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Medieval Ages

An archaeologist keeps the ship's delicate frame moist to prevent decay

Cool Finds

See the Rare Medieval Boat Discovered Over 18 Feet Below Sea Level in Barcelona

It could take years for archaeologists to properly excavate and preserve the delicate wooden vessel, which likely became shipwrecked

Researchers investigated 12th- and 13th-century manuscripts from an abbey in France that were clad in furry outer covers.

Some ‘Hairy’ Medieval Books Were Covered in Sealskin, and Researchers Don’t Know Exactly Why

Historians were surprised when analyses revealed Catholic monks used pinniped hides for the protective outer layer on some manuscripts, rather than skins from the local boars and deer

Jason Sandy mudlarking along the River Thames in London

Cool Finds

History-Hunting Mudlarks Scour London’s Shores to Uncover the City’s Rich Archaeological Treasures

A new exhibition at the London Museum Docklands spotlights hundreds of mudlarking finds, from Bronze Age tools to Viking daggers to medieval spectacles

This 12th-century manuscript includes a self-portrait of a female scribe named Guda.

Women Played a More Important Role in Producing Medieval Manuscripts Than Previously Thought

New research suggests that women were the scribes of at least 1.1 percent of manuscripts in the Latin West between 400 and 1500 C.E.

Mark Rylance (left) and Damian Lewis (right) as Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII in "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light"

Based on a True Story

The Real Story Behind ‘Wolf Hall’ and the Fall of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s Most Controversial Adviser

Based on Hilary Mantel’s novel “The Mirror & the Light,” the last installment in the acclaimed television series chronicles the last four years of the statesman’s life

An aerial image of the excavation site in Cumbria

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Say They’ve Unearthed Britain’s Largest Known Viking-Age Building Beneath a Family Farm

A team of experts and enthusiasts discovered the structure at High Tarns Farm in northwest England. Researchers think it dates to between the late 10th and early 11th centuries

The double-edged sword was deliberately broken into three pieces.

Cool Finds

Metal Detectorists Stumble Upon a Rare 2,000-Year-Old Roman Sword in Poland

Researchers think the weapon, which had been deliberately broken and burned, was once part of a funerary ritual for a local warrior

The Bayeux Tapestry, an 11th-century masterpiece of medieval embroidery, famously narrates the events leading up to and including the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

New Research

Archaeologists Say They’ve Located Harold II’s Lost Manor House

A latrine found in Bosham, England, has helped identify the location of the king’s long-lost residence, offering new insights into medieval life before the Norman Conquest

Portrait of a Jester looking through his fingers, circa 1548

The Fool Has Appeared in Art for Centuries. What Do These Portrayals of the Complex Character Say About Us?

A new exhibition at the Louvre takes visitors on a visual journey, exploring how the figure of the fool evolved between the Middle Ages and the 19th century

Experts are currently examining the sword in a lab.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth Early Medieval Sword Engraved With Mysterious Runes in a Cemetery in England

Dating to the fifth and sixth centuries C.E., the burials held a trove of grave goods—but the team was particularly impressed by the sword, which was covered in intricate decorations

This gold ring features an engraving of Venus Victrix, or Venus the Victorious, a Romanized aspect of the goddess associated with imperial power and romantic conquests alike.

Cool Finds

Exceptionally Well-Preserved Gold Ring Featuring ‘Venus the Victorious’ Unearthed on Ancient Road in France

In addition to the 1,800-year-old piece of engraved jewelry, archaeologists discovered a trove of Carolingian coins, medieval pottery and more

In the early ninth century, a Frankish courtier used a story of demonic possession to criticize the realm’s leaders for their “manifold sins.”

How a Tale of Demonic Possession Predicted the Decline of an Early Medieval Empire

A new book examines the rise and fall of the Carolingian dynasty, discussing how people across social classes understood the momentous history of their day

Corfe Castle as seen from the main bridge

Visitors Can See the View From Henry I’s Tower at Corfe Castle for the First Time in Nearly Four Centuries

Located in southern England, the king’s quarters haven’t been open to the public since the castle’s destruction during the English Civil War in the 1640s

The coin features the bust of Honorius on one side. The other side depicts a person holding a banner or flag with a cross on it.

Cool Finds

This Mysterious Gold Pendant Featuring a Misspelled Inscription Is an Early Medieval Imitation of a Roman Coin

A metal detectorist in England discovered the unusual piece of jewelry, which was likely made in the late fifth or early sixth century C.E.

A portrait of Henry VIII, based on an original by Hans Holbein the Younger

On This Day in History

How Henry VIII’s Armies Defeated a Much Larger Scottish Force, Humiliating His Nephew, the King of Scotland

On this day in 1542, the Battle of Solway Moss left James V enfeebled and ill, clearing the way for his young daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, to claim the throne weeks later

King Arthur's Hall in Cornwall was named for the legendary leader of the Round Table.

New Research

Historians Thought This Was a Medieval Site Linked to King Arthur. It Turned Out to Be a Mysterious Monument Built 4,000 Years Earlier

Researchers have excavated King Arthur’s Hall, a rectangular enclosure in southwest England, and determined that it dates to at least 3000 B.C.E.

The Garden of Death, Hugo Simberg, 1896

See How Modern Artists Obsessed With Death and Darkness Looked to Medieval Gothic Artworks for Inspiration

A new exhibition in Helsinki spotlights the Gothic themes and influences that connected works by renowned late 19th- and early 20th-century artists

Over the past two years, roughly 20 wall engravings and 100 burn marks have been found at the historic residence.

Cool Finds

Tour Guide at Medieval Manor House Discovers Mysterious Etchings Meant to Repel Evil, Trap Demons and Curse Enemies

A “staggering array” of markings have been hiding in plain sight carved into the walls of Gainsborough Old Hall, a 500-year-old home in Lincolnshire, England

Medieval women’s lives were “more vibrant than people expect,” says lead curator Eleanor Jackson, “and [visitors] will be surprised by the sheer variety of roles” that they occupied in the fields of politics, religion and the arts.

These Rare Artifacts Tell Medieval Women’s Stories in Their Own Words

A new exhibition at the British Library explores the public, private and spiritual lives of such figures as Joan of Arc, Christine de Pizan and Hildegard of Bingen

The ring was found on the floor of a Pictish house near Scotland's northern coast.

Cool Finds

Volunteer Discovers 1,000-Year-Old Ring on the Last Day of an Excavation in Scotland

The artifact likely belonged to the Picts, who occupied a large settlement in what is now the town of Burghead

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