Books to be written, books to be destroyed - Medieval News Roundup

Our collection of interesting news, videos and tweets about the Middle Ages.

Finally, check out this image of the November issue of Vogue Paris, where Adriana Lima shows off some 'neo-armor' from Dolce & Gabbana.

Historian uncovers cases of ransoms paid to Vikings in the 11th century

How much were two women worth in 11th century Iberia? For the Vikings the price was a blanket of wolf skin, a sword, a shirt, three scarves, a cow and some salt.

This fascinating story is part of research done by Helio Pires from the New University of Lisbon. His article, “Money for Freedom: Ransom Paying to Vikings in Western Iberia”, appears in the latest issue of Viking and Medieval Scandinavia.

Pires’ article examines the taking of prisoners and collecting of ransoms by Vikings on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula. He was able to uncover two documents, dating from the first half of the 11th century, where people described the payments they made to Vikings to return family members.

Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net

Fourth-century Hebrew inscription discovered in Portugal

Archaeologists of the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena found one of the oldest archaeological evidence so far of Jewish Culture on the Iberian Peninsula at an excavation site in the south of Portugal, close to the city of Silves (Algarve). On a marble plate, measuring 40 by 60 centimetres, the name “Yehiel” can be read, followed by further letters which have not yet been deciphered.

The Jena Archaeologists believe that the new discovery might be a tomb slab. Antlers, which were found very close to the tomb slab in the rubble gave a clue to the age determination.

“The organic material of the antlers could be dated by radiocarbon analysis with certainty to about 390 AD,” excavation leader Dr. Dennis Graen of the Jena University explains. “Therefore we have a so-called ‘terminus ante quem’ for the inscription, as it must have been created before it got mixed in with the rubble with the antlers.”

Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net

11th century medallion from Portugal found in a shark off Malaysia

A medieval medallion, believed to be from the 11th century, was found in the stomach of a baby shark in southern Malaysia, a news report said Wednesday.

The medallion, engraved with a profile of a woman on one side and a crucifix with inscription ANTONII on the other side, was recovered Tuesday by a housewife while cleaning the fish to be cooked.

The artifact was believed to have been worn by Portuguese soldiers, who colonized Malaysia in 1511, for divine protection.

Suseela Menon, 47, a resident of Klebang town in the state of Malacca, about 120 kilometres south of Kuala Lumpur, said she was cleaning the shark she bought from the market when she saw the medallion inside its stomach.

Click here to read this article from Times Live

The Inquisition featured on a special issue of Hispanic Research Journal

Hispanic Research Journal has released its February 2012 issue today, with a special issue entitled Negotiating Power in the Iberian Inquisitions: Courts, Crowns, and Creeds. Five articles dealing with the Spanish and Portuguese inquisitions are published in the issue, which will be freely available until mid-February.

The papers were originally contributions to a one-day conference held at the University of Oxford in March 2010. In their introduction to the issue, editors Tyler Fisher and Catarina Fouto write, ”while the Spanish Inquisition has long attracted the bulk of both scholarly and popular attention, its younger sibling, the Portuguese Inquisition (established in 1536), also played a major role in shaping Iberian influence in the Atlantic and beyond.”

Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net

Pousadas of Portugal: What do you do with old monasteries, castles and palaces? Turn them into inns with character

As the porter led us to our hotel room, we passed through a hall covered in intricate tiles depicting life in Portugal in the 1700s. Above us was a magnificent wooden ceiling that had survived for 850 years. We continued down a majestic hall that once housed the monks' cells in this 12th century monastery and which is now home to the guest rooms.

Scurrying behind the porter, we arrived at our room awestruck, having just been transported through eight centuries of history - far too much to absorb in just one passing. This is a feeling we experienced over and over again as we toured the pousadas of Portugal this fall, staying in hotels housed in monasteries, castles and palaces.

While the mention of Portugal often brings to mind the beaches of the Algarve, the country is also home to some of Europe's oldest civilizations. Lisbon, for example, dates to 1200 BC, making it one of the oldest cities in the world, predating London, Paris and Rome by hundreds of years. The pousadas marry this rich history with luxury to create a hotel experience like no other.

Click here to read this article from the Calgary Herald