology – The Coppergate Dig Contraception Through the Ages The Early History of Pizza Rancid Recipes: Early Pizza; Tallow Christmas Music Not by Bing Crosby – Gaudette |
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1994
| Autumnal Equinox The Thane’s Many Splendored Thing Classless Classifieds Thought for the Day On the Cover Rabid Reviews: Paul, Catapult, Harry and I Build a Siege Weapon; Davis, The Iron Hand of Mars, Arrow, 1993 Video Vilification: Flesh and Blood What Was When: Senior’s Week; St Pat’s Day Parade The Colour Purple The Cultured Bit: The Lindisfarne Gospels and Early Medieval Manuscript Culture The Czech is in the Mail… Russian Tractor Armour Revisited Metalworking for Mugs: The Next Generation – Project Number Three: Making a Simple ‘Spangenhelm” Type Helmet Rancid Recipes – The Vegetarian Edition: Virtual Mincemeat Pie What’s New: 9000-year old cloth found by archaeologists in Turkey; Pre-Roman Settlement in Norway; Scrolls found in Byzantine Church near Petra Event – Oberon Courses from Il Dana Workshops |
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| Winter Solstice The Thane’s Blunt Thing Classless Classifieds Thought for the day On the Cover Errata Letters to the Editor New Hedeby Rabid Reviews: Various, Nero, Butcher of Rome; Empress of Rome; Rogue Roman; De La Croix, Military Considerations in City Planning: Fortifications, 1972 Vilificaton of a Vile Video: Warrior Queen Product Review: Arbortech Woodcarver Pro2 – Do not try this at home Where We Went: Mercedes Benz Product Launch, ANMM Interpreting Artistic Sources for Eleventh Century Military Costume Rancid Recipes: Apicius What’s New: Iron Age Village in Norway; Bar Kochba era writings found near Jericho; Courses – The Celtic Warrior |
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1995
| Brisbane Convention Bus Trip Information, 13 April 1995 |
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| Autumnal Equinox The Thane’s Extremely Belated Thing Classless Classifieds Thought for the day On the cover Thank Youse Rabid Reviews: Duby & Perrot, The History of Women; Higham, The English Conquest: Gildas and Britain in the Fifth Century Book Bashing with Doctor Cunningham: Horner (fnarr!), Rogue Roman, 1965 Product Review: Attachments for the Angle Grinder Revisited – Arbortech ProGuard Pompeii: The Exhibit Metalworking for Mugs: The Next Generation – Project Number Three: Making a Simple ‘Spangenhelm” Type Helmet Part II Rancid Recipes – Frytours of Pasternakes Sink Your Teeth into This Legio VIIII Drill Commands |
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| Winter Solstice The Thane’s Transcendent Thing (Brisbane Conference Rant edition) Classless Classifieds Apologies On the Cover Rabid Reviews: SBS TV Imagine – The Brisbane Conference; Sumption, The Hundred Years War – Trial by Battle, 1990; Microsoft, Ancient Lands, 1994 Archaeology and Poetry – Beowulf and the Sutton Hoo Burial Karnöffelspiel Metalwork for Mugs – Toolmaking Interlude 1: Stamps/Chisels Banquet Fare |
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| The Battle for Oberon Forest, 29 September – 1 October 1995 | Download |