Medieval Ages

X-Rays Reveal "Hidden Library" on the Spines of Early Books

Researchers are uncovering fragments of medieval texts used in early book binding

A page of a manuscript of Gregorian chants

Inside the Effort to Digitize Medieval Monks' Chants

Scanning and interpreting centuries-old manuscripts is a challenge because musical notation wasn't formalized yet

Research Reveals More Complete Picture of the Devastation Wrought by the Black Death

By examining pottery remains in over 50 rural settlements, archaeologists now better understand the extent that the population was wiped out by the plague

German beers have been under strict rules for 500 years.

Celebrating 500 Years of German’s Beer Purity Law

Germany's treasured—and controversial—rule has a fascinating past and an uncertain future

The Garden of Earthly Delights

Even 500 Years After His Death, Hieronymus Bosch Hasn’t Lost His Appeal

A trip to the painter’s hometown reminds us how his paintings remain frightfully timely

A Lady-in-Waiting of France strums her instrument on this card from The Courtly Household Cards (Das Hofämterspiel), created in c. 1450.

Lavishly Illustrated Medieval Playing Cards Flouted the Church and Law

Secular and religious officials alike frowned on card playing in Europe's Middle Ages

The ruins of an ancient Norse settlement still stand near Hvalsey Fjord in Greenland.

Did Climate Change Make the Norse Disappear From Greenland?

Evidence from glacial deposits adds a new twist to the tale of the mysterious lost settlements

Lead Poisoning Rampant for Wealthy Medieval Europeans

It wasn't just the Romans that accidentally poisoned themselves

A satirical 16th-century print showing a chastity belt

Medieval Chastity Belts Are a Myth

People probably chuckled just as much then about the idea as they do today

A 13th-Century Sword Is Giving Historians a Headache

The sword's inscription is an 800-year-old mystery

Evidence from reindeer combs, like the one above, hints that the Vikings may have traded with Denmark before they started raiding England.

Vikings Didn't Just Raid, They Traded Too

Reindeer artifacts found at Medieval market sites suggest the famed raiders tried the merchant thing first

An archeologist from Inrap excavates a mass grave below a supermarket in Paris

Scientists Investigate a Medieval Mass Grave Under a French Supermarket

Renovation work uncovered hundreds of individuals, perhaps all killed by disease at the same time

Armor from the Old Arsenal Museum (Altes Zeughaus) in Solothurn, Switzerland

Here’s How to Fight Wearing 15th Century Armor

Experts demonstrate some moves in a video while wearing full suits of plate armor

This Nasty Medieval Remedy Kills MRSA

An ancient brew could lead to modern-day drugs to fight the superbug

Mostly the Old And Ill Ate Breakfast Until the Rise of the Working Man

Romans disdained the meal, few ate it in the Middle Ages, but most eat breakfast now

A quarantine official at Beijing's international airport stands behind a banner notifying incoming passengers from West Africa' to use a specific lane

The Long History of Disease and the Fear of the “Other”

Reactionary quarantines and travel bans are far older than the current Ebola scares

A hourd in Carcassonne

The Medieval Origin Story of the Balcony

Architect/historian Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc suggested that the balcony was forged in the heat of battle.

A female German fighter rests after competing in the first World International Medieval Combat Championship.

The World Championships in Medieval Combat

Steps from a 15th century Spanish castle, combatants took to arms

A scientist examines a 1500-year-old tooth from a Justinian plague victim in the lab.

Bubonic Plague Family Tree Sheds Light on the Risk of New Outbreaks

The Black Death and the Justinian Plague arose separately from the same pathogen. Could a new strain emerge in the future?

Definitely sinning right now.

How Medieval People Decided Whether Sex Was Acceptable or Not

Spoiler alert: your sex is definitely Medievally sinful

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