Renaissance Faire can be a lot of fun – and a bit silly with all the jousting, drinking, bodic

(9/28/2009)

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“…yet regard chiefly the words rather than the Picture.” ~ Joseph Swetnam
First, a postulate is to maintain or assert that something is self-evident.  It is part of the fundamental element or basic principle of a logical argument.

Second, a primary source is an original text …

. . . . . 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.

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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.

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As the faire season draws to a close, I start to think of the last faire and cooking a Renaissance p

Most of the time, Carolyn Pace is a retired teacher living in Centerville with her husband Gary, also a retired teacher. But several times a year, Pace dons medieval garb and styles herself as Lady Giovanna Lena Caronna, Autocrat and…

…Pretending to be a knight is fun, but it’s a lot of hard work. The swords and lances we use are real. Even though the edges are blunted, there’s always a real chance for serious injury if they are not…

While sitting at home in the wonderful weather something dawned on me. I had not been to the New York Renaissance Faire since I was a teenager. Had it been that long? Now I have two kids of my own,…

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.

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Archaeological discoveries in Edinburgh originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Thursday, September 24th, 2009 at 00:44:01.

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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

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Restoration of church paintings complete originally appeared on About.com Medieval History on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 at 22:25:06.

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