Dark Ages

What historically has been called the Dark Ages since the 14th century has proved to be less dark than previously thought. It would be true to say that the 600 year period following the Roman withdrawal from Britain until the Norman Invasion of 1066 was more 'obscure' than 'dark'. It was a time of Angle, Saxon and Jute invasions of Britain prompted by mass migrations westward from Eastern Europe by warring tribes like the Goths, Vandals and Huns, by Vikings from the north, Moors from the east and Scotti tribes from the west. Most of these diverse peoples left scant written record of their history or culture, evidently more intent on conquest. What is known of them comes from Early Medieval sources, like the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, from religious Irish clerics and medieval writers like Bede, Nennius and Gildas who often relied on earlier unverifiable narratives. Later accounts by Henry of Huntingdon and Geoffrey of Monmouth were more akin to storytelling than history and were often lavishly interspersed with ancient myths and folklore. In the light of contemporary studies and extensive archaeological research, this book attempts to cast a light into some of that obscurity. AUTHOR: John Moss studied Fine Arts and English in Wolverhampton and Manchester Art Schools, before taking early retirement after teaching and lecturing in Art & Design in North-West England. He founded the Graphic Design company, Papillon Graphics, in 1997. Retired at last, he began writing the first of a science fiction quartet called 'Time Interventions' in 2013 and more recently, a crime mystery novel entitled 'The Woman with the Big Suitcase' in 2023. His first non-fiction books were 'Great British Family Names' in 2019, 'A History of English Placenames' in 2020, 'Celtic Places & Placenames' in 2022 and 'The Celtic Tribes' in 2024. This will be his fifth history book to be published by Pen and Sword Books. 20 b/w illustrations