Medievalists.net » Festivals http://www.medievalists.net Where the Middle Ages Begin Sun, 06 Dec 2015 23:06:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.9 Thanksgiving’s Roots in Old World Harvest Feasts http://www.medievalists.net/2013/11/02/thanksgivings-roots-in-old-world-harvest-feasts/ http://www.medievalists.net/2013/11/02/thanksgivings-roots-in-old-world-harvest-feasts/#comments Sun, 03 Nov 2013 04:33:46 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=44635 Many Americans aren’t aware that our own Thanksgiving feast has precedent in the ritual and ceremony of Old Europe.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2013/11/02/thanksgivings-roots-in-old-world-harvest-feasts/feed/ 0 Seven Medieval Christmas Traditions http://www.medievalists.net/2012/12/20/seven-medieval-christmas-traditions/ http://www.medievalists.net/2012/12/20/seven-medieval-christmas-traditions/#comments Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:08:30 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=37956 Christmas in medieval Europe could include feasting, gambling, one-day marriages, boy bishops and trolls.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2012/12/20/seven-medieval-christmas-traditions/feed/ 0 Up Helly Aa: an ancient Viking festival? http://www.medievalists.net/2012/12/11/up-helly-aa-an-ancient-viking-festival/ http://www.medievalists.net/2012/12/11/up-helly-aa-an-ancient-viking-festival/#comments Tue, 11 Dec 2012 07:35:27 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=37921 Each year on the last Tuesday of January the town of Lerwick is awash with Vikings. The day culminates with the burning of an ornate longship, complete with dragon head and tail, thus creating a striking image of a Norse sea - king’s funeral pyre.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2012/12/11/up-helly-aa-an-ancient-viking-festival/feed/ 0 Monstrosity in Old English and Old Icelandic Literature http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/31/monstrosity-in-old-english-and-old-icelandic-literature-2/ http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/31/monstrosity-in-old-english-and-old-icelandic-literature-2/#comments Wed, 31 Oct 2012 05:44:12 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=36838 In medieval Europe belief in monsters allowed for corresponding acceptance of the possibility of humans transforming into monsters. In medieval Iceland and Anglo-Saxon England the mixture of Christian and pagan world views and beliefs create a situation where the boundaries are not merely fluid but can be transgressed, in either direction.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/31/monstrosity-in-old-english-and-old-icelandic-literature-2/feed/ 0 The Dangerous Dead: The Early Medieval deviant burial at Southwell, Nottinghamshire in a wider context http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/30/the-dangerous-dead-the-early-medieval-deviant-burial-at-southwell-nottinghamshire-in-a-wider-context/ http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/30/the-dangerous-dead-the-early-medieval-deviant-burial-at-southwell-nottinghamshire-in-a-wider-context/#comments Wed, 31 Oct 2012 04:24:04 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=36832 This was the deviant burial, which had been buried (or reburied) intact along with a further leg and lower arm bone...Without speculating wildly on the implications of the iron studs, it is known that treatment of this sort was accorded to bodies which had died unnaturally or when there was some reason to fear the supernatural’.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/30/the-dangerous-dead-the-early-medieval-deviant-burial-at-southwell-nottinghamshire-in-a-wider-context/feed/ 0 The Satanic Phenomenon: Medieval Representations of Satan http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/30/the-satanic-phenomenon-medieval-representations-of-satan/ http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/30/the-satanic-phenomenon-medieval-representations-of-satan/#comments Wed, 31 Oct 2012 02:46:05 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=36828 The ever-evolving, interconnectedness of culture, religion, and superstition make for a truly unique theatrical experience in the middle ages. With limited understanding and access to scripture, medieval Christians generated a blended belief system, in order to make sense of the metaphysical world, which manifests itself in medieval drama‟s representations of Satan.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/30/the-satanic-phenomenon-medieval-representations-of-satan/feed/ 0 Medieval Halloween! Great books for Ghosts, Goblins, Witches & Ghouls! http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/29/medieval-halloween-great-books-for-ghosts-goblins-witches-ghouls/ http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/29/medieval-halloween-great-books-for-ghosts-goblins-witches-ghouls/#comments Tue, 30 Oct 2012 03:13:50 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=36806 Some spooktacular reads to celebrate Medieval Halloween!

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/29/medieval-halloween-great-books-for-ghosts-goblins-witches-ghouls/feed/ 0 Daily Life in the Spanish Reconquest: Scenes from Tenth-Century León http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/26/daily-life-in-the-spanish-reconquest-scenes-from-tenth-century-leon/ http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/26/daily-life-in-the-spanish-reconquest-scenes-from-tenth-century-leon/#comments Sat, 27 Oct 2012 03:32:49 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=36730 Built by the Romans to garrison to Seventh Legion, León may also have been the base of the legion's military commander, who was sometimes fully empowered by the emperor to govern Asturias and Galicia.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2012/10/26/daily-life-in-the-spanish-reconquest-scenes-from-tenth-century-leon/feed/ 0 Medieval Fairs: an archaeologist’s approach http://www.medievalists.net/2012/09/30/medieval-fairs-an-archaeologists-approach/ http://www.medievalists.net/2012/09/30/medieval-fairs-an-archaeologists-approach/#comments Sun, 30 Sep 2012 19:23:03 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=36106 This paper intends to explore some of the possibilities offered by the physical and conceptual structures of fairs towards the interpretation of medieval culture from the viewpoint of an archaeologist working largely in southern Italy.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2012/09/30/medieval-fairs-an-archaeologists-approach/feed/ 0 “Want to joust?” Medievalists.net talks to champion jouster Shane Adams about his love of the sport and life on the road as a full time jouster http://www.medievalists.net/2012/06/20/want-to-joust-medievalists-net-talks-to-champion-jouster-shane-adams-about-his-love-of-the-sport-and-life-on-the-road-as-a-full-time-jouster/ http://www.medievalists.net/2012/06/20/want-to-joust-medievalists-net-talks-to-champion-jouster-shane-adams-about-his-love-of-the-sport-and-life-on-the-road-as-a-full-time-jouster/#comments Thu, 21 Jun 2012 04:42:38 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=32983 Replete with re-enactors, jousting, workshops, vendors and medieval military displays, the festival had something for everyone.

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