Norse in Greenland imported timber from North America, study finds
One of the things that Norse living in Greenland lacked was wood. A new study reveals that while some people could make use of local trees and driftwood, the wealthier people could have wood imported from North America and Europe.
10 Natural Disasters in the Middle Ages
Here are ten of the worst natural disasters that took place in the Middle Ages.
Avalanches in the Middle Ages
Read a couple descriptions of avalanches from the Middle Ages.
Rise and Fall of Medieval Tibetan Empire linked to Climate Change
Between the 7th and 9th centuries AD a new empire emerged in medieval Asia – the Tibetan Kingdom under the Yarlung dynasty expanded its domain in all directions, reaching as far as the Indian Ocean. A new study links their expansion and subsequent downfall to climate change.
New Medieval Books: The Catch
A comprehensive examination of fishing in medieval Europe, including how they were caught, how they went from sea (or river) to market, and what happened when overfishing led to scarcities.
Details of Italian earthquake from 1446 discovered in Hebrew Prayer Book
The chance discovery of a note written in a 15th-century Hebrew prayer book fills an important gap in the historical Italian earthquake record, offering a brief glimpse of a previously unknown earthquake affecting the Marche region in the central Apennines.
Trees and Religion in Early Medieval England with Michael Bintley
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Michael D.J. Bintley about the evolving role of trees in early medieval England.
England’s weather in 1269 revealed by medieval report
What was England’s weather like in the year 1269? Thanks to a fascinating document possibly written by Roger Bacon, we have a detailed weather report.
New Open Access Book: Meteorological Disasters in Medieval Britain (AD 1000‒1500)
This timely book examines extreme weather events that struck Britain during the latter half of the Middle Ages.
Medieval Poland was hit by floods 166 times, study finds
Polish researchers examining medieval sources have discovered that the country was hit by flooding 166 times between the 11th and 15th centuries, revealing details on the causes of these disasters.
Medieval texts help modern scientists better understand volcanoes
“The same year, during the full Moon, the Moon exhibited yellow, red and many other colours” ~ the English monk Bartholomew de Cotton,…
Shakespeare’s ecopolitics revealed in new book
A new book proposes that William Shakespeare was making radical statements about ecopolitics and environmental issues in many of his later plays.
Environmental History in Scotland with Bess Rhodes
Kate Buchanan is joined by Bess Rhodes as they talk about Scottish Environmental History, focusing on sustainability and regulations in Late Medieval Scotland.
Southern Africa’s largest medieval city had an extensive water management system, researchers find
Great Zimbabwe, the largest city in southern Africa during the Middle Ages, made use of dozens of large pits to store water. A new study reveals how this system allowed the community to manage a stable water supply in a region prone to drought.
Lead mining and lead pollution in the Roman world, with Paul Stephenson
A conversation with Paul Stephenson about the impact of lead mining and smelting on the miners themselves, the communities around them, and on plants, animals, and human beings across the Roman Empire. This is part of a broader and ongoing project on metallurgy and environmental violence.
Severe drought may have led the Huns to attack the Roman Empire, study suggests
Hunnic peoples migrated westward across Eurasia, switched between farming and herding, and became violent raiders in response to severe drought in the Danube frontier provinces of the Roman empire, a new study argues.
Islamic Gardens in the Middle Ages with D. Fairchild Ruggles
The Middle Ages was a time in which people were closely tied to plants and their environment, deeply aware of their potential as a source of food, healing and beauty. Islamic gardens were especially known for their creativity and innovation. This week, Danièle speaks with D. Fairchild Ruggles about their cultural significance and the ingenious ways they were cultivated.
The Consequences of Climate Change on the Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was affected by climate change. New research reveals how warming and cooling trends correspond to economic upswings and declines that took place in Byzantium.
ArcheoBotany and the Secrets of Plants
Have you ever heard of archeobotany? It’s the study of ancient plants! Alice Wolff tells Lucie Laumonier about her research, which takes her from the fields to the lab.
Corrupted Air and Water: Pollution in Medieval Cities
When poop and entrails filled the Thames. Dealing with urban pollution in the Middle Ages.
Trees have histories too, with Alexander Olson
A conversation with Alexander Olson about the secret lives of olive trees and oak trees in Byzantium. Contrary to what you may think, these were not cultivated consistently in the Mediterranean ecosystem of the Middle Ages; their uses to the human population fluctuated over time, giving the trees a history of their own, albeit one shaped by that of the people around them (and vice versa).
Drought led to the end of Norse Greenland settlement, researchers find
New research suggests it wasn’t dropping temperatures that helped drive the Norse from Greenland, but drought.
Medieval Zanzibar’s environment damaged by urban growth, study finds
Humanity’s impact on the environment is often framed in the context of the post-industrial era but new archaeological research reveals how intensive land use by a medieval East African population altered their natural habitat forever.
Environmental Disasters in Medieval France
How did medieval people deal with natural disasters? In this episode of the Medieval Grade Podcast, Lucie speaks with Brian Forman, whose research focuses on responses to environmental disasters in three late medieval communities of medieval France. As we find out in the podcast, late medieval municipalities implemented a wide array of strategies to mitigate and prevent climatic catastrophes, sometimes religious, and at other times practical.
Ball lightning was seen in 1195, researchers find
Researchers have discovered what appears to be the earliest known account of a rare weather phenomenon called ball lightning, which took place in the year 1195