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A Look at the Roots of The Witcher’s Creepiest Creatures

We all know we’re supposed to toss coins to our witcher, but don’t forget there’s a reason why (it’s not just because Henry Cavill is cool). The witcher is a monster slayer who hunts down and incapacitates creatures from Andrzej Sapkowski’s series—creatures based on actual folklore. Netflix has released an explainer breaking down the reality … Continued

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How Medieval People Tried to Dance Away the Plague

It was a warm June day in 1374 in the medieval town of Aix-Ia-Chapelle, present-day Aachen, Germany, when the dancing started. It was the holy feast of St. John the Baptist, which aligns with the pagan celebration of Midsummer during the summer solstice. Traditionally, St. John’s Day was a day of rest and worship for … Continued

ScienceHuman History

The Ouroboros, From Antiquity to AI

The Ouroboros—which symbolizes the cyclical nature of life and death and the divine essence that lives on forever—was first recorded in the Egyptian Book of the Netherworld. Alchemists then adopted the symbol into their mystical work of physical and spiritual transformation. After chemistry supplanted its more mystical forebear, alchemy, the Ouroboros was largely forgotten. That … Continued

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A Medievalist’s Guide to Decoding The Witcher’s Monsters

Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher is getting a lot of attention these days and come December 20, you can expect even more. Let’s explore the medieval folklore that inspired The Witcher saga—the monsters, the heroics, and the trouble with being a freelance monster hunter. Netflix’s upcoming series The Witcher, based on Polish author Sapkowski’s bestselling series … Continued

ScienceHuman History

Cannonballs Likely Used by Vlad the Impaler Found in Bulgarian Fortress

Archaeologists in Bulgaria are claiming to have uncovered stone cannonballs used during Vlad III Dracula’s assault on the historic Zishtova Fortress. The unusually cruel military commander—famously known as Vlad the Impaler—wrested the stronghold from the Ottoman Turks in 1461. Zishtova Fortress, which dates back to the 13th and 14th century AD, sits atop a hill … Continued

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A Medievalist’s Guide to Magic and Alchemy in A Discovery of Witches 

For a medievalist like myself, it doesn’t get much better than Deborah Harkness’s A Discovery of Witches. Both the internationally bestselling trilogy and the newly adapted TV show have many of the conventions of a kickass fantasy story. There’s a 1,500-year-old vampire, a powerful witch who can literally make it rain, and their prophesied love … Continued

ScienceHuman History

Blue Pigment in 1,000-Year-Old Teeth Links Women to the Production of Medieval Manuscripts

Traces of a rare and expensive blue pigment, called ultramarine, have been detected in the teeth of a woman who died in Germany nearly 1,000 years ago. The discovery suggests women played a more prominent role in the production of manuscripts during the medieval period, and that ultramarine was more available in Europe than previously … Continued

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Skull Soup, Viking Tech, and More: The Wildest Archaeological Discoveries of 2018

Archaeologists dug up a lot of cool stuff in 2018, but they dug up a lot of weird, disgusting, and disturbing stuff as well. Here are the strangest archaeology stories the year had to offer. No doubt, 2018 was a banner year for archaeology. It was a year that witnessed the discovery of a 50,000-year-old … Continued

ScienceHuman History

Medieval Skeleton Wearing Leather Thigh-High Boots Found in River Thames

Archaeologists in London, England have uncovered a dramatic 500-year-old male skeleton lying face-down in the mud of the River Thames. Extraordinarily, the skeleton is still wearing his thigh-high leather boots. Researchers from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) stumbled upon the mysterious skeleton while conducting excavations at Chambers Wharf in Bermondsey, a site that’s being … Continued

Tech News

Medieval Cheater’s Dice With Double Fours and Fives Found in Norway

Six-sided dice date back nearly 5,000 years to ancient Persia, so finding 600-year-old dice in Norway isn’t anything special. But this recently discovered dice—with its conspicuously absent one-side and two-side—is unique, pointing to some Medieval-era shenanigans. This cheater’s dice was discovered at a dig in Bergen, Norway by archaeologists from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural … Continued

ScienceHuman History

Dead Medieval Woman ‘Gave Birth’ to Baby in Coffin

Italian archaeologists have uncovered a Medieval grave containing the remains of a woman and a fetus lying between her legs. It’s a grim example of a “coffin birth,” say the researchers, but there’s even more to this horrific Middle Ages tragedy than that. Archaeology is often a lot like forensics. Investigators come across a scene … Continued

Tech News

The Haunting Face of a Man Who Lived 700 Years Ago

This may look like a photograph, but the highly realistic face staring back at you belongs to a man who died over 700 years ago. The researchers who performed this unbelievable facial reconstruction say their work is providing new details about the way ordinary people lived in medieval England. This 13th-century man—dubbed “Context 958″—is one … Continued

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Medieval Skeleton Found Dangling From the Roots of a Fallen Tree

After a violent storm ripped through the Irish town of Collooney, locals were shocked to discover the remains of a 1,000-year-old skeleton hanging from the roots of a fallen tree. The body, which belonged to a young man who appears to have died a violent death, was found beneath a 200-year-old beech tree. In a … Continued

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Medieval Combat Has Been Turned Into An International Sport

For the past five years, medieval combat enthusiasts have gathered together for the Battle of Nations — a for-real, full contact competition with actual weapons, metal armor, and a standardized set of rules. It’s an effort to turn medieval combat into an actual sport. The Battle of Nations, founded in 2009, is held in a … Continued

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200 Skeletons Have Been Discovered Beneath A Supermarket In Paris

Archaeologists in Paris have found the skeletal remains of 200 individuals laid out neat rows in a communal grave. The site, once the cemetery of a hospital that operated from the 12th to 17th Century, is now a supermarket. The Monoprix Réaumur-Sébastopol supermarket called in archaeologists from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research … Continued

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Rare Medieval Manuscripts On Ancient War Machines Are Now Online

The British Library has just added several Greek manuscripts to its online collection, including a lavishly illustrated, 16th century compilation of treatises on warfare, which detail the science and tactics of siegecraft. Such ancient works on military machines were a source of fascination during this era, not only because of their historic interest, but also … Continued

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An 11-year-old Chinese boy has discovered a 3,000-year-old bronze sword in a river in Jiangsu Province. Archaeologists have dated the weapon to either the Shang or Zhou dynasties — the dawn of Chinese civilization. The 26 cm (10″) long sword appears to be of both decorative and practical use. A major dig is now planned … Continued

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Were Medieval Trials By Combat Like The Ones On Game Of Thrones?

Dr. Steven Isaac is a professor of medieval history at Longwood University in Virginia. In this essay, he puts the concept of trial by combat we see in Game of Thrones in a historical context. If you’re not caught up on the current season, there are spoilers below. Game of Thrones Trial by Combat: An … Continued

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Medieval Manuscripts Depict The Taxonomy Of Dragons

The British Library is commemorating St. George’s Day with an extraordinary gallery of dragon illustrations culled from its digitized medieval manuscript collection. The online bestiary reveals dragons in all their forms, ranging from the familiar Smaug variety to lizard-like animals with duck feet to winged leonine creatures. Dragons were near-ubiquitous in medieval manuscripts, serving as … Continued

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The Mysterious “Accidental Mummies” of Medieval Siberia

Russian archaeologists are once again digging at Zeleniy Yar, a remote excavation site near the Arctic circle. This same site produced nearly a dozen extraordinary mummies a few years ago — including unintentionally preserved corpses wearing copper masks. The researchers are now hoping to learn more about this mysterious northern community. Early last decade, Russian … Continued