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The Basiliscoe Mercury 195
The Internet newsletter for the arms and armour community
Arms and armour in the news
Highlights this week include the Sandby brothers at Windsor Castle, Georgian costume at Bath and Museum Bronbeek’s collections go online. In addition, storms and rabbits turn up ancient weapons, ongoing WWI events and museums give stuff back (or not).
Ancient arms
Let rabbits do the digging
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/rabbits-unearth-a-trove-of-new-stone-age-treasure-at-lands-end-9104207.htmlAnd storms throw up axes in Ireland
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/hunting-axe-up-to-5-000-years-old-thrown-up-by-storms-1.1660966So that archaeologists want dog walkers to look at flooded sites
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/04/volunteer-army-archaeological-sites-uncovered-floodsRoman iron industry remains found in Sussex
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art465934-Iron-industry-discovered-during-link-road-dig-East-SussexGovan’s stones (and the collections are not a patch on Meigle)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18172678http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyresults/propertyoverview.htm?PropID=pl_209&PropName=Meigle%20Sculptured%20Stone%20Museum Beasts of assorted varieties…
Woolly mammoths – too fond of flowers for their own good
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/02/05/272094425/woolly-mammoths-taste-for-flowers-may-have-been-their-undoingCambridge’s whale
http://camunivmuseums.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/a-whales-tail/Domesticating camels
http://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/news/a-great-discovery-remains-of-king-alfred-or-his-son-found-in-winchester.htmGrave stories
This week’s monarch’s bones of choice – step forward Charlemagne
http://www.thelocal.de/20140131/charlemagne-bones-proven-genuine-1200-years-laterUpdate on King Alfred’s bones
http://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/news/a-great-discovery-remains-of-king-alfred-or-his-son-found-in-winchester.htmEnglish noblewoman found
http://www.medievalists.net/2014/02/05/remains-of-blanche-mortimer-discovered-in-lead-coffin/Interesting story about a young noblewoman from Roskilde
http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/02/2014/discovery-of-a-maiden-crown-in-roskilde-cathedral-burialFree University of Bradford course on Human remains – 19 March
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/detail/2014/Seminars/AH/GEN904_University_of_BradfordThrough the arrow-slit . . .
Dolphins and arrows found in Cardigan castle excavations
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-25878701Investigating Arabian defences
http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/02/2014/the-towers-of-ras-al-khaimahBringing castles into the 21st century
http://artdaily.com/news/67972/Reflections-on-Astley-Castle-by-Witherford-Watson-Mann-at-Sir-John-Soane-s-MuseumCannons to the left, cannon to the right
Piece on the West Point foundry
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/24/the-guns-of-the-hudson/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0Update on Belfast historic cannon find
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/letters/rare-find-a-blast-back-into-history-29976744.htmlMiscellany
Archaeologists investigate Civil War PoWs
http://www.thestate.com/2014/01/27/3231027/archaeologists-unearth-pits-where.html Battle of Isandlwana
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25728231Into the 20th century
Barnes Wallis’ bomb-testing range found in the New Forest
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/war-and-conflict/world-war-two/art465260Jewish freedom fighters’ weapons from the 1940s found in Israel – lot of pictures
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/01/28/decades-old-weapons-cache-discovered-at-school-construction-site/Neglected fate of the Japanese internment camps in Shanghai
http://artdaily.com/news/67986/-Empire-of-the-Sun--internment-camp-forgotten-in-ChinaNautical news
Update on the Franklin expedition and the causes of its failure
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jan/26/lead-poisoning-polar-sir-john-franklinFuture of Deptford dockyard under threat; interesting reports here on the remains
http://www.museumoflondonarchaeology.org.uk/NewsProjects/Current-News/DeptfordDockyardReport.htmMuseum news and exhibitions
News
Update on the Islamic museum in Cairo
http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/antiquities-minister-74-artifacts-destroyed-islamic-art-museumAll’s not well at Bletchley Park
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/sacked-for-breaking-code-of-conduct-rivalry-between-bletchley-park-charities-tumbles-out-of-control-9091672.htmlWaterford’s Medieval Museum wins award
http://www.medievalists.net/2014/01/30/medieval-museum-in-waterford-wins-awards/New Museums
Colchester Castle Museum re-opening in the spring
http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/colchester_castle_museum_due_to_re_open_in_may_following_4m_redevelopment_1_3285913Leicester plans a new Richard III centre
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-25927760Australian National Maritime Museum builds new pavilion for WWI story
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/national/a/21180124/new-pavilion-for-maritime-museum/Museum developments
Development of Quebec’s defences
http://www.archeologiequebec.org/reconstitution-de-la-basse-ville-de-quebecLooking for unknown soldiers
http://www.nam.ac.uk/press/national-project-honour-unrecorded-world-war-casualtiesConservation corner
Career in sword-smithing beckons
http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/rare-chance-as-city-swordsmith-seeks-apprentices-1-3292194http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/600-apply-for-job-as-swordsmith-1-3298100Museum musings, mainly heritage under fire, in many places
Story behind The Monuments men
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-monuments-men-saved-italys-treasures-180948005/Update on the Islamic Museum, Cairo
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/26/unesco-islamic-museum-cairo-blastThe damage to Syria’s heritage:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/26/syria-heritage-in-ruins-before-and-after-picturesAnd discussing restitution
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/US-museums-aboutface-on-restitution/31684Sarajevo’s archives go up in smoke
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/09/bosnia-herzegovina-fire-ottoman-archivesUkraine’s protestors go back to armour
http://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2014/feb/09/medieval-knights-catapults-ukraines-protestersExhibitions
Upcoming – Great War portraits in London
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/pages/whatson/run.aspx?runID=1134837Cambridge University Museums in London
http://www.twotempleplace.org/http://www.culture24.org.uk/science-and-nature/science-history/art465388-Discoveries-Art-Science-Exploration-from-the-University-Cambridge-MuseumsA Wren’s life in Greenwich
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/26/national-maritime-museum-wren-mystery-artisthttp://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/future/war-artists-at-seaSandby brothers at Windsor Castle
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/exhibitions/capturing-the-castle-watercolours-of-windsor-by-paul-and-thomas-sandbyGeorgian fashion in Bath
http://www.museumofcostume.co.uk/exhibitions/future_displays/georgian_fashion.aspxhttp://www.culture24.org.uk/art/design/fashion-and-costume/art466633-Picture-Gallery-Stunning-Georgian-costumes-at-Bath-Fashion-MuseumUniforms and War at Lotherton Hall
http://www.leeds.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries/Pages/lothertonhall/Dressed-for-Battle.aspxhttp://www.leeds.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries/Pages/lothertonhall/Duty-Calls.aspxMammoths in Edinburgh
http://www.nms.ac.uk/our_museums/national_museum/exhibitions.aspxArmies and sport in Paris
http://www.musee-armee.fr/programmation/expositions/detail/les-soldats-du-stade.htmlCity landscapes in Venice
http://correr.visitmuve.it/it/mostre/mostre-in-corso/l%E2%80%99immagine-della-citta-europea/2013/01/9142/progetto-16/http://artdaily.com/news/68076/-The-image-of-the-European-city--From-Renaissance-to-Enlightenment--opens-at-Museo-Correr--VeniceRenaissance bronzes at the Frick
http://artdaily.com/news/67963/Renaissance-and-Baroque-bronzes-from-the-Hill-Collection-on-view-at-The-Frick-Collectionhttp://www.frick.org//exhibitions/hillQueen Victoria and photography in LA
http://artdaily.com/news/67929/Getty-explores-Queen-Victoria-s-lifelong-relationship-with-photography-in-exhibitionBooks
Die mittelalterlichen Bronzen im Germanischen Nationalmuseum
https://www.gnm.de/museum/abteilungen-und-anlaufstellen/verlag/Kaiser Karl V. erobert Tunis
https://shop.khm.at/de/produkte/product-details/?shop%5BshowItem%5D=100000000028937-1591-0&cHash=d9e6f5186cc77372ec7523ca68f18ab0Steven J Zaloga: French Tanks of World War II (1) - Infantry and Battle Tanks
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/store/French-Tanks-of-World-War-II-(1)_9781782003892Gordon L Rottman: Browning .30-caliber Machine Guns
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/store/Browning-.30-caliber-Machine-Guns_9781780969213Ken Trotman catalogue – they’re going into e-books
http://www.kentrotman.com/indexmn.htmBookshop at Les Invalides
http://www.boutiquesdemusees.fr/fr/boutique/musees/musee-de-armeeBook sale in Vienna
https://shop.khm.at/de/produkte/?shop%5Bfeatured%5D=1&shop%5BitemsPerPage%5D=6Popular Culture
The Patrol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDWaando7FQPiece on The Book Thief coming to a screen near you
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/10/the-book-thief-who-is-target-audienceA fencer’s view on the BBC’s The Musketeers
http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/feb/03/musketeers-fencing-karim-bashir-another-viewEvents
Diary Dates
What’s on in Stockholm
http://www.sfhm.se/ArmeDefaultPage____27.aspx?epslanguage=SVHBSA dates
https://sites.google.com/site/hbsauk/HBSA-calendarEvents in Vienna
http://www.hgm.or.at/Conferences
22 February 2014 Oswestry
In Defence of Old Oswestry Hillfort - Seminar & Exhibition
http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-defence-of-old-oswestry-hillfort-seminar-exhibition-tickets-10437644275?aff=eorgfCalls for Papers
Don’t forget about ICOMAM
http://www.klm-mra.be/icomam/index.phpWebsites and downloads
The Kremlin’s collections
http://www.kreml.ru/en/collection/preamble/Museum Bronbeek’s collections go online
http://www.museumbronbeek.nl/Remembering the Angelos
http://wallacecollection.org/blog/2014/02/the-angelos-an-italian-english-fencing-dynasty/1066 etc - St George, English armies and shoes
http://www.medievalists.net/2014/02/07/shoes-and-shoemakers-in-late-medieval-bergen-and-stockholm/http://www.medievalists.net/2014/02/06/warriors-and-warfare-ideal-and-reality-in-early-insular-texts/http://www.medievalists.net/2014/01/27/st-georges-day-a-cultural-history/http://www.medievalists.net/2014/01/31/the-management-of-the-mobilization-of-english-armies-edward-i-to-edward-iii/Finally twitter
This fortnight I tweeted Yorkshire ancient monuments and pubs-
https://twitter.com/Basiliscoe I’ve been getting my mammoth fix on twitter from The Ice Age VSI- @Jamie_Woodward
Compiled by Ruth Rhynas Brown – 10 February 2014
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