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Anglo-Saxon knob is treasure
The Norwich Inquest has declared that a silver-gilded knob discovered by a metal detector enthusiast two years ago is treasure. The knob has a cast animal head and dates to the 6th or 7th century. Find out more in the piece at the Norfolk News.
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Anglo-Saxon knob is treasure originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 00:29:33.
Tombs from the Byzantine era discovered in Syria
In a cave in Wadi al-Zahab, Syria, a team of archaeologists have discovered three tombs dating to the Byzantine era. The tombs were found by the Homs Museums and Antiquities Department in central Syria during excavations made by the General Establishment for Water Studies to keep off floods. Find out more in the item at DNA India.
- Learn more about Byzantine Studies
Tombs from the Byzantine era discovered in Syria originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 23:06:56.
Medieval Irish cemetery yields intriguing data
An Irish cemetery in County Donegal, discovered in 2003, has yielded some fascinating medical data about the inhabitants of Ireland from more than 1,000 years ago. Findings have revealed evidence of cystic fibrosis, TB, cancer, multiple exostoses (bumpy bone disease) and even brain surgery, which the patient survived.
In case this seems familiar, another cemetery was uncovered just last week in Ireland; but that one was in County Kildare.
Find out more about the County Donegal cemetery in the article by Donal Thornton at Irish Central.
- Learn more about Medieval Ireland
Medieval Irish cemetery yields intriguing data originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 00:03:31.
Looted Rabbinic Bible returned
A Hebrew Bible, published between 1516 and 1517, has been returned to its rightful owners after 71 years. The two-volume, black-leather-clad book, which includes commentaries by key medieval rabbinic figures, vanished from a library in Vienna on the night of November 10-11, 1938: Kristallnacht, the "night of broken glass." It surfaced at the New York City auction house Kestenbaum & Company in June; upon learning of its provenance, the auction house terminated the sale and its owner, who had not known its history, agreed to return it to Vienna. The Bible was repatriated to the Jewish community in Vienna at a ceremony at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, attended by representatives of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ), the U.S. Attorney's office, and the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien ( IKG ).
Find out more in the article at Media Newswire.
- Learn more about Kristallnacht at About's 20th-Century History Site, Guided by Jen Rosenberg.
- Learn more about Medieval Judaism and Jewish History here at the Medieval History Site.
Looted Rabbinic Bible returned originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 22:44:01.
Marble hoard discovered in Acre
Archaeologists have discovered a hoard of more than 300 marble items dating to the 13th century in an excavation north of the Old City wall of Acre. The marbles were found in a cellar that had been sealed by a collapse, and include a large stone cross and a large fragment of the rare purple stone, porphyry. Dr. Edna Stern, excavation director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, said that "The quality of the marble is excellent and it was undoubtedly imported from abroad." Find out more in the article by Jamie Romm at the Jerusalem Post.
- Learn more about The City of Acre
Marble hoard discovered in Acre originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 01:18:34.
Extensive medieval Irish cemetery discovered
In County Kildare, Ireland, archaeologists have uncovered the skeletal remains of nearly 1,300 people from what is proving to be one of Ireland's largest medieval cemeteries. Located in Ardreigh, Athy, the cemetery was the last resting place for adults and children -- even a 20-week-old fetus -- from at least as far back as the 8th century up to the 14th.
Find out more in the article at Sindh Today.
- Learn more about Medieval Ireland
Extensive medieval Irish cemetery discovered originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 23:06:42.
Templar stone?
A mysterious stone uncovered in Midlothian, Scotland, may have a connection to the Knights Templar. Discovered by Crispin Phillips in the process of repairing a wall, the stone is covered with unusual symbols and appears to date to about the 13th or 14th century. Because the ruined chapel where the stone is located was part of an abbey founded by the Templars, scholars think the carvings may relate to the Templar organization, though no one has yet been able to figure out what they mean. Find out more in the article by Claire Smith at the Scotsman, which includes some nice photos.
- Learn more about the Knights Templar
Templar stone? originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 19:10:57.
Templar stone?
A mysterious stone uncovered in Midlothian, Scotland, may have a connection to the Knights Templar. Discovered by Crispin Phillips in the process of repairing a wall, the stone is covered with unusual symbols and appears to date to about the 13th or 14th century. Because the ruined chapel where the stone is located was part of an abbey founded by the Templars, scholars think the carvings may relate to the Templar organization, though no one has yet been able to figure out what they mean. Find out more in the article by Claire Smith at the Scotsman, which includes some nice photos.
- Learn more about the Knights Templar
Templar stone? originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 19:10:57.
The Battle of Agincourt
On October 25, 1415, a famous battle of the Hundred Years' War took place between English forces led by Henry V and a much larger French army at Agincourt, France. For centuries, this battle has been examined, reexamined, dissected and reconstructed by French and English historians alike.
This week The New York Times has an article about how historians have "reassessed" the Battle of Agincourt. Though I find the comparisons drawn between medieval foreign wars and current conflicts interesting (but not surprising), I was a little bemused to learn that a group of historians "now take a skeptical view of the figures handed down by medieval chroniclers."
What, only now?
Medieval chroniclers were notorious for inflating the numbers of participants in the battles they reported. Those numbers have always been taken by modern historians with a grain of salt, and have usually been tempered by archaeological discoveries and the data gleaned from period documentary evidence. In the case of Agincourt, it has long been known that the English representation of Henry's forces was minimized and that of the French forces was inflated to make their victory over a larger force appear particularly remarkable. So, while the recent "reassessment" may bring us closer than ever to more accurate numbers on both sides, the fact that the disparity wasn't nearly as great as the medieval chroniclers said doesn't really surprise me. Does it surprise you?
The Battle of Agincourt originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at 14:23:57.
Conquest
On October 14, 1066, William of Normandy fought King Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings, beginning a new era in English history. What events led to such a historic turning point? Who were the people involved? And what happened after the battle? Find out in this feature by your Guide, and test your knowledge in The Quest for Conquest Quiz.
Conquest originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 at 01:41:18.
Is it a Leonardo? A fingerprint says "maybe."
When Peter Silverman purchased the painting titled "Young Girl in Profile in Renaissance Dress" for £12,000 at a Christie's sale, he suspected its description as "German, early 19th century" wasn't precisely accurate. Now his suspicions appear to be confirmed. Carbon dating and infra-red analysis of the artist's technique are consistent with the work of Leonardo da Vinci, and if this is so, the painting could be worth £1 million. But the most convincing evidence could be a fingerprint found on the work, which techs at a Paris laboratory found "highly comparable" to a print on Leonardo's painting of St. Jerome.
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Find out more:
- Leonardo da Vinci picture 'worth millions' revealed by a fingerprint
Article by Stephen Adams at the Telegraph
- Unrecognised Leonardo da Vinci portrait revealed by his fingerprint
Feature by Ben Hoyle at the Times Online
- Portrait Is Da Vinci Work, Print Shows
Item at AOL News includes "Da Vinci Discoveries" slide show
- Fingerprint points to $19,000 portrait being revalued as £100m work by Leonardo da Vinci
Extensive examination at the Antiques Trade Gazette
Is it a Leonardo? A fingerprint says "maybe." originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 at 02:08:13.
Happy Columbus Day!
If you've got the day off from work (or if you're unable to go to the bank), here's the guy to thank (or blame): Christopher Columbus. At least, this might be what Christopher Columbus looked like. No contemporary portraits are known to survive from Columbus' lifetime, so through the centuries artists have been free to represent him in a variety of ways. Have a look at some artists' interpretations of the visage of Christopher Columbus in our new Columbus Image Gallery, and find out more about him in his Who's Who Profile.
Happy Columbus Day! originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Monday, October 12th, 2009 at 01:02:57.
Ritual pits discovered in Bulgaria
Archaeologists have discovered more than 50 unique pits dating to the 12th century near the village of Sedlare in southern Bulgaria. The pits are believed to have been used for rituals in which burnt stones, ceramics, metal and meat were placed within them. Find out more in the item at BalkanTravellers.com.
Ritual pits discovered in Bulgaria originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Thursday, October 8th, 2009 at 01:05:52.
Scientist recreates the Shroud of Turin
Using only methods and materials available in the Middle Ages, Luigi Garlaschelli, professor of organic chemistry at the University of Pavia, has created a shroud that is very close in appearance to the relic in Turin Cathedral. The process involved placing a linen sheet flat over a volunteer, who wore a mask, and then rubbing the sheet with a substance containing pigment and acid. The sheet was then heated in an oven and washed. When blood and burn holes were added, the result was remarkably similar to the Shroud of Turin.
Trade in holy relics was lucrative in medieval Europe, and amidst the genuine articles were numerous fraudulent creations. The Shroud of Turin may be one of the fakes, and has never been confirmed as authentic by the Catholic Church. In 1988, carbon dating tests placed the origin of the Shroud to between 1260 and 1390. However, the tests have been challenged (some say the material tested was a medieval patch and that the rest of the shroud is much older) and faith in the Shroud remains strong. Professor Garlaschelli noted, "If they don't want to believe carbon dating done by some of the world's best laboratories they certainly won't believe me."
Find out more in the article at BBC News or the feature by Philip Pullella, Reuters, which includes a useful comparison photo and is made available at MSNBC.com.
- Learn more about:
- Medieval Christianity
- Medieval Italy
Scientist recreates the Shroud of Turin originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 14:49:28.
Lost legs found
In 1925, the top part of a sandstone carving of the Buddhist deity Hevajra was discovered by French archaeologists near Angkor Thom, the walled city of King Jayavarman VII. This summer, a British archaeologist seeking the site of the discovery found the legs of the 12th-century statue. Scientists are excited by the prospect of further discoveries, and hope the legs will be reunited with the bust, which is currently on display in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Find out more in the article at Trak.in News, and get a look at the Bust of Hevajra at the Met.
Lost legs found originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 at 23:55:25.
Anglo-Saxon hoard of gold and silver the biggest ever discovered . . .
. . . . . and it was a metal detectorist who discovered it!
You've no doubt read plenty of recent reports of metal detector enthusiasts who've discovered coins, rings, buckles, jewelry, and other items of archaeological and historical interest. For the people who make these finds, and the people who own the land they're found on, it's usually a lucrative endeavor, and sometimes a life-changing one. Well, the find made in July by 55-year-old Terry Herbert of Staffordshire really takes the cake: it's estimated -- conservatively -- to be worth at least one million pounds.
Found buried beneath a field in Staffordshire -- which is the center of what was once the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia -- the hoard of about 1,500 pieces weighs over 10 pounds and is believed to date as far back as the 7th century. Pieces include coins, helmet decorations, parts of swords and scabbards, Christian crosses, and a strip of gold with a biblical inscription in Latin that had been bent into folds. Scholars think the cache may have been plunder, as there was no trace of a building or grave. Altogether, the hoard is about three times that of the treasure discovered at Sutton Hoo in 1939.
Currently on display at the Birmingham Museum, the hoard will later be moved to the British Museum, where it will undergo months of close study.
- Check out the article by Maev Kennedy at the Guardian, which includes a video of Terry Herbert (who describes himself as "absolutely gobsmacked") with part of his discovery.
- Visit the feature by John F. Burns at the New York Times, which has some very nice photos.
- View some stunning photographs and download a pdf catalog of the objects at the Staffordshire Hoard official site.
- Get more info about the find and the exhibition at the Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery site.
- Check out the Staffordshire Hoard Photo Essay put together by About's Guide to Archaeology, K. Kris Hirst.
- Learn more about Early Medieval Britain.
Anglo-Saxon hoard of gold and silver the biggest ever discovered . . . originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Saturday, September 26th, 2009 at 22:50:02.
Archaeological discoveries in Edinburgh
Back in July I blogged about how the discovery of two human skeletons had triggered an investigation in Edinburgh into what may be the site of a Carmelite priory. Now the archaeologists involved in the excavation have revealed some of the results of their labors. More than 300 skeletons have been found, in coffins that are in good enough condition to identify the wood. Find out more in the article by Hazel Mollison at the Edinburgh Evening News.
- Learn more about Medieval Scotland.
Archaeological discoveries in Edinburgh originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Thursday, September 24th, 2009 at 00:44:01.
Restoration of church paintings complete
Back in January I brought you a brief report about medieval church paintings found in St. Mary's Church, Lakenheath. Restoration on the paintings is now complete, and a service was held Sunday to rededicate them. During the restoration process, additional figures were revealed in the paintings.
Find out more in the article by Russell Claydon at EADT24.
- Learn more about:
- Medieval Art and Artists
- Medieval Britain
Restoration of church paintings complete originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 at 22:25:06.
Remarkable 1100-year-old village discovered in Qatar
For centuries, the settlement lay under the sands of the Murwab, untouched by time. Now the village of two forts, two mosques and more than 200 houses has been revealed by archaeologists in northwest Qatar. Dating to the 9th century, the site is producing artifacts from the Abbasid period.
Find out more in the article at Thaindian News.
- Learn more about The Abbasids.
Remarkable 1100-year-old village discovered in Qatar originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 at 22:28:27.
Metal detectorists find treasure!
You've heard it before, and now you'll hear it again, because it's just so cool. Lee Brown, Wayne Derbyshire and Keith Dodds have found a hoard of more than 100 silver coins in the Blyth area of Northumberland through the use of metal detectors. The coins are hammered and appear to date to the 12th century. The image of what may be a king is on some of the coins, although just what king has yet to be determined. (Henry II and Richard the Lionheart were kings in 12th-century England, so it could be one of them.)
Mr. Brown, who only took up metal detecting last November, proclaimed he was "absolutely gobsmacked to find hammered coins so soon." The term "gobsmacked" has become my favorite Britishism. I think I'll start using it in conversation here in Central Texas. My neighbors already think I'm a little strange.
Find out more about the discovery in the two-page article at the JournalLive.
- Learn more about Medieval Britain.
Metal detectorists find treasure! originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 00:23:06.