St. Serf's Church Tower, Dunning, Perthshire: Data Structure Report

This report describes excavations undertaken as part of the SERF project. A small trench was excavated along the north wall of the tower of St Serf’s Church, Dunning. The tower was shown to be of the same 12th-century date of construction as the church, as it was bonded into the nave in its lower courses. Part of the north wall of the tower re-used an earlier structure as a foundation, providing rare evidence for a pre-12th century stone building. An earlier burial running under this foundation shows earlier activity on a different alignment, presumably dating to the early medieval period. Later medieval burials were also found. Details of the construction of the medieval church were uncovered

Formulaic women?: The disparity between the 12th century reality of noblewomen in England and the 12th century chronicles\u27 depiction of English noblewomen

This thesis seeks to examine the degree to which 12th century chronicles do or do not accurately represent the position of 12th century noblewomen in England. Since the chroniclers partly based their women on what had been written before, the extent to which the 12th century chronicles follow the two borrowed motifs of women as intellectuals and warriors from their sources will also be discussed. The works of Geoffrey of Monmouth, William of Malmesbury, Orderic Vitalis, and William of Newburgh represent the 12th century chronicles. This thesis will also look at the chroniclers’ Latin sources, specifically Bede, Virgil, and Ovid. Ultimately, the male authors of the 12th century chronicles both depended on earlier sources and also crafted their women to conform to contemporary ideas of female acceptability. They made them more plausible for their era by altering the two motifs in four main ways: by an emphasis on familial ties, by the inclusion of all noblewomen, by acknowledgement of the current political situation, and by the addition of contemporary details

Estakhr Project - Third preliminary report of the joint Mission of the Iranian center for archaeological research, the Parsa-Pasargadae research foundation and the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

This report presents the preliminary results of the study of the pottery collected during the excavation campaign carried out in 2012 in the framework of the joint Iranian-Italian Archaeological Mission in Estakhr. The ceramic finds relate to a time span ranging from the 9th to the 12th century, corresponding to the occupation phases identified within the stratigraphy. Moreover, the use of archaeometry made it possible to identify both imported and locally manufactured wares

Ceramic resource disc: later pottery & porcelain from Ronaldson Wharf Leith

The Leith Ronaldson’s Wharf excavations carried out by the City of Edinburgh Archaeological Servicein 1997. This large urban excavation covered two large areas either side of the medieval main street Sandport Street laid out formally in the 12th century overlying and incorporating the pre burgh fishing settlement and port. The excavations uncovered extensive remains dating from the early foundation of the settlement (thought to be in the 10/11th centuries) up to the 20th century

Maltese medical Pauline traditions

The advent of the apostle Paul and evangelist Luke to the Maltese Islands in 60 AD led to the development of a number of pseudo-historic and medical beliefs that apparently saw their rise around the 12th century and reached a climax during the 17-18th centuries when an indigenous materia medica known as terra sigillata melitensis was being prepared and exported overseas. This eventually fell into disrepute by the latter half of the 19th century.peer-reviewe

Religion, Mathematics and Nothing

The concept of "nothing" is important in both mathematics and theology. Its most obvious use in mathematics is in the number zero which arrived in Western Europe in the 12th Century. In theology it features significantly in the dogma of creaho ex nihilo, which was taught by a Council in 1215 c.e. Noting the relative proximity of these two events leads to the research task described in this essay: an exploration of the influence of mathematics on theology, with respect to the notion of nothing

Religion, Mathematics and Nothing

The concept of "nothing" is important in both mathematics and theology. Its most obvious use in mathematics is in the number zero which arrived in Western Europe in the 12th Century. In theology it features significantly in the dogma of creaho ex nihilo, which was taught by a Council in 1215 c.e. Noting the relative proximity of these two events leads to the research task described in this essay: an exploration of the influence of mathematics on theology, with respect to the notion of nothing

A small intruder. A Medieval marble winged lion from Ravello

An image of a 12th century marble winged lion was provocatively included among the slides accompanying a lecture by the author at a recent conference at the American Academy in Rome to illustrate Umberto Scerrato’s work on Islamic archaeology and art history in Italy. The lion, in fact, was never published by Scerrato, but it and a winged bull, both once featuring as ornaments on the “Moresque Fountain” in Ravello (originally from a medieval building most likely from Ravello itself), are the subject of this brief article. They are of undeniable Islamic taste

Tundale’s Vision: Socialization in 12th Century Ireland

The purpose of this project is to explore the historical image of Hell in Medieval Europe as an agent of socialization for illiterate Christian communities. The project focuses on a literary work, Tundale’s Vision, written in 1149 C.E in Cashel, Ireland. Tundale’s Vision came from a genre of vision literature derived from popular oracular folk tradition surrounding the image of Hell that served the purpose of socializing Christian communities to certain social norms and stigmas presented by the author. Vision literature would be used by preachers in vernacular sermons throughout the Medieval period in order to reinforce moral and social messages presented in to their congregations, and it drew much of its themes and imagery from folk traditions in order to be more relatable to local communities. This research provides a historical context from which this genre of literature emerged including a discourse on how it gained power as an agent of socialization in Medieval Europe. Time is devoted to the historical state of what are generally considered primary agents of socialization in human societies throughout Medieval Europe, and research reveals that much of these agents, aside from religion, were inaccessible to the majority of Medieval Europeans, especially those of the lower class. Additionally, this project provides information on the rise in popularity of the artistic image of Hell in the Medieval period. The analysis of Tundale’s Vision, a work that emerged from this environment saturated with artistic depictions of Hell, reconstructs potential social norms and stigmas of 12th century Ireland relating to a contemporary reform movement within the Irish Christian church. This analysis provides the historical origin of many images commonly associated with the popular Medieval conception of Hell as it appears in Tundale’s Vision, and it analyzes the use of the fear of a painful afterlife in order spread and reinforce ideals presented by the Christian Church. Much of this project draws from the scholarly works of Gwenfair Adams and John Seymour who produced research concerning Tundale’s Vision, other works of vision literature, and their impact on Medieval Christian communities. The power of religious artwork in the process of socialization in Medieval Ireland should become apparent throughout this work

Hildegard of Bingen – 12th Century Feminist Mystic

Hildegard of Bingen is one of history’s remarkable people. Born into German nobility in 1098, Hildegard began having mystical visions at an early age and saw God as light. Hildegard chose a spiritual life and entered a religious cloister at fifteen. There she was educated, studying many subjects, including Latin and music. In 1136 Hildegard became the prioress. The confines of the cloister did not stop Hildegard from becoming a major theological force. She wrote books on theology and medicine, authored plays, and composed music. Theologically, Hildegard contributed to the development of the theological construction of the concept of purgatory. She was a healer, providing medical treatment, particularly to women. Her music is still played and recorded today. Hildegard was also a prolific writer of letters. She engaged in exceptional correspondence with political leaders, priests, bishops, archbishops and even Pope Eugene III. Unlike other women who rarely spoke publicly, Hildegard was a popular preacher who actively denounced clerical corruption. This caused contentious relationships with corrupt clerics. As a mystic, Hildegard received visions. In her visions she obtained divine inspiration. She also used her visions against her opponents. She died in 1179. After her death, many efforts were made to confirm her as a Saint. In 2012, to remove any doubt whether Hildegard was a Saint, Pope Benedict XVI formally declared that Hildegard of Bingen is a canonized saint