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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 10h

Authoritative, engaging, erudite. Brava!

Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Apparently, tickets for my inaugural are 'going fast', so you'd better get yours while you can! 😅 Attendance is FREE and possible both in person and online, but sign-up is required: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/inaugural-...

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Opens Bluesky. Shuts Bluesky.

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

A good time to (re)introduce @bristoluni.bsky.social's CMS, bringing together scholars & students since 1994 with regular events, the longest-running annual PGR conference, & the Bristol Studies in Medieval Cultures book series. Follow us @bristolcms.bsky.social & medievalstudies.blogs.bristol.ac.uk

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

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Mapping the March: Medieval Wales and England, c.1282-1550 @mappingthemarch.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Research Seminar- 19 Oct, 4pm Speaker: Brendan Smith, Professor of Medieval History, Department of History, Uni of Bristol. Title: 'Pale Reflections: English Enclaves in the Plantagenet Empire'. Open to all! Please join using the QR code or email us for the link (mapping-the-march@bristol.ac.uk).

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Term card of the @bristolcms.bsky.social seminar series 2026/27 just dropped, incl. the first in our brand-new series of distinguished CMS Global Lectures. Spread the word and join us and our stellar line-up of speakers in person or online. Every medievalist welcome! #medievalsky #skystorians

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

“Hart im Hirn, weich in der Birne Ohne Halt, einfältig und klein Auf der Suche nach einem Führer Es ist hart, allein beschränkt zu sein.” —Herbert Grönemeyer, Die Härte, 1993. Vielleicht der beste Kommentar zu den Landtagswahlen in Meck-Pomm und Sachsen-Anhalt 2026.

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I truly cannot handle this country’s inexplicable inability to assign train platforms more than a couple of minutes prior to departure.

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Had a blast last night talking about the Bayeux Tapestry in the befitting setting of Canterbury Cathedral Lodge. Easy to forget what a magnificent place this is! Thanks to @ecroberts.bsky.social for inviting me, and to @memsunikent.bsky.social & @britishacademy.bsky.social for sponsoring the talk!

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

🚨 Happening tonight at Winterbourne Medieval Barn in Gloucestershire! 🚨 Last few tickets up for grabs—join us in person or online!

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Make a band edible: Meatallica

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Thanks a million to @tamarajatkin.bsky.social and @drdavidrundle.bsky.social for a most enjoyable two days of exploring medieval manuscripts fragments on Guernsey! It was a real privilege to be part of this!

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Tamara Atkin @tamarajatkin.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

And we are off! Wonderful first session at today’s fragment study day with @drdavidrundle.bsky.social @benpohl.bsky.social @fragmentarium.bsky.social and others! Here’s Archive Assistant Callum Tostevin-Hall in action setting the Guernsey fragments in context.

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Snap! My new article on the risks taken by medieval monastic scribes will come out in the same issue. I had great fun researching and writing it, and I hope people will enjoy reading it!

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Snap! My new article on the risks taken by medieval monastic scribes will come out in the same issue. I had great fun researching and writing it, and I hope people will enjoy reading it!

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𝙰𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚡 🇪🇺 @aurifex.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

Deutscher Karikaturenpreis 2025 Piero #Masztalerz "Abwarten"

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Nice piece on the Bayeux Tapestry in @economist.com featuring sound bites by @lvhicks.bsky.social and yours truly! #medievalsky #skystorians

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Zwei Wörter: gesichert rechtsextrem. Wer das wählt, hat keine Entschuldigung.

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Andy Scollick @andyscollick.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Thank you @gilltav.bsky.social for reminding us all of the Police response in 2021 👇 when some 40 environmental activists of Insulate Britain blocked the Port of Dover: 39 arrests. Compare that to yesterday when 200-400 fascist paramilitaries intimidated Dover town and blocked the Port: 0 arrests.

bbc.com

Port of Dover: Arrests made as Insulate Britain blocks port

Queues form at Europe's busiest ferry terminal as Insulate Britain shift their protest from the M25.

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

The state of this country and its media.

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Going to see the Bayeux Tapestry? Be sure to look out for the image that may well have been inspired by the 6thC Augustine Gospels (CCCC MS 286) parker.stanford.edu/parker/catal... The 11thC embroidery was probably made at Canterbury where the MS was then at St Augustine’s Abbey #bayeuxtapestry

A scene from the Bayeux Tapestry that resembles the scene of Last Supper in the St Augustine's Gospels (CCCC MS 286)

Feast scene from the Bayeux Tapestry: "Et hic episcopus cibum et potum benedicit" (And here the bishop blesses the food and the drink) written above a scene of 6 people eating and drinking around a curved table; one person carrying more food to the table, and two red animals (dogs?)
It is the scene depicting a feast with Bishop Odo of Bayeux and his nobles are arranged around a circular table, very similar to the Last Supper panel in the Augustine Gospels. Odo is also shown in a pose similar to the figure of Christ, blessing his wine just as Christ was shown blessing his food.

Feast scene from the St Augustine's Gospels (CCCC MS 286): "Cena domini" (Lord's Supper) written above a scene of 8 disciples and Christ eating and drinking around a curved table
A scene from scene of Lord's Supper resembles the one in the Bayeux Tapestry with Bishop Odo of Bayeux and nobles feasting around a curved table

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Turns out the easiest way to teach English speakers the correct pronunciation of my surname—not 'pole' (/pəʊl/), nor 'pool' (/puːl/), but [poːl]—is to tell them the 'oh' sounds like a Geordie saying the word 'phone' ([foːn]).

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Sorry, gotta vent: yesterday a major national broadcaster asked me to go live on prime-time TV for their news coverage of a historic exhibition opening. I agreed. They went silent. Then they told me it had been cancelled. When I tuned in that evening, some pseudo-historian was offering his 2 cents.

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

In the interest of my sanity and blood pressure, I shall stay well clear of BBC Radio 4 today…

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Not a runic alphabet I’ve encountered before…

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

The Cistercian monk of Eberbach and his feral friend join my collection of limited-edition historical playmobil figures

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

🔥🔥🔥 Few tickets left for my upcoming talk on the Bayeux Tapestry at Canterbury Cathedral Lodge on Thursday 17 September—get yours here while you can: www.eventbrite.com/e/food-for-t...

eventbrite.com

Food for Thought—The Bayeux Tapestry Revisited

A talk by Prof Benjamin Pohl, Professor of Medieval History, University of Bristol.

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I had almost forgotten just how unpleasant it is to be stung by a wasp…

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William Shakespeare @shakespeare.lol · 25/08/2026

[Exit Queen.]

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

No, not Dolly! Rest in peace, Southern Belle! 😢

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Tamara Atkin @tamarajatkin.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

For anyone interested and able to get to Guernsey for 10 September, here's the details of our study day with the very excellent @benpohl.bsky.social, Leah Tether, @fragmentarium.bsky.social, Marc Smith, Tim Thornton, and John Colley. www.eventbrite.com/e/talk-guern...

eventbrite.com

Talk - Guernsey's Hidden Medieval Literary Culture

The recently discovered manuscript fragments. What are they? How were they reused? And what can they tell us about Guernsey's medieval past?

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Perfectly (and depressingly) sums up the state of society! Source: Ella Baron for The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Looking forward to the study day already! Thanks to @drdavidrundle.bsky.social and @tamarajatkin.bsky.social for organising what promises to be a fragmentastic event!

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Super chuffed to see my research on the Bayeux Tapestry as monastic mealtime reading referenced in the British Museum’s official exhibition book! 🤗 The book: www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/the-bayeux-t...; my article: doi.org/10.1093/hisr...

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Dr Rebecca Tyson @tyguson.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Yesterday I posted about the new guide for the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, and while it’s a nice book, it is my duty to inform you that the best new publication on the Bayeux Tapestry is the graphic novel by Martin Howard and Javi De Castro. It’s very fun! #BayeuxTapestry #MedievalSky

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James A. Palmer @jamespqr77.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

This was the most predictable thing in the world and any education policy maker, official, or leader who rushed AI into classrooms, argued for its virtues, or opted not to resist and protest in at every opportunity should be ashamed. AI de-skills grown adults, obviously it’s worse for students.

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Can’t decide whether to build a church or a castle? Why not have both! And whilst you’re at it, throw in some wall paintings for good measure! Cerkev sv. Trojice, Hrastovlje.

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Eufrazijeva bazilika, Poreč. The world’s best-preserved early Christian cathedral complex (according to UNESCO 😉), complete with an amazingly intact episcopal palace and some of the best Byzantine mosaics I’ve seen outside of Sicily. Truly magnificent!

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Bazilika sv. Marije, Brijuni. A gorgeous 6th-century Byzantine church that was expanded with a Benedictine monastery in the 9th century.

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Bizantski kastrum, Brijuni. Nearly one hectare of archaeological remains of buildings dating from as early as the 1st century CE that were inhabited and expanded continuously all the way into the Carolingian period (and beyond). Stunning!

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Sveti Stjepan, Peroj. A seventh-century(!) church sporting fragments of eleventh- and thirteenth-century frescoes plus some rather interesting architectural features. Happened upon it en route to dinner. What a find!

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Prof Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Fons Sanctae Mariae, a medieval Cistercian abbey turned modern art gallery in Kostanjevica na Krki that sports some amazing transitional architecture between Romanesque and Gothic (and later Baroque)

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