Early Medieval Glass Study Rewrites Venice’s Origins as a Glassmaking Hub
New study of 6th–9th-century glass from Venice shows early use of Syro-Levantine plant-ash glass, recycling of older materials, and wide Mediterranean trade connections.
Crusader Frontiers: Mapping the Medieval Holy Land
Mapmaker Dr Adomas Klimantas reveals how he created a detailed map of the Crusader States in the 12th-century.
Medieval Maps of Britain
Explore 10 medieval maps of Britain—from early mappae mundi and Ptolemaic charts to portolans, the Gough Map, and the Catalan Atlas—revealing how England, Scotland and Wales were drawn in the Middle Ages.
Ten Medieval Discoveries That Shaped How We Understand Sleep
Medieval physicians made striking discoveries about sleep—describing sleep paralysis, sleep hygiene, and even sleep apnoea centuries before modern sleep medicine.
Medieval Hebrew Prayerbook Could Fetch $7 Million at Auction
A lavishly illuminated medieval Hebrew prayerbook known as the Rothschild Vienna Mahzor will be offered at Sotheby’s New York this February, with an estimate of $5–7 million US. Completed in 1415 for the High Holidays, the manuscript is among the rare illustrated mahzorim to survive from the Ashkenazi world.
Online Course: Medieval Education: From Schools to Universities
Explore the history of education in the Middle Ages through the development of schools, curriculums, the growth of universities, and the diverse individuals who were involved in teaching and learning during this 1000 years of history. Class begins on Saturday, January 24th
New Open-Access Book Maps a Medieval Kingdom of the Isles
A new open-access book is revealing fresh details about Finlaggan on Islay, a site long linked to the Lords of the Isles. The study argues the loch’s islands were not just symbolic, but the working centre of a medieval kingdom within Scotland.
The Survival of Esoteric Academic Fields, with Jana Matuszak and Petra Goedegebuure
Byzantine Studies is still larger than Sumerology and Hittitology, but the numbers of our full-time faculty is shrinking. How can our fields navigate an uncertain future?
Richard the Lionheart: New Study Rethinks His Capture After the Crusade
Historian Attila Bárány re-examines how Richard the Lionheart was captured after the Third Crusade, arguing that political rivalries, route choices, and the ambitions of Philip Augustus and Emperor Henry VI mattered more than legend or bad luck.
Urban and Rural Life in the Byzantine Empire
Explore how life in the Byzantine Empire differed between cities like Constantinople and the countryside, from social hierarchies and work to festivals, religion, and economic interdependence.
‘Princely’ Early Medieval Burial Discovered in England
Archaeologists in Suffolk, England, have uncovered a nationally significant early medieval burial ground, including a “princely” grave with two individuals, a harnessed horse, weapons, and personal items dating to the 7th century.
Clothing and Hair of Medieval Mongolian Women
How did medieval Mongolian women wear their hair and dress at court? This feature explores braids, shaving customs, and the iconic boqta headdress across Yuan and Ilkhanid art, travellers’ accounts, and archaeological finds.
New Online Course: Medieval Europe 870 – 1300
This 10-week course begins on January 15th, with live sessions each Thursday from each 3:30 to 5:30 pm EST.
Victory in Death: The Templars at Cresson
In May 1187, the Templars were annihilated at the Springs of Cresson in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Explore how the order turned catastrophe into a story of martyrdom and “victory in death,” on the eve of Hattin.
Is the Staffordshire Hoard ‘Mystery Object’ a Holy Warrior’s Headpiece?
New research suggests the Staffordshire Hoard’s mysterious object may be a ceremonial headpiece worn by a priest or holy warrior in early medieval England.
Fimbulvetr: When the Medieval World Saw the Sun Go Dark
How a mysterious climate disaster in AD 536 may lie behind the Norse myth of Fimbulvetr, when medieval people believed the sun itself had gone dark.
Crossing Under Fire: River Operations in Early Medieval Warfare
Early medieval commanders knew that rivers could stop an army as effectively as walls. Using Frontinus alongside case studies from Otto I and Henry II, this article explores feints, bridge-building, and the tactics behind forced crossings.
Winchester Cathedral Reburies Medieval Remains Linked to Royals and Bishops
Winchester Cathedral is reinterring remains from its famous mortuary chests after more than a decade of scientific analysis, with new findings on early medieval royals and bishops expected in 2026.
Medieval Discovery Made on Norwegian Island
Archaeologists on Selja, a Norwegian island off the country’s western coast, have uncovered a previously unknown medieval stone building just 30 metres from Selja Monastery, raising new questions about monastic life and work.
10 Medieval Studies’ Articles Published Last Month
What’s new in medieval studies? Here are ten open-access articles published in December, which include papers on new runic finds to how inquisitive was medieval inquisition.
Medieval gold ring discovered in Norway
A medieval gold ring with a deep-blue stone has been found during excavations in Tønsberg, Norway. Archaeologists say the rare find highlights elite jewellery styles and long-distance craft influences in the Middle Ages.
Medieval Self-Portraits: Ten Artists Who Put Themselves in the Picture
Discover how medieval artists began putting themselves into their work — ten vivid self-portraits from St Dunstan to Albrecht Dürer.
New Online Course: Urban Europe: Towns and Cities in the Middle Ages
Beginning January 9th, this four-week course will have 90-minute live sessions each Friday from 1:00 – 2:30 pm EST.
Early Medieval England Saw Continuous Migration, Study Finds
A major bioarchaeological study combining tooth-enamel isotopes and ancient DNA finds migration into early medieval England was continuous from AD 400–1100, with regional and gendered patterns and evidence shaped by climate shifts.
