SCAtoday.net
Pondering Ponce de León
The State of Florida is celebrating its 500th birthday, including debates about the exploration of Juan Ponce de León, who landed on the peninsula on April 2, 1513. St. Augustine is the traditional site of the landing, but historian Douglas Peck believes otherwise.
LIDAR may reveal camp of Hadrian's Wall builders
The study of a series of old LIDAR (light detection and ranging) aerial photos has led to the discovery of what may be a camp of the men who constructed Hadrian's Wall. The find could change the way historians view civilian life in Roman Britain.
Delights from Richard's table
Popular British chef, and "self-confessed medieval foodie," Clarissa Dickson Wright takes on the cooking of the 14th century when she prepares dishes from Britain's oldest known cookbook, The Forme of Cury, written during the reign of King Richard II.
Cottage wall plate "discovery of a lifetime"
Dorset auctioneer Richard Bromell had an Antiques Roadshow moment recently when he was told that a plate, "found hanging on a makeshift wire frame in a Somerset cottage" was a 16th century original maiolica, bringing over £500,000 at auction. (photo)
Mathematics solves mystery of Viking craftsmanship
Historians and craftsmen have long pondered the absolute regularity of Viking jewelry made from twisted rods of gold and silver, but a new theory by Kasper Olsen and Jakob Bohr at the Technical University of Denmark may have solved the puzzle: mathematics.
King Edmund under the tennis court?
King Edmund of England, later St. Edmund after being shot by Viking raiders in the 9th century, might be buried under the tennis courts at Bury St Edmunds, once the Abbey graveyard. After Richard III, some historians would like to know.
Richard III letter auctioned for UK£35,000
A rare document bearing the signature of Richard III before he was king was auctioned recently, bringing nearly UK£35,000. The document signed "R. Gloucestre" was written when the duke was in his twenties and involves a "land dispute between Ralph Neville, 2nd Earl of Westmorland, and some of his tenants."
Treasure shoe found in Rotterdam
Dutch archaeologists were surprised by the recent discovery of a shoe, dating to the 15th or 16th century, during excavation of a wall in Rotterdam's town hall. More interesting still was that the shoe was stuffed with 477 silver coins. (photo)
Roman fare at Vindolanda
British chef John Crouch is an expert on Roman cookery. Recently he shared his knowledge with visitors to the Roman Army Museum at Vindolanda, along Hadrian's Wall, through a series of events that allowed participants to "sample a taste for themselves of the Roman diet."
Hadrian's Wall to get new visitor center
Northumberland National Park Authority and Youth Hostel Association have teamed up to back a new visitor center and youth hostel for Hadrian's Wall. More than UK£10m will be spent on the project.
The intriguing history of the English home
In a BBC 4 series If Walls Could Talk, Dr Lucy Worsley, the chief curator of the Historic Royal Palaces in England, looks at the history of the home, its rooms, and their intriguing history. Video episodes are also available on YouTube.
"The Sons of Calontir" at The CalonSound Project
Mathurin reports that Ld. Johann Steinarsson's song "The Sons of Calontir" is now available at The CalonSound Project website.
Drink like a Nord!
Those interested in Nordic culture, especially when it comes to brewing, may want to take a look at a scholarly article by Christie L. Ward entitled Norse Drinking Traditions, delivered to the Alexandrian Company Symposium on Food and Festival in the Middle Ages. The paper is available to read or download on Scribd, the digital book and document website.
Scoliosis and its medieval cure
The discovery of the remains of King Richard III of England has led to the discussion of the king's scoliosis, "a lateral or side-to-side curvature of the spine," easily seen in the skeleton, and the techniques that would have been available to "cure" it.
Rapier at Unsung Heroes
Mathurin, from the Kingdom of Calontir, reports that a small album of photos of CalontirSteel shot at the Unsung Heroes event is now available to view on Google+.
Knight's grave may be part of family crypt
Seven skeletons have been unearthed under a car park in Edinburgh, Scotland, where a knight's grave has previously been found. The skeletons include women and children, leading archaeologists to conclude that it may be a family burial crypt.
Livres de perchage chronicle Guernsey properties
For years, Guernsey resident Hugh Lenfestey spent time collecting detailed local manorial records and creating a map of the island's fiefs. After his death, his family has donated his records, dating from the 15th century, to the Island Archive. (photos)
Northshield Spring 2013 Coronation photos online
Gwen reports that she has created an album of photos from the Kingdom of Northshield's Spring 2013 Coronation. The photos are available on a public Facebook page.
The history of pub signs
Most people recognize, with a smile, the beautifully-carved, and imaginatively-named pub signs that grace the English landscape, but few realize that the signs date back to the Romans. The Inn Sign Society offers a history of pub signs, along with some nice examples, on its website.
SCA: “They just don’t get to read about history. They get to do it.”
“I love seeing how people can really get into their character and become someone from the Middle Ages,they just don’t get to read about history. They get to do it.” said Isabella Beatrice della Rosa (Melissa Wobig) to reporter Chris Mueller of The Daily Republic (Mitchell, South Dakota) about SCA members. Mueller covered the recent Coronation in the Kingdom of Northshield. (photo)