British Museum raises £3.5 million to purchase Tudor Heart Pendant
The British Museum has secured the £3.5 million needed to acquire the Tudor Heart Pendant for its permanent collection, ensuring the rare 24-carat-gold jewel linked to King Henry VIII and his first wife Katherine of Aragon will remain on public display.
Michelangelo drawing sells for $27.2 million
A rare red-chalk drawing by Michelangelo has sold for US $27.2 million at Christie’s in New York, setting a new auction record for the Renaissance artist after around 45 minutes of intense bidding.
Symposium “Mappa Mundi: Mapping the Mediaeval World” to Take Place in Toronto
St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto will host Mappa Mundi: Mapping the Mediaeval World, an in-person symposium exploring medieval cartography and how people in the Middle Ages visualized and interpreted their world. The event will take place Saturday, April 11, 2026.
“775 – Westphalia”: Exhibition Explores the Origins of Charlemagne’s Imperial Palace
A major exhibition in the German city of Paderborn is using rare manuscripts and archaeology to revisit a turning point in early medieval European history: the moment Charlemagne established a royal base in the region during his long, bitter wars against the Saxons.
Medieval manuscript lost in World War II returns to Poland
A medieval manuscript that vanished in the upheaval of the Second World War has surfaced on the shelves of an American university, and is now heading home to Poland.
Early Medieval Church in Rome Draws Attention After Fresco Restoration
A recent restoration at Rome’s early medieval church of San Lorenzo in Lucina has drawn attention after claims that an angel in a modern fresco resembles Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni.
A Medieval Bronze Cross Reunites with Its Lost Mould After 40 Years
An extraordinary archaeological discovery in eastern Germany has reunited a medieval bronze cross with the mould used to cast it—more than four decades after the mould itself was found.
Over 32,000 medieval manuscripts transcribed in four months using AI
A new AI-powered tool that has transcribed over 32,000 medieval manuscripts in four months, giving researchers a vast, searchable corpus and new ways to examine historical sources.
David Abulafia, historian of the medieval Mediterranean, passes away
David Abulafia, one of the leading historians of the medieval Mediterranean and the maritime world, has passed away at the age of 76.
Medieval hall discovered in Northern England
Archaeologists working near Skipsea Castle in northern England say a cluster of rare discoveries is reshaping what we know about power, industry, and high-status life in the centuries before the Norman Conquest.
Byzantine Monastic Site Found in Upper Egypt
Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered the remains of what appears to be an integrated residential complex for a Byzantine-era monastic community. Finds from…
Early Medieval Glass Study Rewrites Venice’s Origins as a Glassmaking Hub
New study of 6th–9th-century glass from Venice shows early use of Syro-Levantine plant-ash glass, recycling of older materials, and wide Mediterranean trade connections.
Medieval Hebrew Prayerbook Could Fetch $7 Million at Auction
A lavishly illuminated medieval Hebrew prayerbook known as the Rothschild Vienna Mahzor will be offered at Sotheby’s New York this February, with an estimate of $5–7 million US. Completed in 1415 for the High Holidays, the manuscript is among the rare illustrated mahzorim to survive from the Ashkenazi world.
New Open-Access Book Maps a Medieval Kingdom of the Isles
A new open-access book is revealing fresh details about Finlaggan on Islay, a site long linked to the Lords of the Isles. The study argues the loch’s islands were not just symbolic, but the working centre of a medieval kingdom within Scotland.
Richard the Lionheart: New Study Rethinks His Capture After the Crusade
Historian Attila Bárány re-examines how Richard the Lionheart was captured after the Third Crusade, arguing that political rivalries, route choices, and the ambitions of Philip Augustus and Emperor Henry VI mattered more than legend or bad luck.
‘Princely’ Early Medieval Burial Discovered in England
Archaeologists in Suffolk, England, have uncovered a nationally significant early medieval burial ground, including a “princely” grave with two individuals, a harnessed horse, weapons, and personal items dating to the 7th century.
Winchester Cathedral Reburies Medieval Remains Linked to Royals and Bishops
Winchester Cathedral is reinterring remains from its famous mortuary chests after more than a decade of scientific analysis, with new findings on early medieval royals and bishops expected in 2026.
Medieval Discovery Made on Norwegian Island
Archaeologists on Selja, a Norwegian island off the country’s western coast, have uncovered a previously unknown medieval stone building just 30 metres from Selja Monastery, raising new questions about monastic life and work.
Medieval gold ring discovered in Norway
A medieval gold ring with a deep-blue stone has been found during excavations in Tønsberg, Norway. Archaeologists say the rare find highlights elite jewellery styles and long-distance craft influences in the Middle Ages.
Early Medieval England Saw Continuous Migration, Study Finds
A major bioarchaeological study combining tooth-enamel isotopes and ancient DNA finds migration into early medieval England was continuous from AD 400–1100, with regional and gendered patterns and evidence shaped by climate shifts.
Hidden Beneath Plaster, Medieval Frescoes Re-emerge in an Albanian Church
Medieval frescoes long hidden beneath plaster and limewash are re-emerging inside the Byzantine monastery church of Agios Nikolaos (Saint Nicholas) in Mesopotamos, Albania. Conservators have uncovered previously unknown paintings near the ceiling, revealing figures and faces.
Medieval ship discovered off Copenhagen may be the world’s largest cog
A medieval cargo ship of extraordinary size has been found in the waters off Copenhagen. Built around 1410, Svælget 2 is being called the world’s largest cog, and its remarkably preserved remains are revealing new details about medieval shipbuilding and Northern European trade networks.
National Trust launches Cerne Abbas Giant land appeal
The National Trust has launched a public appeal to raise £330,000 to help fund the purchase and long-term care of 138 hectares (340 acres) of land surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant in England—an iconic chalk figure that dates to the Early Middle Ages.
Medieval Discovery: Richard Rolle’s Original Emending of Life Survives in One Copy
New research identifies a medieval manuscript as the only complete original copy of Richard Rolle’s Emending of Life, restoring lost passages and language.
