13 Background: Anglo-Saxon Riddles

Authors unknown

Dates unknown (probably seventh to eighth century)

Collections of riddles in Latin date back to the fourth century. Most of the authors are unknown, although the names of a few Anglo-Saxon authors survive: Aldhelm, Tatwine, and Eusebius. The first two were born in the seventh century and died in the eighth century, and the third may have been eighth century.     The riddles written in Latin usually had the answer as the title, and they were considered enigmas: logic games that could be quite sophisticated and detailed. The most famous collection of riddles written in Anglo-Saxon are found in the Exeter Book; these riddles, in contrast to the Latin ones, often ask the reader to guess the answer, and no answer is provided. While the topics of the riddles range from animals and natural phenomena to weapons and writing, there are some riddles that contain double meanings (one of them obscene) that demonstrate   an earthy sense of humor. Riddles appear to have occupied an important place   in Anglo-Saxon culture and beyond. The concept of riddles as a standard game can be found in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (which has numerous Anglo-Saxon borrowings), with the riddle competition between Bilbo Baggins and Gollum.