The Three Magi – or Setting the Social Scene
The story of the Magi – also called the Three Wise Men or the Three Kings – visiting and adoring the child in the house of Mary in Bethlehem is unique. Peculiar to Matthew, the story positions Christ in society. No wonder the story has changed through time…
The Star of Bethlehem and the Magi
Facts or Fairy tale? Each year we tell the wondrous story about the brilliant star and the magi bringing gifts to Baby Jesus. Recent book explores the ancient context of the story and its role in the formation of Late Antiquity…
The Three Magi in Cologne 1164 – 2014
In 2014 Cologne celebrated the 850th anniversary of the arrival of the three Magi with several exhibitions. Read about the events here…
Balthazar, the Black King
Exploring prejudice and persecution in the Medieval World, the Getty Center last year mounted an exhibition on Balthazar. Late autumn 2019, this initiative was followed by another exhibition on the topoi of the Black King, Balthazar, in Medieval and Renaissance Art…
News
The Royal Castle in Alsace – Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg
18/12/2020The Castle Ruin at Staufenberg from the 12th century in Alsace was rebuilt by the Emperor, Wilhelm II between 1900-1908. An archaeological report tells the story of this iconic “Medieval Castle” Read more
Civilizations of the Supernatural
11/12/2020Astrology, amulets, pagan magic charms, witches, and superstitions. All figure in a new book
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IMC 2021 Goes Virtual
29/10/2020International Medieval Congress in 2021 will be digitally organised. Clearly, Leeds hope to overwinter as the flagship of the Medieval History World Read more
China Tries to Corrupt History of Mongol Culture
27/10/2020Du to Chinese attempt at censorship, the Museum of Nantes in Bretagne has been forced to postpone an exhibition of Genghis Khan and the Mongols Read more
Two Princely Graves from the Migration Period – in Sachsen-Anhalt and the Thames Valley
05/10/2020Two Migration Period Graves are considered “once-in-a-lifetime” finds in England and Germany Read more
Cnut the Holy in Odense Cathedral
03/10/2020For nine centuries, the Cathedral in Odense has held the relics of a Danish King, Cnut the Holy and his brother Benedict. Both were murdered inside St. Albans in AD 1086. Read more
Who were the migrants of the migratory period?
03/10/2020Last year, ten million euros were granted to the project, HistoGenes, to study the aDNA of 6000 individuals from AD 400-900. Read more
Medieval Food in Norwegians Towns
03/10/2020A new interdisciplinary research project – The impact of food culture in Medieval towns (FOODIMPACT) will analyse more than 30.000 items in the Cultural Museum in Oslo Read more
New Books
Narrating Muslim Sicily
28/12/2020Valuable new book tells the story of Muslim Sicily AD 902– 1091 through a plethora of Arab historians, geographers, jurists and philologists Read more
The Eastern Frontier
28/12/2020Transoxania, Khurasan, and Tokharistan – which comprise large parts of today’s Central Asia – have long been an important frontier zone. New book tells the story of it history in Late Antiquity and later Read more
The Battle of Maldon
28/12/2020A new book tells the story of the Battle of Maldon AD 991and explores the famous poem, which framed the devastating event as a heroic and epic tale. Read more
Making and Unmaking the Carolingians
28/12/2020What is power? How do you wield its symbols? And how did the Carolingians master the noble art of ruling over vast tracts of Europe? New book by Stuart Airlie tells the story Read more
New Research
From Wheat to Rye – Agriculture and Climate in Europe during Late Antiquity
16/12/2020During the 4th-8th century, vast stretches of Europe shifted from growing wheat to rye. Careful studies indicate the shift was a reflection towards a new, more balanced peasant economy. Read more
The Schlüsselfeld Ship
07/11/2020In the 14th century, it became fashionable to decorate tables at noble or royal banquets with models of ships, symbolising “Good Luck” and “Fair Wind”. Later, the wealthy merchants in the cities picked up this fashion. The Schlüsselfeld ship is one of the more famous. Read more
Ships as Table Decorations in the Middle Ages
06/11/2020Ships were prized ornaments decorating the tables of kings and lords into the 16th and 17th century. Read more
Marian Ughi visits St. Thomas of Becket in 1444
05/11/2020A newly discovered travel account of a Florentine merchant visiting Canterbury and the shrine of Thomas Becket sheds light on late medieval devotion Read more
New Exhibitions
Visigoths in Toulouse
24/08/2020The Visigoths in Toulouse forged one of the first barbarian kingdom inside the Roman Empire, ruling from 420 – 507. In 2020 an exhibition in Toulouse celebrates the 1600-anniversary of their foundation. This summer a major exhibition focusing on the Visigothic kingdom in Toulouse 420 – 507 has been organised… Read more
Nuns and their lives in the 14th century
04/08/2020This summer, visitors to Zürich National Museum can study the remarkable story of the careers of medieval nuns. Extended to mid-august, an exhibition is worth looking into, if you are in the vicinity. Read more
The Early History of Copenhagen at a New Museum
11/02/2020Last week, a new attraction opened, The Museum of Copenhagen, covering the history from the ice-age hunters and gatherers and into the near future. Central is the brand new story of the earliest period in the life of the town ca. 1000 Read more
Facing Van Eyck – The Miracle of the Detail
08/02/2020Come September, Brussels houses an exhibition focusing on the visually detailed techniques of Jan van Eyck and his work of art. The exhibition is paired with a prized digital resource. Read more