WHAT IS THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY ?

BAYEUX TAPESTRY: a medieval embroidery depicting the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, which is considered a remarkable work of art and important as a source for 11th-century history. It consists of a roll of unbleached linen worked in colored worsted with illustrations and is about 70 m (75 yards) long and 50 cm (20 inches) deep. The work was probably commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, a half-brother of William the Conquerer, and took about 2 years to complete. It was likely finished no later than 1092. The tapestry depicts the events leading up to the invasion of England by William Duke of Normandy and the Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066, when the English King Harold was defeated and killed. Though not proven, the tapestry appears to have been designed and embroidered in England. The themes are enacted much like that of a feudal drama or chanson de geste. The technical detail and iconography of the Bayeux Tapestry are of great importance. For instance, the 33 buildings depicted offer a look at the contemporary churches, castles, towers, and motte and bailey castles. The battle scenes give details on infantry and cavalry formations, Norman armor and weapons, and the clothing and hairstyles of the time. The invasion fleet consists of Viking double-enders (clinker-built long boats, propelled by oars and a single mast). The tapestry was discovered in the nave of Bayeux Cathedral in France by French antiquarian and scholar Bernard de Montfaucon, who published the earliest complete reproduction of it in 1730. It narrowly escaped destruction during the French Revolution, was exhibited in Paris at Napoleon’s wish in 1803–04, and thereafter has been kept in the Bayeux public library.