The Mead-Hall as a symbol of good and order, the good life, were warriors and locals of the town are safe, and eat, drink and sing. The feast is a formal celebration oft marked by ceremonial gift-giving. The Eorlingas loved eating and drinking and would often have feasts in the Hall. The food was cooked over the fire in the middle of the house; meat was roasted and eaten with bread. After the feast a minstrel would play a harp and sing songs of battle and their ancestors. Warriors would gather in the presence of their lord to boast and tell stories. They drank ale or mead, a strong drink made from honey. People often drank too much, so feasts were often noisy and sometimes ended in fights!
Mead-server, Cupbearer
Cupbearer is associated with the honor of the society and the bonds of friendship between earls and thanes. The cupbearer is the more active role, by which a woman bestows the mead-cup to the warriors as a symbol of the community's valor as well as the individual honor of the soldiers. The cup itself is a symbol of battle and wealth, both important aspects of the warrior culture of the Eorlings. However, it is also a symbol of nourishment and healing. Servants were peasants, doing the cooking, cleaning, laundering, and other household chores.
Scop, Skald
Scops, bards or poets fulfill many roles in the culture. They are entertainers, teachers, messengers, guardians of Rohan's past. Through song and verse, they weave tales of past deeds, important events, and current deeds and events of note. They sing songs honoring what is important in Rohan's culture. They sing songs to amuse and entertain. They travel throughout the land performing their songs, whether at taverns and inns, at campsites, or at festivals and feasts. Song is a part of everyday life in Rohan, and bards are a very visible, very important element in that.
