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Visitors
and residents in Exeter High Street being asked questions is nothing
new but this is a little older than "do you get this catalogue"
or "can I have a moment of your time to fill in this questionnaire".
These
questions date back to the 10th Century and have been chosen from
the 96 riddles in the Exeter Book, a tome kept safe in Exeter Cathedral.
Scroll
down to the bottom to try two of the riddles or click HERE
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Leofric,
the first Bishop of Exeter who died in 1072 bequeathed the book
to the cathedral library. It's one of four great surviving miscellanies
of old English poetry.
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| The
statue can become a house of mirrors |
Of
the 96 riddles it contained, 75 remain readable in the book and
a selection of these have been imprinted on the statue.
They've
been translated into modern English and in some cases have had to
have a little editing to make them suitable for a family audience
as the best word to describe them is "bawdy".
At
six meters high the stainless steel sculpture was created by artist
Michael Fairfax and it's been described as 'something to entertain
and baffle visitors and residents.'
The
riddles have been inscribed backwards onto the steel points that
arc up from its stone base and are readable from their reflections
on the polished opposite face.
For
the most confused of viewers the answers can be found in small engraved
spheres behind each point.
With
such a prominent placing the new statue is important to the new
redevelopment of Exeter.
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| The
statue is already becoming an attraction |
"The
Riddles sculpture is an intriguing and eyecatching piece of artwork
that forms the centrepiece of the High Street improvement works,"
said City Council Leader, Roy Slack
"This
sculpture will add visual excitement to the street scene and be
a unique feature," added Cllr David Morrish, Devon County Council's
Executive Member for Environment.
"Many
visitors are attracted to Exeter because of its history and this
artwork reflects the city's rich heritage. The Exeter Book is one
of the earliest surviving pieces of Anglo Saxon literature."
If
you feel like a challenge two of the riddles sit below, can you
beat them?
Riddle
1:
Some
acres of this Middle Earth are handsomely attired with the hardest,
sharpest, most bitter of man's fine belongings:
It
is cut, threshed, couched, kilned, mashed, strained, sparged, yeasted,
covered, wracked, and carried far to the doors of men.
A quickening
delight lies in this treasure, lingers and lasts for men who, from
experience, indulge their inclinations and don't rail against them;
and then after death it begins to gab, to gossip, wrecklessly.
Shrewd
men must think carefully must think carefully what this creature
is.
Riddle
2:
I
am a strange creature with various voices.
I can
bark like a dog, bleat like a goat, honk like a goose, shreek like
a hawk, and at time I imitate the ashen eagle, the battle bird's
cry;
the
vulture's croak trips off my tongue and them mew of the seagull
as I sit here saucily.
The
capital G suggests my name and AE, R, and O assist it so do H and
I. I am called what these six characters clearly spell out.
To
see the riddles answers click HERE
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