The Basiliscoe Mercury 321

The Basiliscoe Mercury321


TheInternet newsletter for the arms and armour community


All sorts of stories today; skeleton from Prague, a trebuchet stone from Wales, Spanish armour, a cannon in Vietnam and Islamic horses. New museums in Paris and Suffolk, and ideas how to spend the last weeks of summer- when it stops raining….


Arms and armour in the news


Battles, towers and forts


Repairing Exeter’s Roman wall

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/roman-wall-exeter-collapsed-pub-3153059


York’s Roman gate to be excavated

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/her...in-york-that-could-soon-be-revealed-1-9927225


Maya and total war- not a video game…

https://cosmosmagazine.com/archaeology/mayans-conducted-total-war-much-earlier-than-thought


Beasts of assorted varieties…


Hogs in cities are now apparently a thing

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/30/boar-wars-how-wild-hogs-are-trashing-european-cities


Grave stories


The skeleton of Prague castle- a fascinating read

https://www.iflscience.com/editors-...l-skeleton-haunted-the-nazis-and-the-soviets/


Death of Richard III

http://www.medievalists.net/2019/08/the-death-of-richard-iii/


On the Medieval Frontlines


A visit to the Battle of Visby Gallery in Stockholm

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/medieval-massacre-the-battle-of-gotland-1361


What’s the point of battles in the Middle ages?

http://www.medievalists.net/2019/08/why-battles-could-be-so-decisive-in-the-middle-ages/


Toby Capwell talks about the armour in a painting- video

http://www.medievalists.net/2019/08/bermejo-and-the-armour-of-an-archangel/


Horse armour in the medieval Islamic world

http://www.medievalists.net/2019/08/horse-armour-in-the-medieval-islamic-middle-east/


Through the arrow-slit . . .


Princely finds from Belarus

https://eng.belta.by/society/view/f...y-residence-unearthed-in-belarus-123220-2019/


Possible trebuchet stone found at Hay Castle, Powys

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-49269127


Digging up Auckland castle

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/n...st-discoveries-made-auckland-castle-dig-site/

https://www.archaeology.org/news/7890-medieval-trash-reveals-the-habits-of-england-s-prince-bishops


Gendering the castle

http://www.medievalists.net/2019/08/gender-and-medieval-archaeology-storming-the-castle/


Cannons to the left, cannon to the right


Ottoman round shot found in Danube

http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/20...-bastion-found-by-accident-in-bulgarias-ruse/


Bronze cannon dug up in Vietnam

https://en.vietnamplus.vn/old-canno...inates-from-netherlands-scientists/156939.vnp

https://en.qdnd.vn/social-affairs/news/nguyen-dynasty-cannon-found-in-da-nang-506014

https://vietnam.vnanet.vn/english/nguyen-dynasty-cannon-found-in-da-nang/418824.html

https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/lifesty...nturiesold-cannon-found-in-da-nang/50823.html


Update on the two MRLs found in Mumbai last year and a new museum

https://orissadiary.com/president-india-inaugurate-underground-bunker-museum-raj-bhavan-mumbai/

https://www.nagpurtoday.in/presiden...que-in-front-of-raj-era-twin-cannons/08172135


Lincoln Castle’s cannon gets its carriage repaired

https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2019/07/lincoln-castle-cannon-back-in-place/


WWI Howitzer for Brantford, Ontario

https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/n...world-war-howitzer-due-to-return-to-brantford


The history of ballistics

https://www.wsj.com/articles/ballistic-a-loaded-term-with-a-rising-trajectory-11565981191


Venetian walls in Nicosia collapsing

https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/touris...pse-of-venetian-walls-of-nicosia-section.html


Feature on Fort George

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news...fortress-built-fend-off-jacobites-celebrated/


Living in the past


Jousting goes high tech

https://www.countrylife.co.uk/news/jousting-comes-21st-century-cutting-edge-var-technology-200560


Feature on re-enactors

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/magazine...istory-to-life-for-english-heritage-rgwmkhrqt


Café Basiliscoe


Anglo-Saxon feasts- boar and venison

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...den-archeologists-pre-roman-era-a9040241.html


And sourdough bread of the Pharaohs

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/egypt-bread-xbox-seamus-blackly-peabody-museum-mfa-boston


Washed down with Wine of the crusaders

http://archaeology-in-europe.blogspot.com/2019/08/#314112757193235384


Or something a little more explosive…wine and gunpowder…

https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2...npowder-and-the-urine-of-a-wine-drinking-man/


Miscellany


Medieval alabaster and its uses

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/review/marble-alabaster-english-mistaken-medieval-sculpture


Sideplate from trade gun found in Fort Michilimackinac

https://www.archaeology.org/news/7876-190805-michigan-gun-sideplate


Princesses and Amazons


Women at war

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2...writers-broke-the-taboo-of-the-female-warrior


Short piece about Jeffrey Hudson, Queen’s jester, and his dwarf armour

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12255524


Into the 20th century


Last urban WWI tank still on display- in Ashford, Kent

https://museumcrush.org/britains-last-remaining-first-world-war-tank-on-display-in-a-town/


WW2 Spitfire flies off on world tour

http://artdaily.com/news/115821/-Ma...es-off-on-round-the-world-flight#.XUkrxzHsZ9A


Nautical news


VOC ship Haarlemlost 1647 off South Africa discovered?

https://www.capetownetc.com/cape-town/1647-shipwreck-uncovered-on-bloubergs-shores/


Background to the Franklin Expedition

https://www.nationalgeographic.co.u...rs-sought-the-northwest-passage-then-vanished


Searching for HMS Beagle

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/history/search-royal-navy-warship-carried-3193954


Submarine USS Grunion’s bow found

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/30/world/ww2-submarine-uss-grunion-bow-discovered-trnd/index.html



Museum news and exhibitions


News


No more spontaneous visits to the Louvre...

http://artdaily.com/news/115755/Paris--packed-Louvre-to-make-reservations-compulsory#.XUVPbTHsZ9A


Museum loans

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/uk-national-museums-loans


New museums


New museum on the Paris Liberation

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...ping-story-of-liberation-of-paris-75-years-on


New museum and visitor experience at Sutton Hoo

https://www.theguardian.com/culture...-trust-brings-sutton-hoo-alive-with-4m-revamp


Visiting the newly refurbished Cody Museum

https://www.americanrifleman.org/ar...g-the-newly-refurbished-cody-firearms-museum/


New slavery museum for London?

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/london-slavery-museum-plan-garners-praise-and-criticism


Museum developments


Museums, security and facial recognition technology

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/new...ology-on-visitors-to-terracotta-warriors-show


Immerse yourself in Da Vinci

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/london-national-gallery-leonardo


Museum musings


Japan and Korea – culture gets in the way

http://artdaily.com/news/115791/Jap...t-Korea-s--comfort-women--statue#.XUfh_THsZ9A


UK’s best seaside museums

https://museumcrush.org/britains-best-places-to-see-seaside-museums/


Conservation corner


Armour alert! The Virgin and Child with Saints by Giovanni Martini da Udineback on display:

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/national-gallery-altarpiece-restoration


Restoring the Isenheim altarpiece

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/isenheim-altarpiece


Importance of Carbon 14 as a tool

https://www.theguardian.com/science...-isotope-how-carbon-14-revolutionised-science


Objects


Objects & museums for Peterloo

https://museumcrush.org/10-museum-objects-that-tell-the-story-of-the-peterloo-massacre/


Confederate general's Colt gun for sale http://artdaily.com/news/115676/Con...stone-s-Premier-Firearms-Auction#.XUKazDHsZ9A


Guns stolen from Conception Bay Museum, Newfoundland

https://vocm.com/2019/08/03/search-continuing-for-guns-stolen-from-conception-bay-museum/


Exhibitions


Highlights from the Old Masters of Dresden go on show during renovations

http://artdaily.com/news/115806/Spe...en-s-Old-Masters-Picture-Gallery#.XUfhCDHsZ9A


Tartan and the Highlands in Edinburgh

http://artdaily.com/news/114025/Maj...tion-with-the-Scottish-Highlands#.XVfkCuTsZ9A


Books


Bill Harriman: The Arisaka Rifle

https://ospreypublishing.com/store/...-books/available-this-month/the-arisaka-rifle


Books on the Cold war

http://bookshop.nationalarchives.gov.uk/26/Cold-War/


Latest catalogue from Ken Trotman

http://www.kentrotman.com/


Online books


Stone Castles

https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/iha-stone-castles


Swash Channel Wreck Conservation Statement and Management Plan

https://historicengland.org.uk/imag...ck-conservation-statement-and-management-plan


Events


Summer events

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/whats-on/

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/knights-jousts-events/

https://middelaldercentret.dk/?lang=en

https://historiska.se/events/

http://www.musee-marine.fr/index.php?lg=fr&nav=1&flash=1

https://www.vasamuseet.se/en


Diary dates


5 Sept 2019 Arms and Armour Society meeting

https://www.thearmsandarmoursociety.org.uk/events/


Conferences


September 2019 KyotoICOMAM 2019 Conference, Kyoto (Japan) http://icom-kyoto-2019.org/data/ima...8E-Qdx4KsoD_htE1_BHGVouQhJSu4YRKPyN4D4N8ckh3o


16-17 November 2019 Portsmouth

The Nautical Archaeology Society and the Ordnance Society

Wooden Walls and Stone Bastions

https://ordnancesociety.org.uk/events-2/


Sales, fairs and auctions


26 August Gleneagles

http://artdaily.com/news/115636/Gav...f-Modern---Vintage-Sporting-Guns#.XT_3RDHsZ9A



Websites and downloads


The National Swedish Museums of Military History

https://www.sfhm.se/english/


1066 etc: Crusades, Gawain & Breton lays

http://www.medievalists.net/2019/08...ast-identified-from-ancient-genome-sequences/

http://www.medievalists.net/2019/08...technique-in-sir-gawain-and-the-green-knight/

http://www.medievalists.net/2019/08...ons-and-celtic-otherness-in-medieval-romance/


Finally


This fortnight I’ll be tweeting pictures from London

https://twitter.com/Basiliscoe



Compiled by Ruth Rhynas Brown –20 August 2019


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Thank you for (continuously) posting this. It is nice to be able to"catch up" on tidbits of interest without having to search around like a hen seeking corn.

I am rather distressed to see that the Louvre will now require reservations at all times. It was nice to be wandering around Paris, see no great line and just decide to drop in and view a gallery that you had not explored before. Now it will become like the rest of modern life - regimented and restricted - something to be rushed to attend, that has been planned out and only scheduled at the whim of opportunity. It takes a lot of the pleasure from the experience......................