Researching Sheep
I’m at the point of my new book where I’m having to do a bit of unusual research. I love learning new things about a time period, and there are two items I’m researching. One is sheep shearing in the 12th century. It became clear to me, when I visited Ireland this past summer, that sheep and wool are a huge part of the Irish industry. They were also part of the early monetary system. Instead of using money, they would often pay people in terms of cattle, sheep, or even horses.
I’m looking for information on what tools would be used in the 12th century for shearing or whether they used tools at all? If any of you own sheep, I’d love to know their personality when it comes to shearing. Do they stand by and let you take care of business? Or will they fight you off?
The other research topic is the festival of Lughnasa. I’m really looking forward to researching this summer festivity, because it gives me the chance to pass along some trivia to readers and it makes the book more interesting. In The Warrior’s Touch, I used the feast of Bealtaine. It’s more commonly known as Beltane or May Day. The Irish used to make several fires along hilltops, to honor the god Belenus. These were known as Bel fires. They would drive the cattle between the Bel fires to bless them and pray for a fruitful harvest. And let’s just say that the humans weren’t opposed to celebrating their own fertility rites. 
Women used to wash their faces in the morning dew in the hopes that it would make them beautiful. Men would bring hawthorn branches to decorate the thatched huts of the women they admired. And a May Queen and King were chosen to play the part of Danu the goddess and Belenus, her lover.
Can’t you just imagine the story possibilities?
Michelle posted in Writing @ 9:52 am | Viewed 2913 times
Melissa Marsh Says:
Wow. What a bunch of interesting topics! Have fun with your research. :):typing:
Sanjay S Says:
Reading posts like these makes me, a reader, really appreciate the research, hard work, pain and trouble authors go to in crafting a story. Kudos, Michelle!
Bronwen Says:
sheep ah the lovely behaviour of sheep.
Sheep will fight and struggle. You will find the sheep are pushed into small pens so the shearer can open a small gate and one stumbles out especially if it is rump toward the gate.
Some will grab the sheep and manoeuvre it out of the gate by hooking it under the front legs and raising it onto the back legs so that it looks like it is dancing. They are tucked between the legs and held in a certain manner so they can’t wiggle very much and the shearing starts. Now they just don’t dive in anywhere they have a methodical way about them, allowing the fleece to come of in one piece. Do you want to know more? The sheep is laid on its back and twisted side to side while being shorn
Michelle Says:
Bronwen–this is very helpful, thanks! I had a feeling sheep weren’t going to lie about and let themselves be shorn.
Olga Says:
Michelle, have fun with research! I am not really familiar with shearing of sheep - in fact I don’t really remember the last time I’ve seen a sheep close, if ever. But it looks like you’ve found your answers!
Bronwen Says:
Anything to help!
Ah yes I left them for city living 6 years ago.
now where’s my horse and sheep dog?
Bonnie Ferguson Says:
Very cool, Michelle!