Disclaimer: The views, endorsements and opinions expressed in the “Ratatosk” are not necessarily those of  the New Varangian Guard [Vlachernai Garrison] or those of the New Varangian Guard Inc. [NSW].

There was also a proposal passed at the AGM that will be of interest to all members -
-"That at the Committee’s earliest possible convenience, a meeting be held to set achievable
goals for the forthcoming year. In order to consolidate the Vlachernai Garrison’s future."
To that end we are inviting ideas/input/etc from all the garrison members. Please forward them to the Garrison P.O.Box or contact any of the Committee Members.

- The Gathering - Corryong - Results of the Archery and Spear Throwing Contests have arrived:

Archery - Novice Section.
 

Name & Organisation	30 paces	20 paces	10 paces	Total	Placing
Georgi [Nordmannia]	-	-	4	4
Mils Draper [NVG Thessalonika]	1	5	4	10
Mikko [Nordmannia]	3	6	5	14	1st
Alex Nordmannia]	1	4	2	7
Lincoln [Normannia]	3	3	3	10
Dave [Nordmannia]	1	5	6	12	3rd
Idunna [NVG Hodegon]	-	4	3	7
Andrew [NVG Dubh Linn]	1	6	3	10
Sharon Draper [NVG Vlachernai]	1	2	2	5
Ragnar [Nordmannia]	2	6	5	13	2nd

NB: Those people who do well in the lower classes will have to compete in the next class up. So Mikko, Dave and Ragnar will have to compete in the Intermediate Class at the next competition.

Archery - Master Section.
 

Name & Organization	30 paces	20 paces	20 paces	Total	Place
Quarf [NVG Mikligard]	3	6	4	13	= 2nd
Jeremy Draper [NVG Thessalonika]	1	5	2	8
John Sultana [Nordmannia]	5	6	5	16	1st
Sven [NVG Vlachernai]	3	4	6	13	= 2nd
Nick Draper [NVG Vlachernai]	2	4	4	10
Kristen Pincott [NVG Thessalonika]	2	3	1	6
Peter Beatson [NVG Mikligard]	3	4	4	11	3rd

Clout.

Georgi [Nordmannia]  1st.
Sven [NVG Vlachernai]  2nd.
Alex Walker [NVG Mountains] 3rd.

Spear Throwing Contest - Accuracy.

[2 standard hay bales end on end at 20 paces-3 spears each,lower bale=1 point,upper bale=2 points]
 
 

Name & Organisation	1st spear	2nd spear	3rd spear	Total	Placing
Sven [NVG Vlachernai]	0	0	1	1	= 3rd
Jeremy Draper [NVG Thessalonika]	0	0	0	0
Lincoln [Nordmannia]	0	0	0	0
John Sultana [Nordmannia]	1	1	1	3	1st
Nick Draper [NVG Vlachernai]	0	0	2	2	= 2nd
Andrew [NVG Dubh Linn]	0	0	0	0
Ian Rogers [NVG Hodegon]	0	0	0	0
Ragnar [Nordmannia]	0	0	2	2	= 2nd
Rannes [Islendiga]	0	0	0	0
Nick Smith [Islendiga]	0	0	0	0
Blair [Islendiga]	0	0	0	0
Quarf [NVG Mikligard]	0	0	0	0
Dave [Nordmannia]	0	0	1	1	= 3rd
Alex [Nordmannia]	0	0	0	0
Kristen Pincott [NVG Thessalonika]	0	0	0	0
Wendy [NVG Thessalonika]	0	0	0	0
Idunna [NVG Hodegon]	0	0	0	0
Gary Baker [NVG Hodegon]	0	0	0	0
Justin Ryan [Ravensgard]	0	0	0	0
Peter Beatson [NVG Mikligard]	0	0	2	2	= 2nd

Spear Throwing Contest - Distance. [Three spears each]

Ian Rogers [NVG Hodegon] 1st - 32 paces.
Sven [NVG Vlachernai]  2nd
Kerry [Ravensgard]  3rd

IZNIK - Skeletons of Byzantine soldiers, who were killed by the armies of the Crusaders, were found in five separate mass graves during the ongoing archaeological excavations in Iznik township in Bursa province.
Archaeologist Bedri Yalman, the chief of the team carrying out the excavations on behalf of the Culture Ministry, explained that the team had made very important findings during the excavations, which had started in 1980.
Yalman said that the skeletons of many Byzantine soldiers, who had been buried one on the other, had been found in mass graves that were brought to daylight in an open air theatre, which had been constructed during the 8th century.
“ Crusaders, set up to prevent spreading of Seljuks, arrived in Istanbul in 1204. Crusaders, who saw the richness of Byzantine Empire here, seized the ruling and declared Latin Empire.” Yalman noted.
“ Theodus Laskaris, Byzantine Emperor, withdrew to Iznik upon this development, and continued his administration here. Crusaders felt uneasy over this and at this time staged attacks on Iznik. Clashes occurred between the sides. Dead bodies of the Byzantine soldiers could not be sent away as the city was besieged, and they were buried in theatre field. There were marks of wounds and brain operations on the skeletons.”
Yalman said that the open air theatre had a capacity for 15,000 people, adding that it was destroyed by the Arab armies. He also said that canals were used in the theatre to discharge the water which filled the place during rainy weather.

Flint was used by Stone Age man and many societies for their arrowhead but it was later replaced by metal. The ancient Greeks used small, socketed bronze heads and, later on, iron and steel were used. Until the thirteenth century, the same type of arrow seems to have been used both for war and for hunting. However, as improvements in armour made it tougher, it became necessary to design specially shaped arrowheads which would have better penetration capabilities.
From the fourteenth century onwards, nearly all war arrows had rather small heads with very little swell towards the socket. This shape ensured that the maximum punch was delivered to the smallest area, so that the penetrating force was at its greatest at the point of impact. Whereas hunting arrows differed, in that the heads were barbed so that they were unlikely to fall out.
The arrow shaft for a longbow were about a yard long and were generally fletched with goose feathers. Crossbow bolts were shorter and thicker and had vanes made of wood or leather.
Most archers wore a guard or “bracer” on their left arm as protection against the slap of the bowstring. European archers often wore some form of finger guard on their right hand, while Asiatic bowmen used a different kind of hold for the bowstring and, for that purpose, wore an archer’s ring on their thumb. The bowstring was held by the ring and not by the three fingers, which was the preferred style in Europe.

A well-mannered person, is one who:-
  - Washes their hands before meals.
  - At the table takes small mouthfuls.
  - Converses or laughs but little.
  - Chews his food slowly.
  - Licks not his fingers.
  - Avoids garlic and onions.
  - Refrains from using a toothpick in toilet rooms, baths, public meetings and on the streets.
  - Perfuming of the beard with incense after eating is desirable.

Bibliography:-   A History of the Arabs - Phillip K Hitti. 1987.
  Arabic at a Glance - Hilary Wise 1987.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Varangian verse:
[1]
From home I went, from home I was going,
I saw the ways,
A way below, away above,
And ways every way.

[2]
What is that drink I drank yesterday,
It was neither wine nor water,
Mead nor ale, nor any food,
Yet I went from thence without thirst.

[3]
Who is the raucous one, who rides hard
Roads he has ridden before;
Untender is the kiss of his two mouths,
And on gold alone he goes?

[4]
What is that marvel I met outside
Before Delling’s doors?
Its head is turned to Hel’s road,
But its feet face the sun.

[5]
What is the marvel I met outside
Before Delling’s doors?
Denser than horn, darker than Raven,
Whiter than egg-white, no weapon is keener.

[6]
Who are the women on the high fell’
Woman begetting on woman,
Girl on girl begetting a son,
Though they never knew a man?

[7]
I saw a writhing soil-dweller,
Corpse sat upon corpse.
Blind rode blind on a barge of water,
The horse had no breath in his body.

[8]
Who sleeps in the hearth-place,
Created out of stone?
A lonely orphan, eager for damage,
There he shall live long.

[9]
Who is the great one who goes over earth,
Devouring water and wood?
He fears no warrior but wind he dreads,
And his sworn foe is the sun.

[10]
What is the beast who wars for the Danes?
Its bloody back is a bulwark to men.
It meets spears, it spares many,
Presses against the palm of man.
Answers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Recipe of the month:
SARACEN STEW: [Brodo sarta cenito]
Ingredients: 31/2 lb Chicken.   4 oz. Grapes.
  I Chicken liver.   3 oz. Stoned prunes.
  2 oz. Breadcrumbs.  11/2 oz. Whole peeled almonds.
  11/2 glasses White wine.  4 oz. Stoned dates.
  1 1/2 glasses Dry cider.  Salt.
  1 dsp Vinegar.   Pepper.
Method:
Pre-soak the prunes overnight and then boil fro 10 minutes. roast the chicken, either on a spit [for 50 minutes] or in a moderate oven [180-200 C] for 50-60 minutes. When the chicken is roasted, carve it into six portions and place in a pot. Blend [puree] the raw liver and breadcrumbs together with the cider, vinegar and white wine. Pour over the chicken. Season with the salt and pepper. Bring slowly to the boil. Add the grapes, prunes, almonds and dates. Simmer for 5-6 minutes or until fruit has softened slightly and has been warmed through, before serving.
Bibliography:- A Book of Cookery. [ Italian] c:1300.

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