Emperor Zar’a Ya’eqob (1434-68) And The Christianization Of Medieval Ethiopia
One of the most important figures in Ethiopian Christianity was the 15th century Emperor Zar’a Ya’eqob.
Bárðar saga as a source for reconstruction of pre-Christian religion?
Paper by Eldar Heide given at the second meeting of the Old Norse Folklorist Network
Worthy of Veneration or Skepticism?: How Europeans Regarded Relics During Medieval and Renaissance Europe
Relics and reliquaries were prevalent in renaissance and reformation Europe until certain theologians began to question the validity, practicality, and true purposes of relics. These theologians emphasized an individual’s faith in God rather than faith in relics, which in turn resulted in a renaissance movement away from reliance on relics.
The Bones of St. Cuthbert: Defining a Saint’s Cult in Medieval Northumbria
This paper investigates the social, political, and religious changes and tensions which surrounded the cult of St. Cuthbert in medieval Northumbria. Specific comparisons are made between the Anglo-Saxon and Norman periods in English history, and how St. Cuthbert’s cult responded to the Norman Conquest in 1066.
The Thraco-Dacian Origin of the Paparuda/Dodola Rain-Making Ritual
This study presents an analysis about the rain-making ritual from Romania, called Paparuda, performed in the spring and in times of severe drought
The Names of Islands in the Old Norse Faereyinga Saga and Orkeyinga Saga
The Names of Islands in the Old Norse Faereyinga Saga and Orkeyinga Saga Hilda Radzin (St. John’s University) Literary Onomastics Studies: Volume 5,…
The Heraldic Casket of Saint Louis in the Louvre
The Casket of Saint Louis invokes political and social networks and events relating to the Capetian dynasty in the years before Louis IX reached his majority.
What Medieval Torture Method Would You Use on Your Enemies?
If you were looking for information in the Middle Ages, you probably wouldn’t just ask nicely to get it. How would you go about dealing with your enemies? What would be your medieval torture method of choice? Take the test and find out!
The Book of Felicity
The Book of Felicity features descriptions of the twelve signs of the zodiac accompanied by splendid miniatures; a series of paintings showing how human circumstances are influenced by the planets; astrological and astronomical tables; and an enigmatic treatise on fortune telling.
This Week in Medieval Manuscript Images
From Dragons to Dragonflies – over 50 images from medieval manuscripts found on Twitter this week!
Early copy of the Qur’an discovered
Researchers in Germany have discovered that a manuscript of Qur’an written between 20 and 40 years after the Prophet Muhammad’s death, making it one of the earliest copies of the Islamic holy book known to be in existence.
Places to See: Notre Dame – Part I
Part I of my initial visit to stunning Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.
An Apostolic Vocation: The Formation of the Religious Life for the Dominican Sisters in the Thirteenth Century
The Dominican vocation sprang from complex historical understandings of the vita apostolica, and the Dominican women’s religio should be approached as part of these same contexts and perceptions.
A Byzantine lament for a lost wife
‘For a bond of incomparable love made us happier than all people, but the thieving and cruel hand of Hades cut the bond mercilessly. ‘
Ten Great Animated Shorts about the Middle Ages
We found these ten wonderful animated short films that offer their own unique look at the Middle Ages.
Childhood in early Icelandic society: representations of children in the Icelandic Sagas
Thirteenth century Icelanders did not sentimentalize childhood, but rather viewed it as a learning stage, a crucial period for the acquisition of culture.
Assessment of early-modern observations of comets and supernovae: Focus on pre-telescopic European astrometric and physical data
It will be worth while in this investigation to inquire whether comets have the same nature as the planets and stars … A comet seems to have certain things in common with them: rising and setting, the same appearance, although a comet is scattered and extends farther. It is also fiery and bright. And so, if all planets are earthy bodies, comets will also have the same condition. ~ Seneca
The Medieval version of Metallica
The medieval folk band Stary Olsa has made an impressive cover of the Metallica song ‘One’.
Christian Ritual Magic in the Middle Ages
This article gives a brief introduction to the area of medieval ritual magic, outlining the main kinds of texts likely to be understood as belonging to the category – image magic, necromancy, and theurgy or angel magic.
Faith in a Heap of Broken Images: The Christian Beowulf
My paper will seek to demonstrate how the poet’s mode of interpretation informs his moral perspective, which is compatible with the unmentioned (though implied) doctrine of Christianity and diametrically opposed to the older Anglo-Saxon religious customs the poet refers to as ‘heathen.’
Labyrinths in medieval churches: An investigation of form and function
This thesis analyzed the designs of a select group of labyrinths set into the pavements of Gothic churches in northern France.
What can we learn about the Middle Ages from its literature?
So what can we learn from reading medieval fiction alongside our history books? Here are five things, for a start.
Picturing Maternal Anxiety in the Miracle of the Jew of Bourges
During the middle ages, one of the most popular and most frequently illustrated Miracles of the Virgin Mary was the Miracle of the Jew of Bourges. According to the text of the miracle, the Virgin saves a young Jewish boy after his father throws him into a fiery oven upon learning he attended a Christian mass.
Skirts and Politics: The Cistercian Monastery of Harvestehude and the Hamburg City Council
In 1482, Catharina Arndes lifted up her skirts in front of the archbishop’s chaplain. She was a respectable townswoman from Hamburg, and her action was carried out in defense of the Cistercian monastery of Harvestehude which was close to the city and where several of Catharina’s nieces lived as nuns.