Riga Castle in Latvia damaged by fire
Last week’s fire at Riga Castle has left the Latvian landmark with heavy damage, including the destruction of the roof and several rooms.
Terry Jones to give 600th Anniversary lecture at St Andrews University
As well as speaking on ‘Columbus, America and the Flat Earth’ Jones will also be awarded an honorary degree.
If the name fits: names in J. R. R. Tolkien’s fiction
The nomenclature within Tolkien’s novels is very carefully done, taking into consideration attributes such as etymology, symbolism, and onomatopoeia. In some instances the author has drawn from Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse, but most of his creations emerged from his own invented languages Quenya and Sindarin, the two main tongues spoken by elves.
Scientific research reveals insights into medieval leprosy
Why was there a sudden drop in the incidence of leprosy at the end of the Middle Ages?
York Minster Revealed shows 2000 years of history
A brand new visitor attraction has opened at York Minster last month.’Revealing York Minster’ tells the story of the last 2000 years at the historic site, from the Romans to its modern day custodians.
Downside Abbey to open its library to the public for the first time
Over 450,000 books and impressive medieval manuscript collection will now be available to the public thanks to a £856,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Story of Richard III inspiring graphic novels
The discovery of King Richard III has inspired comic book artists to take up their pencils to tell the tale of the controversial monarch’s dramatic life and death.
Medieval Dungeon discovered in England
‘In my entire career I’ve never found a dungeon before, so this is a really rare discovery which we estimate dates back to the 14th century.’
Whitby Abbey raided again, this time by metal detectors
The ruins of Whitby Abbey in northern England are getting an unwanted visitor at night, as metal detectors are sneaking onto the site looking for buried treasures.
The Borgias get axed – show cancelled after three seasons
After three seasons, the TV series focusing on the nefarious Pope Alexander VI and his wild family is being cancelled. The final episode, The Prince, will air this Sunday on Showtime in the US and Bravo in Canada.
How Did the Queen Go Mad? Examining changes in chess moves in the Middle Ages
Players of chess will know that the Queen is the most powerful piece on the board – it can move any number of squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, and is often used to capture the opponent’s pieces. In the Middle Ages this was not the case.
Project uses GIS to map Jewish communities of the Byzantine Empire
Geographic information systems – once limited to the domain of physical geographers – are emerging as a promising tool to study the past, as researchers are discovering for medieval history.
Letter from Robert the Bruce to Edward II discovered – attempt at peace before Bannockburn
New research has revealed a letter written in 1310 by Robert Bruce to King Edward II, presenting historians with fresh information about a pivotal time in the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Funding cuts could cripple archaeological work in German state
The German state of North-Rhine Westphalia is set to completely cut funding for archaeological research, threatening many projects that look at the history of the area.
Stanford University and Walters Art Museum team up for medieval manuscript digitization project
A new agreement will ensure the long-term preservation of the Walters Art Museum’s digitized collection of medieval manuscripts and provide new apps for studying them.
Did medieval sailors reach Australia?
Archaeologists hope to unravel the mystery of how coins dating back to the 10th century were found off the shores of Australia.
The Fall of Arthur by J.R.R. Tolkien released today
The poem, using Old English alliterative meter and written in modern English recounts how Arthur was a British military leader fighting the Saxon invasion, and includes characters such as Guinevere, Lancelot and Mordred.
Byzantine mosaic discovered in Israel
The 1500 year-old mosaic was discovered during archaeological excavations ahead of the construction of a new highway.
Searching for the Vikings on the Isle of Man
The Vikings were not just the wanton marauders of popular portrayal, says a Longwood University medieval scholar who recently conducted archaeological research on the Isle of Man.
Reading the unreadable: New X-ray technology can now read rolled-up scrolls
Scientific breakthrough will allow historians to virtually read medieval scrolls to fragile to open.
Lost medieval town of Dunwich revealed
A University of Southampton professor has carried out the most detailed analysis ever of the archaeological remains of the lost medieval town of Dunwich, dubbed ‘Britain’s Atlantis’.
Plague of Justinian was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, scientists confirm
The Black Death, which caused the deaths of tens of millions of people in the fourteenth century, was caused bacterium Yersinia pestis. New evidence now shows that the same microscopic bacterium also caused the Plague of Justinian in the sixth century.
Medieval Academy of America rocked by resignations of Executive Directors
After interviewing various people, including Gardiner and Musto and Academy President Richard Unger, two narratives have emerged – one that suggests that personality clashes emerged between the Executive Directors and some of the members of the academy’s council; while another seems to show that a serious disagreement emerged over the structure of the academy and how much freedom the Executive Directors should have in running the organization.
Will stone coffin reveal medieval knight buried in the same church as Richard III?
The archaeologists who discovered King Richard III under a car park are now hoping that a 600-year-old lead lined stone coffin found nearby will lead them to the remains of a knight buried in the 14th century.