From The Hobbit to Early Christian Burial in Scotland, with Adrián Maldonado
Kate Buchanan is joined by Adrián Maldonado to discuss Adrián’s journey to studying medieval Scottish history and his work on early Christian burial in Scotland and his current work with the Glenmorangie Research Project.
The Feast of Fools, with Max Harris
January 1st is the Feast of Fools, notoriously a time of drunkenness and debauchery in the medieval church. But was it really? This…
Early Medieval Christian artefact uncovered at Hadrian’s Wall
They believe the artefact dates back to the 5th or 6th century, and is the only surviving object of its kind from this period in Britain and a rare example of early medieval Christian artwork.
New book tells the story of Celtic Christianity’s centre of learning
1,500 years ago, the Welsh town of Llanilltud Fawr was regarded as the cradle of Celtic Christianity. The story of its monastery has now been told in a new book published last month.
Medieval Monks: A Beginner’s Guide
Can you tell your Benedictines from your Franciscans and Dominicans? This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle gives a brief overview of the the backstory of some of the major monastic traditions, and how you can tell them apart.
The Five Senses of Sin
Have you seen anything that enticed you into sinning?
The Story of The Buddha, as told in Medieval Europe
A curious case of a medieval story which crosses religious boundaries is the life of Josaphat, a Christian saint whose origins appear to be not Christian at all. His life story is the life story of the Buddha.
Oh My Dog! St Guinefort and St Christopher
Dogs and holiness in the stories of St Guinefort and St Christopher.
The Demon’s Knight and the Unforgiving Bishop
The 12th-century writer Walter Map pushes the limits of this struggle between justice and forgiveness in the story of a knight who pledges himself to a demon, and the bishop who couldn’t forgive.
A Medieval Story of Redemption
From nun to noble to prostitute to beggar – the story of Beatrice.
In Search of the Promised Land: Saint Brendan’s Voyage
The story of an Irish monk and his fourteen companions who embarked on a dangerous journey in the fifth century.
Signs of the Apocalypse in 15th century Germany
Many cultures have beliefs about the end of the world. In 15th-century Germany the Apocalypse would be coming if you saw a castle hanging from a thread and a giant hatching from an egg.
A Five-Minute Guide to the Cathars
Here is a quick, five-minute guide to one of the most popular spiritual movements of the Middle Ages.
‘Full of Miracles From Childhood’: Miracles in the Liturgies and Lives of Irish Medieval Saints
The signs and miracles in the lives of Irish medieval saints including Patrick, Brigid, Columcille, Brendan and Columbanus.
Earning Your Badge: Mementos of Pilgrimage in the Middle Ages
The interesting thing about wearing your pilgrim’s badge on your hat is that you can’t see it yourself: it won’t be a visual reminder for you of your spiritual journey, but it will be a visual reminder for everyone else.
‘I Felt like Jumping for Joy’: Smile and Laughter in Medieval Imagery
With a starting point in ‘the gothic smiles’ of the sculptures of the great cathedrals in the thirteenth century, my aim is to draw attention to the importance of international ideals in local affairs.
Passover in the Middle Ages
In the Middle Ages the two holidays of Passover and Easter had become the focal point for displays of hatred and the occasion for libels against Jews.
14th century cave discovered in England
A team of rail workers doing repairs near the the English town of Guildford have uncovered a small cave believed to be from the 14th century.
Coping with Pandemics in the Middle Ages
Medieval people differed from us in their ways of coping with a pandemic, but they felt similar helplessness.
Anchorites: Life in Spiritual Self-Isolation
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle talks about anchorites, men and women who enclosed themselves for life to contemplate their religious beliefs. She also explores some of the work of Julian of Norwich, perhaps the most famous anchorite of the Middle Ages.
Beguines with Tanya Stabler Miller
Often, people think of the women of medieval Europe as either wives or nuns: women whose lives and property were under the control of someone else. But what tends to be forgotten is that for some women there was a third option: to become a beguine. This week, Danièle speaks with Dr. Tanya Stabler Miller about who the beguines were, and what medieval society thought of them.
Glass-Breaking: An Affective Process
The iconoclasm of the English Reformation was marked by a transformation from reinterpreted 15th-century theological doctrine to tangible action
Siblings and the Sexes within the Medieval Religious Life
Contact between the sexes within the religious life presented a perennial source of anxiety for medieval churchmen.
The Christmas relics that came to medieval England
If you wanted to see the manger where Jesus Christ was born, or the finger bones of Saint Nicholas (the original Santa Claus), you could have done so at an English abbey in the 15th century.