iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Steffen Hope @hopesteffen.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

For the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, here is a view from the remnants of the twelfth-century church atop Slottsfjellet (Castle Mount" in Tønsberg, southeastern Norway. It was part of a castle complex. Churches dedicated to Michael were often, but not always, located on summits.

View of the foundations of a small medieval stone church placed on top of a crag, seen from inside the choir. In the foreground, the crag rises in petrified billows, and in the middle distance are the low remnants of the wall, which outline the shape of the church. A narrow threshold marks the entrance from the nave to the choir, and further back is the threshold for the main entrance to the church itself, even narrower than that between nave and choir. In the far background, a blue stretch of sea lies between the crag and a low, forested ridge on the other wide, all lying beneath a blue cloud-streaked sky.

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Dan Kettmann @dkettmann.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I just learned about this ship in last week's Omnibus podcast, love it when the timelines converge like this! Thanks for the addl info! www.omnibusproject.com/episodes/vas...

omnibusproject.com

Vasa (Entry 1K.2248) — Omnibus

In which Futureling Dan Hope relays the tale of a military vanity, a less-than-a-mile voyage, and John relays his success rate in righting overturned canoes. Certificate #30911.

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Kevin Wilbraham @kpw1453.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

The 4th century ‘Leopard and Gazelle Mosaic’ from Dewlish Roman Villa in Dorset. The mosaic is now part of the collections at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery in Dorchester. 📸 My own. #MosaicMonday #RomanBritain #Dorset

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Richard K Broughton @richardkbroughton.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Quite emotional to report that we've just found our amazing survivor Marsh Tit, still here in his ancient woodland kingdom. He's now 11 yrs 4 months old, survived the 2026 heatwaves/drought and smelt the wildfires of nearby Holme Fen. I ringed him in my 30s and I'm now in my 50s.

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Dramatic view to the west at #Shugborough this evening. Gone in a few minutes. Arresting layered sky.

Crimson sky, layered with darker, bluish streaks. Trees silhouetted against it.

As with last picture, but with small white building in the middle ground.

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Dramatic view to the west at #Shugborough this evening. Gone in a few minutes. Arresting layered sky.

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

After Roylott leaves, Holmes straightens out the poker, with evident relish at his comparable strength. The physicality that Jeremy Brett brought to the role, particularly the earlier episodes, was one of the joys of the series. Well worth rewatching them in tandem with Conan Doyle's original texts.

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Durotriges Dig @durotrigesdig.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

A Roman sword and dagger with scabbard from Hod Hill On display together for the 1st time at Dorset Museum 📷 Sep 2026 As Peaches and Herb famously said: Reunited, and it feels so good Reunited cos we understood There's one perfect fit And centurion this one is it #RomanFortThursday

Photograph of finds in a museum case with a rusty iron dagger at the centre, with decorated scabbard to the left, and rusty sword with ornate handle at the right

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Steffen Hope @hopesteffen.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Runic inscription from the porch of the main entrance in Borgund stave church, typically dated to the late twelfth century (i.e. shortly after the church was erected). The inscription was made on the feast of Saint Olaf.

Detail from the interior of a wooden proch. Across the wood of the plank, a series of carved runes can be distinguished from the pattern of the wood itself.

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Craig Lambert @medievalmariner.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I’m recruiting a Research Fellow in Early Modern Spanish Maritime History to join our ERC-funded Uncharted Maritime Worlds project at the University of Southampton. Please share with anyone who might be interested! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DSW249/r...

jobs.ac.uk

Research Fellow (Early Modern Spanish Maritime History) 3497426AR at University of Southampton

An opportunity for an academic position as a Research Fellow (Early Modern Spanish Maritime History) 3497426AR is available, as advertised on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other academic job openi...

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Rory Naismith @rorynaismith.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Early medievalists may be happy to know that Simon Keynes’s collection of maps of Anglo-Saxon England has now been made freely available via @trincolllibcam.bsky.social These were commissioned by Simon and drawn (by hand) by Reg Piggott between 1991 and 2012. archives.trin.cam.ac.uk/index.php/ma...

archives.trin.cam.ac.uk

Maps of Anglo-Saxon England - archives.trin.cam.ac.uk

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Dr. Barry Torch @barrytorch.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Everyone who works with medieval books needs to run, not walk, to read @themedievaldrk.bsky.social’s “Illuminating Media.” Her knowledge of the making of books, the use of design technology and illustration, and her argument of illumination as media is SO good! www.concordia.ca/press/illumi...

concordia.ca

Illuminating Media | Concordia University Press - Concordia University

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Mike Pitts @pittsmike.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Terrific result for the Boroughbridge Devil's Arrows sourced 18km away, with the nearby C15 Battle Cross Monument identified as a repurposed 4th megalith

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Having restored my broadband for streaming, film comment resumes: ‘Berthe Morisot’ (Caroline Champetier, 2012) is an enjoyable biopic on the early life of this impressionist painter; emphasis on the part played by Edouard Manet; brief appearance for Frédéric Bazille. www.imdb.com/title/tt2396...

imdb.com

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The Castle Studies Trust @castlestudies.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Find out how we have helped a local group learn more about their important, former royal castle at Ellesmere, Shropshire. Henry III spent huge sums there (£250k in today's money) yet nothing remains above ground. Below ground is different. Learn more here: castlestudiestrust.org/blog/2026/09...

castlestudiestrust.org

Ellesmere Castle: geophysics points the way for future investigation – Castle Studies Trust Blog

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

I never met him, to my regret, but so many of his publications punctuated my career, and stimulated thought, from the outset.

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Dr. Michelle I. Turner @chaco-arch.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

“It is known that decommissioned ships were reused as building timber in the Middle Ages,” Ulisch explained. “Nevertheless, the find in Constance is something very special: Here, not just individual fragments, but an almost completely intact ship’s hull was used.”

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Catherine Clarke @cathamclarke.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

80 years ago, in 1946, a group of babies were born who have changed medical science – and my Dad is one of them. They’ve been followed throughout their lives by the National Survey of Health and Development. And yesterday they gathered in London to celebrate 80 years of this amazing study! 1/3

My Dad standing outside Senate House, University of London

My Dad by a screen which says '80th Birthday Talks'. There are logos for the National Survey of Health and Development and the Medical Research Council, and the illustration of a tree with roots making '80', which was on their birthday cards from the study this year

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

While sitting with my mum yesterday evening I casually checked the broadband speed at the care home: 100 Mbps. They obviously paid for that; the rest of the area (rural) is part fibre at best. For our hamlet: copper wire for 2 km+ from cabinet; we’re lucky if get 2 Mbps. Starlink? I don’t think so.

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I think this might prompt an occasional thread of #CorfeCastle pictures - back in the ‘60s, simpler times, my boyhood visits to this place did much to set me on my own particular path of historical imagination.

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Helen Baggott | Editor ~ Author ~ Speaker @postedinthepast.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Corfe Castle in the Olden time – Sent to Mrs Hoare, East Liss, Hants in 1909: I hope you and family are all well. This was taken from an oil painting in 1586. Hundreds of visitors come to see it in summertime. #PostedInThePast

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nrhodgson-hist.bsky.social @nrhodgson-hist.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

It was a pleasure to talk to Nick Robinson this morning on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme about the Bayeux Tapestry...https://lnkd.in/eUD_sEey (from 53:42 mins) and to actually get a sneak peak at the tapestry itself! Check our new teaching resource on women & BT via @teachmedwomen.bsky.social .

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Historical Association @histassoc.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

The Historical Association is delighted to announce that the Medlicott Medal 2026 for History will be awarded to Professor Anne Curry. The Medlicott Medal is awarded for outstanding contributions to the field of history. www.history.org.uk/aboutus/cate...

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

This is a wonderful place: I remember it well from my East Yorkshire years. Stillingfleet very well recorded here.

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Jade Jesty @jadejesty.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

I am delighted that my article has been published by The Seventeenth Century, @tandfresearch.bsky.social! ⚔️ It explores the reputation of Prince Maurice of the Palatinate, a highly active military commander in the British Civil Wars! #skystorians #earlymodern www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

tandfonline.com

Prince Maurice, Prince Palatine of the Rhine, in the British Civil Wars

This article explores the representations of Prince Maurice, Prince Palatine of the Rhine, in the history of the British Civil Wars. Tracing the development of his fearsome reputation as the wars p...

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SimonG 🇨🇦🥈 @simongodly.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Whilst wandering about the military camp tents yesterday (Crécy 2026) I came across a German who made suits of armour and weapons. I asked about who bought them, I'd have thought it was a pretty niche hobby. Until this chap from Rouen wandered in looking to buy one.

A row of medieval helmets with swords in front

The artisan on the left and a customer trying a helm

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I was just wondering whether anything interesting was (or had been) happening at Crécy for the 680th anniversary.

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Liverpool University Press @livunipress.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

'Medieval Warhorse will be the indispensable guide and accompaniment for all future work in this area, its achievement built certainly on the breadth and depth of data assembled.' Learn more about this brilliant book: bit.ly/3SdZ3se

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Katy Bennett @katybennett.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Looking forward to speaking at this conference next month, marking the anniversary of Edward II’s deposition - online attendance is free and in-person only £10! Booking link here for anyone interested: buytickets.at/edwardiiconf...

Downfall and aftermath: Marking 700 years since the fall of Edward II, 1326-2026
Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, 25-26 September 2026
Booking link: https://buytickets.at/edwardiiconference/2185120

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Erika Gaffney @erikagaffney.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

New series announcement! Early Modern Maritime Humanities 1400-1800: Oceans in History & Culture Series Editors: @clairejowitt.bsky.social & John McAleer Publisher: @dgb-mem.bsky.social brill.com/page/forthco... Feel free to DM me with questions, or email me at Erika.Gaffney@degruyterbrill.com

A series announcement designed to look like the front cover of a book. The featured image is a painting in which two storm-tossed ships appear (a small one at left, a larger one at right).

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Boydell & Brewer @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

NEW! ⚔️ Battle Narratives in Medieval English and French Chronicles, 1066-1500 by Pierre Courroux is a study of #medieval battle narratives, exploring how chroniclers across France & England constructed accounts of warfare. #BookSky #MedievalSky #SkyStorians Learn more 👉 buff.ly/99E77xm

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Ian Andrews @ianbof.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

I found this post box at Knockrome on Jura in 2013. Never seen anything better.

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Tony Pollard @tonypollard.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

I’m talking unexploded ordnance on archaeological sites tomorrow. Any archaeologists out there with stories of unexpected discoveries of UXO on their excavations? Pictured is the 5.5” inch unexploded mortar shell we found at Culloden from 1746.

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Count Binface @countbinface.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

I believe Clacton deserves an MP who will spend their time shining a light on everything the area has to offer. And why wait till I'm elected? I've been to visit one of the constituency's most stunning landmarks.

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

A selection of worn Purple Hairstreaks from the last week in our Staffs garden. During hot weather they are more likely to come down from canopy of oaks that lie along the eastern boundary of the garden. 19 species in the garden so far this yr. #butterflies #Shugborough @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Faded purplish butterfly with torn wings resting on green leaf in sunshine.

A further specimen - faded and battered; bluish tinge to body more evident. On green leaf of different shrub.

A third battered Purple Hairstreak, a shadow of its former glory - the papery thinness of the wings highlighted by light and shadow.

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

A female Wheatear at #Shugborough yesterday evening; for me, the first sighting of this species here in 23 years. Spotted next to Hadrian's Arch - a massive stone structure standing amid what is now parched grassland. #birds

Female Wheatear (brownish back, white stripe above eye) standing erect and watchful, back to us but facing left; amid sparse strands of dry grass. Blurred grey structure beyond bird is base of Hadrian's arch at Shugborough.

The same female Wheatear a few minutes later: perched on a fence post with barbed wire. Buff underparts and distinctive white rump more apparent in this picture.

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The Arts Fuse @theartsfuse.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Christina Nellas Acosta writes that John Worthen’s compelling new biography of Johannes Brahms explores the composer’s lifelong devotion to #ClaraSchumann and its role in shaping his music. @reaktionbooks.bsky.social artsfuse.org/332436/book-...

artsfuse.org

Book Review: Johannes Brahms's Unwedded Love - The Arts Fuse

John Worthen’s biography explores the composer’s lifelong devotion to Clara Schumann and its role in shaping his music.

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

I do think that two soprano pipistelle bats ‘visiting’ us in one evening is a bit much.

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Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

2,500-year-old gold torque stolen in daylight museum raid! Thieves raided a museum in Châtillon-sur-Seine in broad daylight Friday, making off with a 2,500-year-old gold torque of the 'Lady of Vix'. 👉 www.lefigaro.fr/culture/patr...

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Andrew Ayton @andrewayton.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

This paragraph rather leapt out from David Runciman’s review of Samuel Moyn’s Gerontocracy in America (current @lrb.co.uk). Context: ‘the remorseless greying’ of some areas of US academia; but these are also my thoughts precisely.

A paragraph from David Runciman’s review of S. Moyn, Gerontocracy in America - from current London Review of Books

‘To deprive older academics of the privileges they have been hoarding is not to cut them off from the benefits of the community to which they belong. They can still write books and give papers and go to seminars and hang out in libraries - in fact, liberated from the administrative burdens of a professional existence they can do more of these things, only without being able to control how their younger colleagues manage it. As someone who quit professional academia aged 57 but still lives in a university town and maintains a connection with the institution for which I worked, I can testify to the truth of this. I enjoy going to seminars more than I used to. I enjoy reading academic papers more than I used to. I don't have to sit in meetings that take all day and go nowhere. I don't have to worry about how to mark a piece of work that has almost certainly been written by a machine. The price of this emancipation is having no say in the way the university goes about its business and a less well-padded income than I had in the past. It feels like a good bargain.’

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