Birka, Sweden’s oldest town, has long been a major source of our knowledge about the Viking Age. New geophysical research has now uncovered the ninth-century manor of a royal bailiff at this site.
British Museum acquires medieval alabaster Virgin and Child
January 22, 2017 by
The British Museum has acquired an outstanding 14th Century English alabaster figure of the Virgin and Child which is the best-preserved of its kind on display in a UK national collection.
The Golden Haggadah now online
January 22, 2017 by
The Golden Haggadah, created in Catalonia around the year 1320, is among several hundred items that have recently been digitised by the British Library as part of the Hebrew Manuscripts Digitisation Project. The project has involved the photographing, description and, where necessary, meticulous conservation of 1,300 items ranging from illuminated service books to Torah scrolls, […]
13th century skeleton discovered with oldest known form of maternal infection
January 12, 2017 by
By Michelle Donovan The 800-year-old skeleton of a young woman buried in a graveyard on the outskirts of the fabled city of Troy is yielding new insights into the evolution of bacterial infections and maternal health. Researchers at the University of McMaster’s Ancient DNA Centre and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have sequenced the complete genomes […]
Top 10 Medieval News Stories of 2016
December 31, 2016 by
These last twelve months have seen more discoveries and great research about the Middle Ages. However, in keeping with the theme that 2016 is the worst year ever, our most important story is a depressing tale for medievalists.
Mass Burial of Black Death victims discovered in England
December 16, 2016 by
A mass burial of 48 bodies, known to be victims of the Black Death, has been discovered at the site of a 14th-century monastery hospital at Thornton Abbey in England.
Want a new Medieval LEGO kit? Vote now!
December 3, 2016 by
Here at Medievalists.net, we support all kinds of medieval endeavors including Kickstarter campaigns, movie productions, and now LEGO Ideas! Ben Pitchford contacted us through our Facebook page and shared his delightful Watermill inspired by medieval architecture. Now he wants the design to be considered by LEGO, and he needs YOUR votes! Keep reading for his […]
New Database of 45,600 Family Names Dating Back to the Middle Ages
November 30, 2016 by
A new book and database of family names has been released this month, allowing users to learn about over 45,600 of the most frequent surnames in Great Britain and Ireland, many of which date back to the Middle Ages.
Get ready for medieval zombies on film!
November 27, 2016 by
Horror just got medieval! An Australian filmmaker is set to expand a short film about crusaders fighting zombies, hoping to create a web series. A fundraising campaign is now underway to give Black Crusade the chance to unleash its undead horde.
You think today’s Christmas is stressful? Try organizing a medieval one!
November 18, 2016 by
York’s historic Barley Hall is hosting a special exhibition this winter, exploring the lost Christmas celebrations of ordinary citizens of the city in the Middle Ages.
The Getty Enchants with Alchemy Exhibits
November 2, 2016 by
Long shrouded in secrecy, alchemy was once considered the highest of arts. Straddling art, science, and natural philosophy, alchemy has proven key to both the materiality and creative expression embedded in artistic output, from ancient sculpture and the decorative arts to medieval illumination, and masterpieces in paint, print, and a panoply of media from the European Renaissance to the present day.
A History of London: 600 Years in 6 Weeks
October 12, 2016 by
On the tail of his successful Unreal City Audio tours, and the release of his critically acclaimed book, London: A Travel Guide Through Time, Dr. Matthew Green has launched his latest venture, the History of London Course.
Viking Music? New CD of Viking age music climbs the charts
October 5, 2016 by
Can one recreate the music of the Viking age? A newly released CD called Ice and Longboats: Ancient Music of Scandinavia hopes to do so, and has already earned praise from reviewers and risen into the top 20 of the Official Specialist Classical Chart.
Medieval English Embroidery on Display for the Last Time at the V&A’s Opus Anglicanum Exhibit
October 3, 2016 by
The V&A Museum opened its latest medieval exhibit exhibit on Saturday: Opus Anglicanum: Masterpieces of English Medieval Embroidery. I had the opportunity to see it opening day and it was spectacular.
Conference explores the Anglo-Saxon site at Rendlesham
September 23, 2016 by
Historians and archaeologists are meeting today to discuss one of the largest and richest settlements of Anglo-Saxon England. ‘Anglo-Saxon Rendlesham, a Royal Centre of the East Anglian Kingdom’, taking place in Bury St Edmunds, will present new research on the internationally important archaeological discovery to the wider public.
Archaeologists dig in to explore Tamworth’s history
September 19, 2016 by
Archaeologists excavating the car park next to Tamworth Assembly Rooms have made an interesting discovery during their search for clues about the town’s history.
That Other Battle of 1066 – Commemorating the 950th Anniversary of Stamford Bridge
September 8, 2016 by
The JORVIK Viking Centre will be hosting for a special walking tour of the battlefield at Stamford Bridge, just outside of York.
King Richard III: Politics, Power and People – Annual Symposium coming in October
August 31, 2016 by
The Richard III Foundation has announce the schedule for its 2016 annual symposium, which is under the theme: ‘King Richard III: Politics, Power and People’.
Call for Papers: Special on Sessions Medieval Equestrianism at IMC 2017
August 16, 2016 by
Following the success of Medieval Equestrianism Sessions at the IMC Leeds 2016, we invite papers for special sessions on medieval equestrian history for the International Medieval Congress at Leeds in 2017.
Did Henry VIII Suffer from Head Trauma?
August 10, 2016 by
By Danièle Cybulskie It’s a question that pretty much anyone looking at the arc of his life ends up asking: what happened to Henry VIII? From a hugely-admired prince, to a widely-feared king, the transformation in Henry’s behaviour and outlook would seem like the stuff of fiction, but for the fact that history bears out […]
80-Room Medieval Italian castle to be sold for first time in its history
August 4, 2016 by
Castel Valer, a lavishly decorated medieval castle in northern Italy, which has been owned by the same family who obtained the estate in the fourteenth century, is set to be sold at auction on 8th September 2016.
Four medieval sites added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List
July 17, 2016 by
Medieval sites in Europe, Asia and the Pacific have been added to the World Heritage List this week, as part of UNESCO’s World Heritage Meetings, which have been taking place in Istanbul.
Medieval Warfare Magazine – Volume 6 Issue 3
July 1, 2016 by
This summer you can read about the so-called ‘Last War of Antiquity’. The theme of the latest issue of Medieval Warfare is the Byzantine-Sassanid War of the seventh-century.
Call for Papers: Medieval Studies on Television Screens
June 16, 2016 by
For the 27th Annual Conference of the Mid-Atlantic Popular & American Culture Association, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 3-5 November 2016
Crusaders, Pilgrims, and Relics – Bearers of the Cross: Material Religion in the Crusading World 1095-1300
April 15, 2016 by
The Museum of the Order of St. John is hosting a series of events and talks to promote their project: Bearers of the Cross: Material Religion in the Crusading World 1095-1300.
How you can Follow Us!