Cattle Lords and Clansmen

Abstract

In Cattle Lords and Clansmen, Nerys Patterson provides an analysis of the social structure of medieval Ireland, focusing on the pre-Norman period. By combining difficult, often fragmentary primary sources with sociological and anthropological methods, Patterson produces a unusual approach to the study of early Ireland - one that challenges previous scholarship. Patterson begins by exploring the pastoral-agricultural base of Irish society to see how seasonal demands, especially of the cattle herds, shaped the social organisation of the community. This approach provides insight into the daily life of the people and the annual cycles of their political and social relations. The book then examines kinship relations - focusing on such aspects as marriage, sexual relations and the care of children and other dependents - and clientship, which was the power network built by wealthy cattle lords through the loan of cattle to supporters. Patterson illuminates the complex interweaving of legal status, economic worth and social responsibility which determined the individual's honour-price, set requirements of hospitality, and both empowered and constrained the political order. Originally published in 1991, this new edition includes a chapter on seasonal rhythms in social life, material derived from Patterson's post-1991 publications, and an updated bibliography.

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