Lost seal of Edward the Confessor found after being missing for 40 years An 11th-century Anglo-Saxon seal belonging to Edward the Confessor has been rediscovered more than 40 years after being declared lost. The wax impression of the ‘Saint-Denis seal’ disappeared without ...

Exciting times for the study 11thC England: the 'lost' seal of Edward the Confessor has been rediscovered in the Archives nationales de France! #SkyStorians #MedievalSky

Flyer for the Pictish Arts Society lecture on Friday 17 April 2026 at 7.30pm via Zoom. The title is ‘What can a writing systems approach bring to understanding Pictish symbols?’. The speaker is David Osgarby, PhD researcher, University of Glasgow. The abstract reads: 'Pictish Symbols exhibit many of the characteristic features of a writing system: there is a fixed inventory of symbols; these symbols repeat with varying frequencies; there is both stability and systematic change over time; and they occur in contexts where known writing systems are used in nearby contemporary traditions. Given that the evidence points towards Pictish Symbols as a writing system—expressing personal names in most preserved contexts—this presentation seeks to use the study of writing systems (grapholinguistics) to explore what could be said about the likely Pictish writing system.' The speaker bio reads: 'David Osgarby is a second year PhD Student at the University of Glasgow in the Department of Celtic & Gaelic supervised by Prof. Katherine Forsyth and Prof. Roibeard Ó Maolalaigh. His background is in linguistics and his research interests include documentary and descriptive linguistics, the comparative and theoretical study of writing systems, and decipherment methodologies.' The photograph is of David standing next to a Pictish Class I symbol stone from Aberlemno in Angus, with incised carvings of a 'horseshoe' and 'Pictish beast' symbols. A line at the bottom reads: 'Please note lectures are for PAS members only. To join the Society, please visit www.thepictishartssociety.org.uk/join-us.

The final lecture in our current season is not to be missed! David Osgarby, PhD researcher at @glasgow.ac.uk, will share a new approach to understanding the Pictish symbols as a writing system. Lectures are for members only, but there's still time to join: www.thepictishartssociety.org.uk/join-us

Stephen Baxter : a Memorial

George Garnett on Stephen Baxter @oxhistoryfaculty.bsky.social.
www.history.ox.ac.uk/stephen-baxt...

Great to see @davidpetts1.bsky.social will be giving the next Deerhurst Lecture.

For all those participating in the 'Harold boating' discourse...

‘A fascinating discovery’: research challenges Battle of Hastings narrative Harold may have sailed, not marched, in 1066, reshaping explanations for his defeat in England’s historic battle

I wonder how this theory will be received.
www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...

A door with a pointed arch in a brick and stone tower, with trees to the right and a church window to the left.

Probably the finest door in England for #AdoorableThursday - the Saxon doorway of the Holy Trinity church in Colchester, constructed in the 11th century from recycled Roman bricks.

Alfred the Great’s Indian Embassy

'Alfred the Great’s Indian Embassy:
How likely is it that Alfred the Great sent two emissaries to India in the ninth century?' - an article by me in History Today: www.historytoday.com/archive/hist...

Nice 🧵 #runes #epigraphy

There will be a memorial service for Prof. Stephen Baxter @oxhistoryfaculty.bsky.social on Saturday 13 June, 2.30pm in St Peter's College chapel. www.spc.ox.ac.uk/events/memor...

Uncover the extraordinary results of archaeological investigations at Rendlesham, Suffolk, which offer new perspectives on early English society and the origins of the English kingdoms. Pre-order your copy of this royally good read ➡️ bit.ly/4bareyK

This has been a slog but I’m pleased to day that I’m currently checking the proofs, which means this book will soon be out in the wild!

Storms reveal rare 2,000-year-old footprints on Scottish beach Storms which recently ravaged Britain's coastline have revealed 2,000-year-old footprints on an Angus beach - one of only a handful of locations in the UK where markings of this kind have ever been di...

Stunning work!

#Archaeology 🏺

www.abdn.ac.uk/news/25127/

Very pleased to have made a contribution to this volume - searching for possible early medieval royal nunneries in Pictland.

Very pleased to have made a contribution to this volume - searching for possible early medieval royal nunneries in Pictland.

New book on pre-order - 'Royalty and Ritual: The Landscape of Power in Early Medieval Scotland and Europe' edited by Professor Alex Sanmark ( @thinkuhi.bsky.social Institute for Northern Studies), Dr Mark Hall, Professor Jane Geddes & Dr Oisin Plumb (UHI INS)

tinyurl.com/2w43wrt5

DAY SYMPOSIUM: CELEBRATING THE STONE OF SCONE/DESTINY on 14 March 2026 comprises a day of papers at Perth Art Gallery, between 9.00am and 6.00pm, followed by an evening wine reception to visit the Stone on display in Perth Museum Scotland. Book now www.culturepk.org.uk/event/the-st...

Cover of Border Land: Frontiers of Early England by Ryan Lavelle.

Due November. Border Land: Frontiers of Early England by Ryan Lavelle. #medievalsky

Stephen Baxter the scholar: an appreciation (1969-2026)

Stephen Baxter the Scholar: an Appreciation by Julia Smith
www.history.ox.ac.uk/stephen-baxt...
There's also a lot of moving tributes to him on the St Peter's webpage: www.spc.ox.ac.uk/news/in-memo...

A Great aak for #SuperSeabirdSunday
Our brothers of the Arctic on Fowl Craig, one fine summer.

#Papay
#Orkney

Queens and the Making of Medieval Europe: lecture recordings now available - RHS On Friday 6 February the Society hosted the first lecture in its 2026 programme. Our great thanks to Professor Charles West (University of Edinburgh) who spoke on: ‘"Alike in Appearance but not in Sco...

Video and audio recordings are now available of the Society's latest lecture (6 February):

‘Alike in Appearance but not in Scope’: Queens and the Making of Medieval Europe' with Professor Charles West (University of Edinburgh) bit.ly/46j42f5

@pseudo-isidore.bsky.social #Skystorians

Same here!

Excited that my volume on the Early Bronze Age coffined burial from Tetney is now published open access by @antiquaries.bsky.social! Now everyone can read about this amazing find dated to 2032 BC and containing an amazing array of environmental and artefactual data.
library.oapen.org/viewer/web/v...

I worked with him on the Staffordshire Hoard report and had some very interesting conversations - a very pleasant and talented man. He will be much missed.

I am sorry to report that George Speake, expert on Anglo-Saxon art, died on 15 January. His funeral will be this Friday, 6 February, in St Laurence's, Combe, Oxfordshire. I will miss his warm-heartedness & kindness, his curiousity, rigour, and willingness to take intellectual risks. I'll miss him.

Some incredible claims being made here. The location of Laithlind as Cumbria speculative, mound is most probably *not* the burial location of Ivarr the Boneless, very doubtful this was the location of palace, have yet to see convincing evidence of ship burial. Worrying hyperbole. #medievalsky

Apparently today is Blue Monday, the most depressing day of the year.
Here is our harpy, to cheer you up.
This talisman pin from the 16th century harpy (or angel/monster) was possibly used as a protective charm to ward off evil
Whatever she was, she makes us smile. We hope she does the same for you.

Fascinating article on the possibility and probability of early medieval contact between England and India during the reign of King Alfred by @caitlinrgreen.bsky.social:

The wonderful @caitlinrgreen.bsky.social has a hugely interesting new article just out in Early Medieval England & its Neighbours, all about Alfred the Great's embassy to India - free to read here #India #AlfredtheGreat #medieval www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Anglo-Saxon gold-and-garnet hoard discovered in England reveals early medieval jewelry and ritual practices

More information: archaeologymag.com/2025/12/angl...

#archaeology #archeology #archaeologynews #medievalart #anglosaxon #medieval