Medieval Warhorse
Equestrian Landscapes, Material Culture and Zooarchaeology in Britain, AD 800–1550
Robert Liddiard editor Oliver H Creighton editor Alan K Outram editor Carly Ameen editor Kate Kanne editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Liverpool University Press
Published:8th May '25
Should be back in stock very soon
Nominated for Current Archaeology Book of the Year 2026
The image of the armoured knight mounted on his charging warhorse is one of the most evocative of the Middle Ages. As distinctive symbols of social status, horses were central to the medieval aristocratic image and closely bound up with concepts of knighthood and chivalry, while as weapons of war bred for size, strength and stamina, they changed the face of battle.
Drawing upon new interdisciplinary research, this volume presents a fresh perspective on warhorses, and medieval horses generally, in Britain, understood within its wider European context. It adopts an integrated approach that covers the full array of evidence for medieval horses, from their physical remains (bones, teeth and DNA), equipment and armour, through to visual sources such as sculpture and wall paintings, and documentary and landscape evidence for the environments in which they were bred and trained. Analyses of these sources of information are first presented individually, and then integrated and cross-compared with the historical record to present a new chronology of horse stature, conformation and appearance and to generate new understandings of the changing place of the horse in the medieval world.
‘This book deftly combines disciplinary perspectives, recognising the limitations of individual approaches and source bases, to paint a fuller picture of this complex subject. It was laid a foundation for further study and provided greater nuance to our understanding of the medieval elite horse. It is a very rich account of a subject which continues to interest historians, students, and the medievally curious public alike.’ Sunny Harrison, Current Archaeology
‘The book exemplifies how disciplines can partner to transform the way we do history.’
Dr Sophie Thérèse Ambler, History Today
‘Man kann festhalten, dass der materialreiche Band seinem Anspruch durchaus gerecht wird, neue Grundlagen zu legen in der Erforschung von Pferden und ihrem Verhältnis zu den Krieger-Eliten im Mittelalter... Vor allem zeichnet sich der Band durch seine konsequente Interdisziplinarität aus. Die Autorinnen und Autoren reflektieren am Ende damit verbundene Herausforderungen, die sich für sie aufgrund unterschiedlicher Traditionen in der Methodik und vor allem Darstellung ergaben. Aus Sicht der Geschichtswissenschaft war die Präsentation der Ergebnisse in Form eines Buchs jedenfalls, im Sinne der Rezeption und Sichtbarkeit, eine gute Wahl.’
‘It can be said that this richly documented volume certainly lives up to its claim of laying new foundations in the study of horses and their relationship with the warrior elites of the Middle Ages... Above all, the volume is characterised by its consistent interdisciplinarity. In the conclusion, the authors reflect on the associated challenges that arose for them due to differing traditions in methodology and, above all, presentation. From a historical perspective, the presentation of the findings in the form of a book was certainly a good choice, in terms of reception and visibility.’
Aaron Jochim, Militärgeschichtlichen Zeitschrift
Translated from German
‘This is truly a seminal body of work, a milestone not just for zooarchaeology and medieval studies, but for the ‘animal turn’ more broadly. It provides an inspiring template for future research… Medieval Warhorse is a data-rich, multidisciplinary, scientific study of the warhorse which has sharpened our understanding of the temporal trends in medieval equestrian culture.’
Aleksander Pluskowski, Antiquity
ISBN: 9781836243359
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
464 pages