The Bayeaux Tapestry is one of the iconic artifacts of the medieval era. Even people who aren't specifically familiar with it would have likely seen sections of it on book covers or in documentaries. It is 230 foot lone embroidered sheet of linen that depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It is best described as a type of comic strip or story board, with individual panels showing a particular event or episode. Before modern times it was kept at the Bayeaux Cathedral in Normandy (hence its name) and hung during local festivals. It was only in the 19th century when scholars from outside the region began to appreciate its historical value.
Apart from being a priceless example of medieval craftsmanship, the Tapestry is a piece of political propaganda. Clearly this is a case of history being written by the winners (it is believed that William's half-brother Odo, commissioned the tapestry to represent William's version of events). His claim to the English throne was by no means indisputable and after the Conquest he had to forcefully subjugate a resentful Anglo-Saxon elite, many who had lost their lands and power. Harold, whose death at the Battle of Hastings opened the way to William's reign, is depicted as an oath-breaker. This Tapestry is also famous for depicting Haley's Comet, which was visible around the time of the conquest. In the Middle Ages such celestial phenomena were viewed as supernatural portents, the falling star predicting the fall of a monarch, in this case Harold.
Because of its great length, the Tapestry is notoriously difficult to reproduce in media. When one narrows in to the details of a particular scene they lose perspective of the monumental length of the Tapestry as a whole (think of the letterbox format for a DVD). This site has a scrollable image of the entire Tapestry along with the Latin inscriptions, offering both a detailed view of the individual scenes as well as a perspective of the magnitude of the work as a whole.
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