Medieval Masterclass for Creators
Our own Five-Minute Medievalist and host of The Medieval Podcast, Danièle Cybulskie, has just started a new venture to help make it easier for people who are creating fiction to get the information they need.
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Medieval Masterclass for Creators
Our own Five-Minute Medievalist and host of The Medieval Podcast, Danièle Cybulskie, has just started a new venture to help make it easier for people who are creating fiction to get the information they need.
Justinian’s Plague and the Birth of the Medieval World
The Plague of Justinian, named after the Roman emperor who reigned from AD 527-65, arrived in Constantinople in AD 542, almost a year after the disease first made its appearance in the empire’s outer provinces
Medieval Manuscripts: Cartography, Diplomacy and Espionage in the Atlas Miller
A closer look at the lavishly decorated charts reveals not only routes towards new horizons but also hidden motives of its commissioners and a high-stake intrigue.
Beefing up Medieval Europeans: Meat Consumption in the 15th Century
One can find a lot of evidence that medieval Europeans were dining on beef, pork and mutton.
A 13th-century Scandinavian cookbook: Libellus de arte coquinaria
It might surprise some readers to know that one of the oldest cookbooks from medieval Europe was written in Scandinavia.
Robin Hood Has Been Captured! Can You Rescue Him? Or support this game on Kickstarter?
Rescuing Robin Hood is the latest board game by Castillo Games, and they have launched a crowdfunding drive on Kickstarter.
How changing from a tribal to a feudal society impacted the local environment
The transition from tribal to feudal living, which occurred throughout the 14th century in Lagow, Poland had a significant impact on the local ecosystem, according to a study published in Scientific Reports.
A Survival Guide to Medieval Fairy Tales
These are tales from the Middle Ages, and if your hero was going to survive in these stories, they had to follow seven rules.
£4 million project for Caernarfon Castle in Wales
The £4 million project will include vital conservation work and accessibility improvements, to the introduction of new and immersive interpretation spaces to boost the overall visitor experience.
New research on the petrified birds in the Dome of the Rock
On the southern exterior wall of the Dome of the Rock, a very important Islamic shrine in Jerusalem’s Old City, there are two marble slabs, both carved from the same stone and placed side by side to form a symmetrical pattern, that depicts two birds. The history of this marble decoration and how different narratives about its creation have been examined in a recent article.
What microbiologists see when they look at Da Vinci’s drawings
The microbial composition of art pieces can reveal interesting facts about their past and the journey they made.
The Sufi Mysteries novels, by Laury Silvers
Two mystery novels set in 10th century Baghdad, by Laury Silvers
What makes Le Jouvencel a great read and a great translation
The recent translation of the 15th-century work known as Le Jouvencel is going to something that many medievalists will want to read.
Lost medieval text discovered on 15th century manuscript
‘We put one of them under the UV light, it showed this amazing dark French cursive underneath’
The Merchant of Prato
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle is joined by Peter Konieczny to discuss The Merchant of Prato and the lives of Francesco and Margherita Datini. Their story from 14th century Italy comes from one of the richest document finds ever made!
The study of Byzantine skeletons, with Chryssa Bourbou
A conversation with Chryssa Bourbou on what we learn from health and society in Byzantium from the study of skeletal remains.
Online workshop: Storyworlds in Collections. Toward a Theory of the Ancient and Byzantine Tale
The University of Cyprus is hosting an online workshop next month. Storyworlds in Collections: Toward a Theory of the Ancient and Byzantine Tale (2nd – 7th c. CE) will run on Zoom on December 4th and 5th.
Medieval sites in Nagorno-Karabakh face uncertain future after war
The recent war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh has ended after the deaths of hundreds of people, and thousands more becoming displaced.…
Online course to create a Medieval Christmas Feast
Medieval Christmas to be brought to life with a virtual cooking course.
Book of the Month Club: Insular Art Forms: Their Essence and Construction
Our next book in the Book of the Month Club will be Insular Art Forms: Their Essence and Construction, by Robert Stevick.
Medieval Scottish Deer Parks and Beyond, with Kevin Malloy
Kate Buchanan is joined by Kevin Malloy to discuss Kevin’s journey to studying medieval Scottish history, his work on medieval deer parks, and how researching medieval Scottish history can lead to other work.
Genetic study reveals insights into the Mongol Empire and the ancient Steppe
Genome-wide analysis spanning 6,000 years in the Eurasian Steppe gives insights to the formation of Mongolia’s empires.
The Three Caskets
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle tells the medieval story of The Three Caskets from the Gesta Romanorum, a tale more familiar to theatre and literature fans all over the world as a central plot device in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.
Gjellestad was a major Viking burial ground, new research reveals
The ground-penetrating radar data showed 13 burial mounds once existed at Gjellestad, some over 30 metres wide.
BooksAll posts
The Sufi Mysteries novels, by Laury Silvers
Two mystery novels set in 10th century Baghdad, by Laury Silvers
What makes Le Jouvencel a great read and a great translation
Book Review: Beowulf: A New Translation, by Maria Dahvana Headley
Book of the Month Club: Ælfric of Eynsham’s Letter to Sigeweard
Byzantium in Eastern Europe
New Medieval Books: Theophano: A Byzantine Tale
New Medieval Books: As it Pleases the King
Used Medieval Books: From Edward to Gawain
Medieval Reads: Maurice Druon and George RR Martin – two sides of a coin?
Places to SeeAll posts
Örebro Castle: History, Secrets, and Romance
For anyone who visits Örebro, it is hard to miss its castle – an ancient-looking fortress made of weathered grey stones that stands on an islet in the middle of the city centre.
The Vasa: Gustav II Adolf’s Glorious and Doomed Warship
On the 10th of August 1628, the Vasa sank in Stockholm harbour, thus ending the career of the most powerful warship that Sweden had ever seen.
Uppsala Slott: 5 Things You Ought to Know About One of Sweden’s Greatest Castles
This strategic location not only makes the castle a majestic sight, but also earns it the reputation as the most modern defence fortress in its time. But, as all ancient buildings, there is always more than meets the eye. Here are the five things that you may not know about Uppsala Castle.
Making Your Mark: Medieval Masons’ Marks at Tarascon
How do you operate a business when you can’t read and your knowledge of math is extremely limited? Making your mark on the…
The Weird, the Wonderful, and the Macabre in the Cathedral of Narbonne
Narbonne is one of those European cities with evidence of its past on every street.
Medieval English Embroidery on Display for the Last Time at the V&A’s Opus Anglicanum Exhibit
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.