Did Pisa and Denia Form an Alliance in the Eleventh Century?
New research suggests a long-lost partnership between a Christian city and a Muslim taifa reshaped Mediterranean politics before the Crusades.
Medieval Man with Crippled Knee Offers Clues to Disability Care
A new study reveals how the remains of a disabled man buried in medieval Lund shed light on medical care and societal attitudes toward disability in the Middle Ages.
Saxon Cross Unearthed in Leeds Reveals Medieval Past
A rare 8th-century Saxon cross discovered near Leeds in northern England offers new insights into early medieval life and religious identity in Northumbria.
15th-century Florentine Masterpiece to be Restored
Piero del Pollaiolo’s ‘Saint Michael the Archangel Defeating the Dragon’ will undergo conservation at the Bardini Museum
African Figurines Discovered in Medieval Graves in Southern Israel
Archaeologists uncover 1,500-year-old burial goods reflecting the diverse Christian communities of the early medieval Negev.
Magna Carta at Harvard dates to the Year 1300, historians find
Detailed comparison and imaging techniques confirm Harvard manuscript as one of seven surviving versions from Edward I’s 1300 issue.
A Medieval Brothel, a Baby’s Grave, and a New Perspective on Motherhood
A new archaeological study sheds light on the personal lives of medieval sex workers, revealing a moving and unexpected act of maternal care…
Pregnancy and Power in the Viking Age: New Study Reveals Surprising Roles for Expectant Women
A new study uncovers how pregnant women in Viking society were imagined not only as mothers, but sometimes as warriors.
Medieval Shipwreck Uncovered Beneath Barcelona
Archaeologists in Barcelona have uncovered a 15th–16th century shipwreck beneath the city, offering new insights into medieval shipbuilding and maritime trade in the western Mediterranean.
Did Copernicus Draw on a Medieval Arab Astronomer? New Study Highlights Striking Parallels
A new study reveals striking similarities between Copernicus’s heliocentric model and the planetary theories of 14th-century Arab astronomer Ibn al-Shatir, raising questions about the transmission of medieval Islamic science to Renaissance Europe.
Hagia Sophia’s Dome Undergoes Restoration to Withstand Earthquakes
Turkish authorities have begun restoring the dome of Hagia Sophia to improve its earthquake resilience—a major project for the nearly 1,500-year-old structure with a long history of seismic damage.
Medieval Chinese Poems Reveal Decline of Endangered Porpoise
A team of conservation researchers is turning to an unexpected source to track the decline of one of the world’s most endangered animals:…
Medieval Alchemists Were Right! You Can Turn Lead into Gold
Scientists at CERN have achieved what medieval alchemists once dreamed of by transforming lead into gold using high-energy collisions at the Large Hadron Collider.
Symbols and Signs: Getty Exhibition Explores Medieval Manuscript Codes
The Getty Museum’s new exhibition, Symbols and Signs: Decoding Medieval Manuscripts, explores the visual and textual codes used by medieval scribes and artists. On view May 20 to August 10, 2025.
Medieval England’s Road Network Mapped Using the Gough Map
A new study uses the Gough Map to reconstruct medieval England’s road network, revealing how Roman routes shaped travel for centuries.
What Ancient DNA Reveals About the Medieval Population of the Low Countries
A new DNA study reveals that the medieval male population of the Low Countries remained remarkably stable over 1,500 years, with local lineages shaped more by genetic drift and patrilocal traditions than by large-scale migration.
775 and the Making of Westphalia: Medieval Manuscript Featured in Paderborn
A 9th-century manuscript containing the first mention of “Westphalia” will soon be on display in Paderborn as part of a major anniversary exhibition exploring the medieval origins of the region.
National Gallery Acquires Mysterious Northern Renaissance Masterpiece
The National Gallery has acquired a mysterious and richly detailed Northern Renaissance altarpiece from around 1510. Featuring saints, angels, dragons, and eccentric iconography, the anonymous masterpiece has not been seen publicly since 1960.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Was Edited to Favour Harold, Study Finds
New research reveals that key entries in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle were revised after 1066 to support Harold Godwinson’s claim to the throne—while omitting events that could have undermined it.
Vikings and Violence: What Bones Reveal About Norway and Denmark
New research reveals stark differences in Viking violence between Norway and Denmark, uncovering patterns of brutal deaths, executions, and weapon use through the study of ancient bones and grave goods.
Medieval Inscriptions in Jerusalem’s Cenacle Reveal Diversity of Pilgrimage
Researchers have uncovered medieval inscriptions in the Cenacle, the Room of the Last Supper in Jerusalem, revealing a diverse community of pilgrims from Austria, Armenia, Syria, and beyond.
Historian Uncovers Unusual Rewards for Victory in Late Medieval Spain
In 1483, Queen Isabel I and King Fernando of Castile granted royal garments as perpetual rewards for battlefield victories. A new study uncovers how these unusual gifts became lasting symbols of favour, power, and memory in late medieval Spain.
Why the First Polish State Collapsed: An Environmental and Political Breakdown
A new study uncovers why Poland’s first kingdom—the Piast state—collapsed so quickly, linking slave trade wealth, ecological intensification, and political fragility. Archaeology, pollen records, and coin hoards reveal the state’s rapid rise—and sudden unraveling.
Scribes, Not Just Authors: New Study Uncovers Editorial Brilliance in Medieval Syriac Manuscripts
A new study analyzes nearly 1,000 Syriac manuscripts using digital tools to reveal how scribes shaped literary culture through excerpting—introducing a new metric, Excerpts Per Manuscript (EPM), to map editorial practices across time and genre.
