Early medieval loom discovered in northern Iraq
A team of Frankfurt-based archaeologists has returned from the Iraqi-Kurdish province of Sulaymaniyah with new findings. The discovery of a loom from the 5th to 6th century AD in particular caused a stir.
Medieval treasure discovered at the Abbey of Cluny
In mid-September, a large treasure was unearthed during a dig at the Abbey of Cluny, in the French department of Saône-et-Loire.
Trial by Combat: The Bloody Business of Justice
As a community of the faithful, medieval people believed that no matter how evenly or unevenly matched the fighters were, the one who was innocent would prevail, but trial by combat was not often a black-and-white thing.
What to eat in (and at) Medieval Times
If the Renfair people can get this right, how does the Medieval Times menu perform?
Communities of Death in Medieval Iceland
In Iceland, the introduction of Christianity around 1000 AD was associated with fundamental chnges in burial customs.
Two Lessons from Late Medieval Politics
Mass culture tells us that medieval political life was somewhat like ‘Game of Thrones’. This image is rather far from the complexities of late medieval politics, where institutions played at least as big a role as kings and queens.
How well do you know your Medieval Manuscripts?
Can you identify these iconic medieval manuscripts?
Jewish and Christian Co-existence in Byzantine Palestine
According to the traditional picture, the Christianization of Palestine since Constantine led to a rapid deterioration of the position of the Jews already during the Byzantine period. However, if one takes into account a wider range of sources, one discovers a quite different picture.
Women and Demons in the Late Medieval Wall Paintings in the Church of Espoo (Finland)
The aim of the article is primarily to examine late medieval wall paintings in the church of Espoo that include women with some form of diabolical entity.
The Walking Dead in Medieval England: Literary and Archaeological Perspectives
The aim of this study is to analyse the popular perception of the walking dead – ‘revenants’ – in medieval England, using both written and archaeological sources.
Time Loves a Hero: Alarcos, Alfonso IX, and A Lost Crusade (from 1197)
There are few kings that get such a consistently bad rap in medieval Iberian studies as Alfonso IX of Leon.
Making or Breaking a King: Kingship Ideals in Anglo-Saxon Historiography
This research will fit into the niche between works on specific kings and the analyses of those texts pertaining directly to them, since it will add a comparative angle. It will discover the ways in which written medieval sources created a literary image of a king, as opposed to only preserving the facts.
Across the North Sea and Back Again: A Comparative Study between the Cults of St. Olav and St. Edmund
This thesis serves to examine the transmission of royal missionary saints between Norway and England during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, focused on the cult of St. Olav and the cult of St. Edmund.
A Promise Made Is a Promise Kept: Oath-Breakers and Keepers in Tolkien’s Middle-earth
To fully understand the statements about the degree to which Tolkien’s specialisation influenced his works, it is useful to know what Anglo-Saxon warrior culture represents.
The Legendary King: How the Figure of King Arthur Shaped a National Identity and the Field of Archaeology in Britain
Drawing from archaeological evidence, historic, and current sources, we can understand King Arthur’s role as a symbol of Britain, which has affected the narrative of Tintagel Castle as the birthplace of King Arthur.
Sin, Salvation and the Medieval Physician: Religious Influences on Fourteenth Century Medicine
During the plague’s fourteenth century outbreak, a variety of medical cures and theories existed that would baffle the modern physician, but perhaps the most striking difference between fourteenth-century medicine and modern medicine was the involvement of religion.
The Fame of Abelard
Abelard pushed the boundaries of group culture by establishing himself as a medieval celebrity, famous to a wider circle of people in medieval France. Fame in the Middle Ages was normally limited to the divine, the holy, and great rulers. But, with the arrival and adventures of Abelard, it came to include a new kind of scholar-celebrity from the minor nobility.
Walrus Ivory and a History of Trade: Greenland Trade Networks in the North Atlantic
Norse settlement in Greenland represents the far westward reach of Norse influence. Despite being a considerable distance from other settlements, the Greenland colony was not nearly as isolated as it appeared.
The Case of the Corrupt Archbishop
How a 14th century archbishop spent years orchestrating an elaborate plot of embezzlement and forgery.
Hunnic Warfare in the Fourth and Fifth Centuries C.E.
This study examines evidence of Hunnic archery, questions the acceptance and significance of the “Hunnic archer” image, and situates Hunnic archery within the context of the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
New Medieval Books: Martin Luther
Five new books that look at the man who was the catalyst for the Protestant Reformation.
Book Tour: Heroines of the Medieval World by Sharon Bennett Connolly
This November, Medievalists.net is pleased to feature Sharon Connolly’s book tour for Heroines of the Medieval World. The book shares the stories of women, famous, infamous, and unknown, who shaped the course of medieval history.
Medieval manuscripts: The Hours of Charles of Angoulême
The Hours of Charles of Angoulême has plenty of surprises in store for lovers of illuminated manuscripts.
Leafing through your favourite medieval facsimiles from your own desk
The Take a Break from the Present video series will take you on an exciting journey at the discovery of ancient illuminated books.