The Bayeux tapestry is about 20 inches high and 230 feet long. The exact length of the original tapestry is unknown as the final panel is incomplete. There is a saying that history is always written by the victors and the Bayeux Tapestry depicts events from a totally Norman perspective. What pictures are shown in the Scenes of the Bayeux Tapestry?
What images or pictures are shown in the scenes Bayeux Tapestry? The pictures in the scenes depicted show: - 623 people
- 202 horses
- 55 dogs
- 506 other birds and animals (some mythical)
- 49 trees
- 41 ships
- 37 buildings
- 57 Latin inscriptions containing nearly 2000 letters
Are there any Women shown in the Bayeux Tapestry?
Only three women are shown on the main narrative of the Tapestry. The women depicted are believed to be Edith, the wife of Edward the Confessor and sister of King Harold. A Fleeing woman is shown either trapped inside, or fleeing from, a burning building at Hastings. And a woman referred to as 'The Mysterious Lady' who has been referred to as Aelfgyva, which was a common Saxon name of the era. What are on the Borders of the Bayeux Tapestry?
What are on the borders of the Tapestry? The upper and lower borders of the Bayeux tapestry are filled with mythological figures, lions, dragons, farming and Hunting and scenes from Aesops fables. The Aesop Fables on the borders of the Bayeux tapestry have been identified as: - The fox and the crow
- The wolf and the lamb
- The wolf and the crane
- The wolf and the kid
The significance of the scenes has been debated and there are views that believe the themes of deceit, and unlawful possession in the fables have been used as a vehicle by the English embroiders to express their dissent and horror of the Norman invasion of Britain. Where was the Bayeux Tapestry made?
There are two probable places where it is most likely to have been made. The first is Winchester which was renowned for its needlework. Winchester was an important city at the time of the Norman invasion with a newly enlarged royal residence and the royal treasury was also based at Winchester. The second is Canterbury, famous for its cathedral and it was also known to have a famous school of tapestry which used a style of work very similar to that found on the Bayeux tapestry. The plans, designs and scenes for the Bayeux Tapestry would have first been approved by Bishop Odo. Who made the Bayeux Tapestry?
Who made the Bayeux tapestry? A question that is often debated. There is a romantic story in which the wife of King William the Conqueror, Queen Matilda, made the tapestry with the help of her ladies in honor of her husband. The truth is that the tapestry was made in England. The style of the needlework was similar to that of English needle work and the fine quality of English needlework was renowned throughout France. Bishop Odo would have chosen the most skilled embroiderers for the task of creating the Bayeux Tapestry. The most talented embroiderers of the period were the noble Saxon women who had chosen to spend their life in a nunnery, or convent. Nuns of noble backgrounds spent much of their time on embroidery - menial tasks in the convent were given to lower class women. It is highly probable that these talented nuns, from various convents made the Bayeux tapestry. | 
