A team of maritime historians and archaeologists, led by academics at the University of Bristol, has published compelling new evidence about the remains of the largest and best-preserved late medieval ship ever discovered.
Large-scale whaling in northern Scandinavia may date back to 6th century
June 13, 2018 by
The intensive whaling that has pushed many species to the brink of extinction today may be several centuries older than previously assumed. This view is held by archaeologists from Uppsala and York whose findings are presented in the European Journal of Archaeology.
Cadw to take over Caergwrle Castle
June 13, 2018 by
Cadw, the historic environment service of the Welsh Government, has reached an agreement to become the custodian of Caergwrle Castle. This will be forty-third castle in Cadw’s care, but the first to be added in 25 years.
Campaign for Second Viking Coloring Book is Live on Kickstarter
June 10, 2018 by
Help support the creation of Volume 2 of The Viking Coloring Book on Kickstarter.
Stolen Christopher Columbus letter found, returned to Spain
June 10, 2018 by
US government officials announced last week the recovery of a 525-year-old copy of Christopher Columbus’ letter describing his discoveries in the Americas.
‘Viking Age Destruction’ found to have preserved key parts of Scotland’s largest Pictish fort
June 5, 2018 by
When one of Scotland’s most powerful Pictish forts was destroyed by fire in the 10th century – a time when Vikings are known to have been raiding the Moray coastline – it brought to a rapid end a way of life which had endured for centuries.
Genetic origins of Iceland’s first settlers revealed
June 5, 2018 by
“It’s like having a time machine. Now it is possible to study the actual people who participated in the founding of Iceland.”
Archaeologists to go searching for lost Anglo-Saxon monastery
June 1, 2018 by
A team of archaeologists and history-lovers will begin searching for the Anglo-Saxon monastery established in the seventh-century in Scotland.
Italian castle designed by Brunelleschi for sale
May 28, 2018 by
The great Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi designed this castle, which was built near Florence in 1424.
How forgetting about medieval treasures saved them
May 26, 2018 by
One of Scandinavia’s finest collections of church art from the Middle Ages lay hidden and forgotten in Norwegian churches for centuries. Indeed, this long forgetting is precisely what preserved the unique church art.
Looking for what was common and different in medieval languages
May 26, 2018 by
What makes closely related languages have a different word order? This is what researchers at the University of Oslo will find out.
A shipwreck and an 800-year-old ‘made in China’ label reveal lost history
May 21, 2018 by
Centuries ago, a ship sank in the Java Sea off the coast of Indonesia. The wooden hull disintegrated over time, leaving only a treasure trove of cargo.
A case of blood vengeance from 1,000 years ago
May 17, 2018 by
Skull slashed by a sword and palm bones from approximately 1,000 years ago discovered in a cave in the Jerusalem hills.
Medieval astronomical manuscript acquired by the University of Pennsylvania
May 15, 2018 by
“Our manuscripts show practical knowledge, knowledge from antiquity carried through to the Middle Ages, and this is a great manuscript to further strengthen that aspect of our collection.”
The Copenhageners from 1,000 years ago
May 15, 2018 by
‘Were these the first Copenhageners? Did they come from the east, or were they born in the area? Did they live in a small village or a larger, active urban community? I really want to know who they were’,
The Middle Ages well-represented in The Cambridge History of Ireland
May 14, 2018 by
Cambridge University Press has come out with its major new survey of Irish history. Known as The Cambridge History of Ireland, this four-volume work tracks the island from the year 600 AD to the present-day.
Why hasn’t an earthquake toppled the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
May 14, 2018 by
Ironically, the very same soil that caused the leaning instability and brought the Tower to the verge of collapse, can be credited for helping it survive these seismic events.
Spread of leprosy tracked to early medieval Britain, researchers find
May 11, 2018 by
The largest study to date on ancient leprosy DNA reveals previously unknown diversity of strains in Medieval Europe
Saladin died of typhoid, researcher believes
May 8, 2018 by
Saladin, one of the leading figures of the medieval world, died in his mid-50s from an unknown illness. Now a new theory has emerged that he died from typhoid.
Uncovering the secrets of a medieval church in Norway
May 8, 2018 by
A fascinating and complex history of the church has been uncovered, beginning with the original wooden church and leading to a sequence of three major rebuildings, corresponding in time with the transformation from Viking king Olaf to the royal saint St. Olaf of Norway. After more than a year of continuous archaeological investigation, a major […]
Queen’s researchers exploring Anglo-Saxons knowledge of astronomy and the undiscovered ‘Planet Nine’
May 6, 2018 by
“The idea for this study came about from the strong desire to challenge the common assumption and perceived lack of scientific enquiry in the early Middle Ages, or commonly referred to as ‘Dark Ages’. This was the spark that ignited the intellectual collaboration between a medievalist and an astronomer.”
The Morgan Acquires Rare Medieval Manuscript Illumination by the Master of Catherine of Cleves
April 26, 2018 by
The work is from an otherwise lost Book of Hours and is the first to be discovered by the artist since 1980.
5th-century massacre site uncovered by archaeologists
April 25, 2018 by
Archaeologists working on the Swedish island of Öland have uncovered evidence showing dozens of men were massacred about 1,500 years ago.
How to touch, smell and taste a ‘deconstructed’ medieval manuscript
April 16, 2018 by
A unique opportunity to experience a medieval manuscript as a sensory experience is currently taking place at the University of Leicester.
Digital Mappa 1.0 now online – new digital resource for medievalists
April 16, 2018 by
A new digital humanities resource has been launched by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Pennsylvania, geared to the medieval studies community to create research workspaces, editions, scholarship, collaboration and open access publications.
How you can Follow Us!