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Conferences

Dancing with Death: Warfare, Wounds and Disease in the Middle Ages

Dancing with Death: Warfare, Wounds and Disease in the Middle Ages was a three day event held at California University of Pennsylvania in October 2010. The symposium examined medieval warfare, to the trauma and disease attendant on it, and to the medical care provided by medieval people to victims of these disasters. Medievalists.net was allowed to attend and film on the first day.

The event was organized by Professor Paul Crawford. We interviewed him at the beginning of the first day of events.

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Medievalists.net was able to film two events on the first day:

“What is Medieval Military History and Why Does It Matter?” by John France (University of Wales-Swansea, emeritus)

“How Effective Was the Longbow, and What Damage Did It Do?” A debate between Kelly DeVries (Loyola University-Maryland) and Cliff Rogers (US Military Academy-West Point)

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We also had interviews with

Anthony Adams

Anthea Boylston

Other speakers at the event included:

“Fencing, Theatre, Film and Careers” by John Lennox

“Medieval Medical Care: Stereotypes and Reality” by Piers Mitchell (Cambridge University & Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons)

“Trauma Patterns within the Mongol Empire” by Christine Lee

“Paleopathology: the Archaeology of Health in the Past” by Piers Mitchell (Cambridge University)

“The Succor of Horror: Finding Pleasure in Pain in the Middle Ages” by Anthony Adams (Brown University)

“Blood Red Roses: Paleopathology and the Battle of Towton” by Anthea Boylston (University of Bradford, UK)

The symposium also included demostrations and exhibits related to medieval military history, including historical fencing demonstrations, Friesian horse display and a performance of Beowulf.

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