Writing of the Ultimate CV: A Death Ritual in Medieval China
Examines the life of a prematurely deceased 20-year through her epitaph, created in China in the year 518 CE, and discover how the craftsmanship and aesthetic are passed on in modern Chinese culture with a veteran tombstone engraver.
The materiality of Byzantine objects, with Elizabeth Dospěl Williams
A conversation with Elizabeth Dospěl Williams on how people in Byzantium experienced the materiality of the objects they used, especially jewelry and textiles. We look at some of those objects together, discuss their qualities, and situate our engagement with material culture in broader discussions of historical theory.
When sheepskin was an anti-fraud device
Lawyers used sheepskin as anti-fraud device for hundreds of years to stop fraudsters pulling the wool over people’s eyes, study shows
Medieval ‘birthing girdle’ parchment was worn during labour, study suggests
Scientists have used emerging proteomic techniques to find traces of ancient vaginal fluid, honey and milk on a rare manuscript from the late 15th century.
Ivory, Copper, and the Island of Gold: Medieval trade between France and West Africa
Discussing the development of trade networks linking medieval Europe and western Africa, exploring the important role played by Africa in the medieval world system of Europe.
What to get for a medieval baby shower
As any parent who’s ever tried to travel with a baby will know, babies require a fair bit of stuff to keep them safe, happy, and comfortable.
Sixteenth-century drug jar acquired by the British Museum
The British Museum has acquired a drug jar dating back to the early sixteenth century. It was donated to the public through the Cultural Gifts Scheme set up by the British government.
What X-rays reveal about 16th century armour from the Mary Rose
Cutting-edge X-ray technology has allowed University of Warwick scientists to analyse the armour worn by the crew of the Mary Rose, a sixteenth century English warship.
The spur goad from Skegrie in Scania, Sweden
The present paper focuses on a small metal artefact discovered in 2008 during archaeological excavations that preceded the construction of the E6 road leading from Trelleborg to Vellinge in Scania, Sweden.
Byzantine Jewellery: The Evidence from Byzantine Legal Documents
In the field of Byzantine jewellery studies the usefulness of this approach was demonstrated, over 20 years ago, by the work of Hetherington on the ownership and distribution of Byzantine enamels.
“Making Many Books”: Books as Artefacts in the Medieval Islamicate World
This lecture discusses the material aspect of the production and consumption of books as manifested mainly in book lists from the Geniza.
1,200 year-old ‘King’ piece found on Lindisfarne
A rare, glass gaming piece has been discovered during an archaeological dig on Lindisfarne
‘Laugh, My Love, Laugh’: Mottos, Proverbs and Love Inscriptions on Late Medieval Bone Saddles
Fifteenth-century bone saddles form a particularly unique and special object group in medieval Central European history.
Windows on a medieval world: medieval piety as reflected in the lapidary literature of the Middle Ages
The lapidary literature of the Middle Ages has been overlooked as a source for the study of medieval Christian piety.
Memories of migration? The ‘Anglo-Saxon’ burial costume of the fifth century AD
It is often claimed that the mortuary traditions that appeared in lowland Britain in the fifth century AD are an expression of new forms of ethnic identity, based on the putative memorialisation of a ‘Germanic’ heritage.
How well do you know these Viking-age artefacts?
We have many remains from the Viking-age that offer insights into the Norse world. Here are ten artefacts – do you know what they are?
Historical Presents: Fake History, Material Culture and Collective Misremembering
How and why have material things (manuscript illuminations, printed books, turf-cut chalk drawings, elaborate costumes, immense figures in papier-mâché, oak, wicker, and even latex) preserved and embellished the memory of this foundation myth, alongside centuries of destruction, ridicule, indifference, and misunderstanding?
A Landmark in the History of Chinese Ceramics: The Invention of Blue-and-white Porcelain in the Tang Dynasty (618–907 A.D.)
This study investigates the origin and development of Tang blue-and-white porcelain.
Word Embodied: Entangled Icons in Medieval Japanese Buddhist Art
My project on the Japanese jeweled pagoda mandalas reveals the entangled realms of relics, reliquaries, and Buddhist scripture engendered through intricate interactions of word and image.
Long-lost Lewis Chessmen piece discovered
Until this week it was believed that the famous Lewis chessmen collection consisted of 93 pieces. However, a previously long-lost piece has been unveiled, and is expected to be auctioned for as much as £1 million.
Charisma, Violence and Weapons: The Broken Swords of the Vikings
The blades were beaten, bent or twisted, sometimes folded together in a way that needs preparation, expertise and equipment. The fact that these swords were subjected to special treatment, handled in a different manner than the rest of the grave goods, underscores the distinctive role of swords in Norse society
The Reuse of ‘Antiques’ in Anglo-Saxon Graves
Were these curated or items ‘won or stolen’ from earlier sites? At a different level, it is suggested that a type of Iron Age ‘safety pin’ brooch became popular at this time in the mid- 7th century.
Medieval people’s obsession with crystals: an interview with Marisa Galvez
Stanford medievalist Marisa Galvez is examining the origins of people’s fascination with crystals. She finds that crystals inspired the writing and poetry of some medieval authors in unexpected ways.
Heart, Hand, and Mind: Grasping the Cross in Early Medieval England
Far removed from the bodies they once adorned and the graves which from which they were unearthed gold cross pendants richly inlaid with garnets sit behind glass in various museums in Great Britain.