Discover a time when the Atlantic Ocean was thought to be dotted with mysterious islands, from the elusive Hy Brazil to Saint Brendan’s legendary paradise. These mythical lands, born of medieval imagination and storytelling, inspired explorers and shaped the Norse quest for the unknown.
Saint-Philibert Church in Dijon, France, is revealing centuries of history as archaeologists excavate up to three metres below its floor to assess the health of its foundations.
What’s new in medieval studies? Here are ten open-access articles published in December, which range from the Norse in Greenland to the Wreck of the White Ship.
Joan of Arc continues to put the English on the run. In this episode of Bow and Blade, Kelly and Michael examine this…
Winter was the most dangerous time of the medieval calendar year. So, how did medieval people cope?
Most of us today are probably familiar with the concept of birthstones—precious gems associated with each month, like a petrological Zodiac. It turns out birthstones are more or less an invention of modern jewelry manufacturers, whose meanings all boil down to “Buy this ring.” But this is boring. So I thought, why not make birthstones mean something today by looking at their superpowers according to the Middle Ages?
The Fifth Crusade saw European forces launch an ambitious invasion of Egypt. This book delves into the military dimensions of the campaign, examining the grand strategy of the Crusaders and the tactical manoeuvres employed during the protracted siege of Damietta, which spanned over 18 months.
What do the Three Wise Men and the Crusades have in common? Discover how medieval kings, knights, and emperors drew inspiration from the Magi’s journey, transforming their relics and symbolism into a powerful testament of faith, humility, and sacrifice.
When you visit the Austrian city of Tulln, on the banks of the Danube River, you can see the figures as you approach the park on the banks of the Danube River. The figure of a woman gracefully holds her skirts as her headdress seems to flutter in the wind. Opposite her, at the centre of the tableau, a man stands with one foot forward; his left hand grasps the sword at his side, yet he holds his right forearm across his chest, and his head is uncovered. He is clearly a warrior, but he has not come to fight. This is Etzel, or Attila, striding larger than life out of the medieval German epic poem the Nibelungenlied (The Lay of the Nibelungs) to meet his bride Kriemhild against the backdrop of Tulln’s scenic gardens and riverside park. The monument seems almost overly grand for its surroundings; it looks old. However, it was actually erected in 2005.
The renowned Sutton Hoo burial site is famed for its opulent grave goods, but their origins remain a mystery. A newly published study in The English Historical Review presents a groundbreaking theory, offering “a startlingly new view of early Anglo-Saxon history.”
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with CJ Jones about Dominican nuns, their theological sophistication, and how left their own unique mark on the Middle Ages.
Waves of human migration across Europe during the first millennium AD have been revealed in a groundbreaking study. By analysing Ancient DNA with a novel method, researchers have reconstructed detailed patterns of population movements during the Iron Age, the fall of the Roman Empire, the early medieval ‘Migration Period,’ and the Viking Age.
