Daughters of Artemis

Hunting for sport, food and raw materials was a universal activity in the Middle Ages. However, the medieval hunting manuals and treatises written by male authors, as well as narratives and romances, present hunting as the exclusive leisure prerogative of gently-born educated men. The presence and various roles of women are ignored, as is any involvement of the commons. Here, using evidence drawn from both contemporary documents and images, particularly from illuminated manuscripts, tapestries, paintings, carvings, engravings and prints, the author shows clearly that women from all ranks of society were actively engaged in hunting in a wider sense, from aristocratic ladies pursuing deer on horseback with hounds and shooting driven game, to peasant women netting birds, ferreting conies, poaching and distributing venison. Women are often depicted in illustrations alongside men, usually as their companions, assistants or significantly as learners; but they are also shown hunting or hawking alone, or with female companions. Beautifully illustrated, this revealing study of a previously unexplored aspect of women's roles is an invaluable addition to our understanding of the dynamics of the medieval community.