Ayoush Lazikani | The Medieval Moon: A History of Haunting and Blessing

A vivid new history of how medieval people around the world perceived the moon.
When they gazed at the moon, medieval people around the globe saw an object that was at once powerful and fragile, distant, and intimate - and sometimes all this at once. The moon could convey love, beauty, and gentleness; but it could also be about pain, hatred, and violence. In its circularity the moon was associated with fullness and fertility. Yet in its crescent and other shifting forms, the moon could seem broken, even wounded. In this beautifully illustrated history, Ayoush Lazikani reveals the many ways medieval people felt and wrote about the moon. Ranging across the world, from China to South America, Korea to Wales, Ayoush Lazikani explores how different cultures interacted with the moon. From the idea that the Black Death was caused by a lunar eclipse to the wealth of Persian love poetry inspired by the moon’s beauty, this is a truly global account of our closest celestial neighbour.

Ayoush Lazikani is a distinguished scholar and lecturer at the University of Oxford, specialising in Old English and Middle English. She has published extensively in these areas, including works on devotional writing from the 11th to 13th centuries.

The event will be followed by a question and answer session and book signing.

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• This month, 26th September, 10:30 am, 🎉 FREE Valuation Day in Wantage! 🏛️ in Wantage
• Next month, 25th October, 11:00 am, Christina Strang | Hidden Stories in Handwriting - A Handwriting Analysis Workshop in Wantage
• Next month, 25th October, 11:00 am, Harry Sidebottom | Those Who Are About To Die in Wantage

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