Archaeological dig uncovers Anglesey Abbey’s past

Archaeological dig uncovers Anglesey Abbey’s past: Chapel Wall underneath garden wall. 

Picture: NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/SHANNON HOGAN

The project by the National Trust and Oxford Archaeology East was started to develop a better understanding of the site’s previous roles as a medieval hospital and Augustinian Priory.

After starting in March, work on the project was drawn to a close early as the country responded to the coronavirus outbreak. But early finds have already shone light on the history of the site.

Geophysical survey results and parch marks identified from aerial photographs have revealed the outline of buildings which appear to be a priory church and cloister, believed to have been originally built in the thirteenth century.

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X-ray analysis of artefacts from Henry VIII’s warship, the Mary Rose, sheds new light on their construction and conservation

• Surface chemistry of chainmail links from the wrecked warship Mary Rose analysed using state-of-the-art X-ray facility
• Team led by Universities of Warwick and Ghent reveals composition of the armour and extent of corrosion since recovery from the seabed
• Traces of lead and gold hint at further history to be unearthed
• Research confirms the effectiveness of the conservation techniques used

21st century X-ray technology has allowed University of Warwick scientists to peer back through time at the production of the armour worn by the crew of Henry VIII’s favoured warship, the Mary Rose.

Three artefacts believed to be remains of chainmail recovered from the recovered hull have been analysed by an international team of scientists led by the Universities of Warwick and Ghent using a state-of-the-art X-ray facility called XMaS (X-ray Materials Science) beamline.

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The British Museum is displaying 4 million items from its collection online

Photograph: The Lewis Chessmen. © The Trustees of the British Museum

Got some browsing time on your hands? Load up the British Museum’s website. Yesterday the museum decided to do an earlier-than-planned unveil of its revamped online collection. It’s now the biggest database of any museum in the world, with more than 4 million objects to click through. 

The collection features the museum’s most famous artefacts, like the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon Sculptures, along with every item the institution holds from Ancient Egypt. 

But there are some new additions too – including 280,000 new object photographs that are being published for the first time. Among them are images of 73 portraits by Damien Hirst and a watercolour by the Pre-Raphaelite Dante Gabriel Rossetti that until recently had been thought lost. You can also look for works by Kara Walker, William Hogarth and Rembrandt in a digital archive of 75,000 art prints. If you’re more into coins, they have about 50,000 of those – medieval, Tudor, the works. Fill your boots. 

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X-ray analysis of artifacts from Henry VIII's warship the Mary Rose

The Mary Rose. Credit: Johnny Black

21st century X-ray technology has allowed University of Warwick scientists to peer back through time at the production of the armor worn by the crew of Henry VIII's favored warship, the Mary Rose.

Three artifacts believed to be remains of chainmail recovered from the recovered hull have been analyzed by an international team of scientists led by the Universities of Warwick and Ghent using a state-of-the-art X-ray facility called XMaS (X-ray Materials Science) beamline.

They analyzed three brass links as part of continuing scientific investigations into the artifacts recovered during the excavation of the wreck in the Solent. These links have often been found joined to make a sheet or a chain and are most likely to be from a suit of chainmail armor. By using several X-ray techniques available via the XMaS beamline to examine the surface chemistry of the links, the team were able to peer back through time to the armor's production and reveal that these links were manufactured from an alloy of 73% copper and 27% zinc.

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Iron Age jewellery found in Shropshire declared treasure

The medieval brooch dates from 1200 - 1300AD

Image copyright BRITISH MUSEUM'S PORTABLE ANTIQUITIES SCHEME

An Iron Age ring and a Medieval brooch, both found in Shropshire, have been declared as treasure.

The gold ring, which dates from 400 to 200BC, was only the sixth of its kind found in Britain.

Coroner John Ellery declared the items treasure during inquests believed to be the first in the county to have been held via video link.

Shropshire Museums has expressed an interest in acquiring both items to put on display.

The ring was discovered by metal detectorist Christopher Mussell in Frodesley in south Shropshire.

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Archäologen entdecken mittelalterlichen Hof bei Pipeline-Bau

Werne-Stockum. Auf der Trasse werden die freigebaggerten mittelalterlichen Befunde zügig archäologisch bearbeitet. (Foto: EggensteinExca/G. Eggenstein)

Das untersuchte Areal liegt in Werne-Stockum, auch heute steht hier in der Nähe ein Hof. Hier wird gerade eine Gasleitung mit dem Startpunkt nördlich des Kraftwerks Gersteinwerk in Werne gebaut. Von dort verläuft die Trasse östlich bis nach Hamm-Bockum-Hövel. "Bei Anlage der Sondage und der dann notwendigen Erweiterung auf Breite der Pipelinetrasse entdeckten wir insgesamt 52 unterschiedliche archäologische Befunde", so der Inhaber der beauftragten Grabungsfachfirma, Dr. Georg Eggenstein. "Diese Befunde, deutlich erkennbare dunkle Grubenverfüllungen im hellen Sand, erstreckten sich im Verlauf der Trasse auf mehr als 100 Meter." Die dunklen Stellen im Erdreich zeigen den Experten, dass hier vermutlich hölzerne Pfostenbauten gestanden haben. Einen Hausgrundriss konnten die Archäologinnen erkennen, vermutlich ein landwirtschaftliches Nebengebäude.

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Science Notes – Leprosy in medieval England

Foot bones of C21, showing lesions typical of leprosy 

[Image: Jo Buckberry, University of Bradford]

Analysis of medieval skeletons from two sites, one in Chichester and another in Raunds Furnells, has identified the presence of Mycobacterium leprae DNA – signs of leprosy in medieval England.

Also known as Hansen’s disease, leprosy is a slowly progressive infection that produces lesions and damages the nerves. It is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae or, in a minority of cases, M. lepromatosis. There are several different strains of M. leprae, currently grouped under six main branches that reflect their geographical distribution. A new study in the Journal of Archaeological Science (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2019.105035) has shed light on the presence of leprosy in medieval England and the distribution of different subtypes of the disease – as we will explore in Science Notes.

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The 7 mysterious ‘lost towns’ of East Anglia

The remains of Dunwich's Greyfriars Picture: Phil Morley

Discover the settlements that time forgot - and then remembered again thanks to the power of archaeology

It’s well-known that the region of East Anglia is steeped in a deep and fascinating history. Home to an array of ancient ruins and deserted settlements, the area has been graced by the footsteps of many – including the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and the Iceni tribe.

We spoke to Dr Andrew Rogerson, former senior archaeologist at Norfolk Historic Environment Service, who helped us delve deeper into some of the towns and villages that have been ‘lost’ to time – and brought back to life once again thanks to the wonders of archaeological exploration. Dr Rogerson said: “None of these places have been ‘rediscovered’ – they have never really gone away. Until the 1950s, very little attention was paid to the archaeology of medieval, as opposed to prehistoric and Roman settlements.”

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NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS : LES ARCHÉOLOGUES DE L’INRAP MOBILISÉS

À l’occasion du premier anniversaire de l’incendie, le documentaire « Sauver Notre-Dame » est diffusé, mardi 14 avril, sur France 2. L’Inrap, l’un des coproducteurs du film, est immédiatement intervenu à l’intérieur de Notre-Dame pour fouiller dans la nef, l’ensemble des matériaux effondrés (poutres, pierres, métal), à l’aide d'engins téléguidés et de relevés photogrammétriques.

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Chislehurst Caves – The 35km Cave City in London

Chislehurst Caves art Sculpture – Credit : barclakj

Chislehurst Caves is an extensive complex of subterranean tunnels of uncertain origin that stretch up to 35km in the suburbs of south London in Chislehurst, Bromley.
Despite being called caves, they are entirely man-made and were probably first constructed as a mine to extract the flint deposits in the London chalk layers.

It has been suggested that part of the cave system dates from up to 8000 years ago, but the first recorded mention was actually noted in medieval documents of circa 1250AD and in post-medieval church records of 1737AD.

The last known date of active mining in the caves was around the mid 19th century. An Ordnance Survey map of 1862–63 describes the place as a “chalk pit” and marks an “engine house” and two remaining kilns used for the extraction of flint and lime.

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Editor’s pick: 11 fascinating articles on the Normans you can read right now

Cnut’s invasion of England: setting the scene for the Norman conquest
The 1066 battle of Hastings is one of the most famous dates in medieval history. But it is often forgotten that the Norman conquest was preceded by another invasion of England some 50 years earlier – led by Danish warrior Cnut in 1015–16. This piece by medieval blogger Dr Eleanor Parker on Cnut’s invasion of England in 1013 sets the scene for the events later in the 11th century very nicely.

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Rail workers discover a 14th century cave while making repairs in England

The cave was discovered when workers were making repairs after a landslip.

Workers discovered a 14th century cave and drawings while doing construction on a railroad in Great Britain earlier this week, adding to the other historic finds they previously uncovered.

The workers were repairing a landslip near Guildford in Surrey, England, when they discovered the cave, according to NetworkRail, which owns and runs Britain's railway infrastructure.

A specialist archaeological contractor suggested the cave may have been used in Medieval times as a shrine or hermitage associated with St. Catherine's Chapel. The ruins of the early 14th century chapel sit on a hill nearby the railroad.

The cave may have been much bigger in its prime, but it seems only a small section survived, according to experts who examined the findings. The drawings show a Gothic niche decorated in dots with a Christian cross over to the side.

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Landslide unveils cave with medieval shrine at side of railway

Network Rail were fixing a landslip when engineers unearthed a small cave believed to be from the 14th century (Picture: PA)

A team of rail workers have discovered what is believed to be a medieval shrine from the 14th century. 

Engineers were fixing a landslip near Guildford in Surrey when they found the small cave. 

Archaeologists believe it may be linked to the ruins of the Chapel of St Catherine, which are located on a nearby hill. 

The cave is made up of several sections between 30cm and 70cm high but may have been much larger in the past.

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World's earliest record of the F-word is discovered in manuscript written by bored Scottish student in 1568 locked away in the vault of the National Library of Scotland

The National Library of Scotland contains the Bannatyne Manuscript. Dating back to the 16th century, the manuscript contains the earliest recorded use of the F-word

The world's earliest recorded use of the F-word lies in a Scottish manuscript penned by a bored student who was in lockdown due to the plague.

A documentary airing on Tuesday will show off the Bannatyne Manuscript, which dates back to 1568 and is kept under lock and key in the National Library of Scotland. 

Scotland - Contains Strong Language will see singer Cora Bissett take a tour of her country and find out more about Scotland's relationship with swearing. 

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Black Death mass grave at Thornton Abbey

The mass grave was located within the monastic precinct, near a building believed to be the hospital chapel. [Image: University of Sheffield]

Analysis of a medieval mass grave excavated at Thornton Abbey, northern Lincolnshire, has confirmed that the people within it probably died during the Black Death in the 14th century – a discovery of national importance, offering unique insights into how the pandemic affected rural communities.

The outbreak of bubonic plague known as the Black Death killed between a third and half of England’s population between 1348 and 1349, but archaeological evidence is still relatively scarce. While a few mass graves associated with the disease have been found in urban settings, it was previously assumed that lower overall numbers of deaths in the countryside would have made it easier for rural populations to carry on using normal burial practices. The discovery at Thornton Abbey shows that this was not always the case.

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New film tells story of iconic Hound Tor mediaeval village

The team (left to right): Global Focus’s cameraman Simon Hammett, assistant Seb FitzHenry, DNPA Community Engagement Officer Emma Stockley, Historian David Stone and Global Focus Producer/Director Joe Metcalf.

A new film exploring the fascinating history of one of the most famous deserted villages in England has been released by Dartmoor National Park.

‘Medieval Houndtor: A Contested Landscape’ tells the story of Hound Tor Mediaeval village and celebrates the contribution pioneering female archaeologist Marie Minter made towards our understanding and conservation of Dartmoor’s heritage.

The film is available to watch now via Dartmoor National Park’s YouTube channel.

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Medieval Cattle Raiders

(© British Library Board/Robana/Art Resource, NY)Cattle, 14th-century Irish manuscript

It was not enough for medieval Irish lords to own cows, they also had to steal them. “Stealing cows was important in this society,” says archaeologist Daniel Curley of the National University of Ireland Galway. “It was a ready source of wealth, a slight to opponents’ honor and power, and a pseudo-martial sport.” In fact, pilfering the animals is the central theme of Ireland’s national epic, the Cattle Raid of Cooley, which was composed in the seventh and eighth centuries. It tells the tale of a conflict between the kings of Connacht and the kings of Ulster over the Brown Bull of Cooley, which was owned by Daire, an Ulster chieftain.

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