Gone Medieval

If you're lucky enough to find some 'treasure', you're legally obliged to report it. A coroner then decides whether it's actually treasure. Yes, there's a legal definition of treasure, and you can't just pocket it, even if you've found it. This goes for all the amazing finds, mostly from metal detectorists over the years, including the Crusader's Sword, the Galloway Hoard, and the Ringlemere Cup. Though not everyone plays by the rules, and there have been plenty of scandals in cases like the Herefordshire Hoard, where pieces were stolen and sold to dealers. In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr Cat Jarman is joined by Professor Michael Lewis, Head of Portable Antiquities & Treasure at The British Museum to define what treasure is, what happens if you've found some and more about the Portable Antiquities Scheme, which gets involved when a piece might not be legally considered treasure, but still holds some cultural or historic value Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Medieval periods' impact on the world and how we see it today is often overlooked. From culture, society, and technology, the horizons of England are ever-changing, but how did the medieval period contribute to these advancements? In this episode, Matt is joined by one of the most prolific voices in Medieval history, Ian Mortimer. From the element of speed, war, and even self-reflection. Ian takes us through the extraordinary shift of horizons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Centuries ago, an Anglo-Saxon noble was buried within a 90-foot ship in a mound at Sutton Hoo. It serves as the richest burial ever found in northern Europe to date. Discovered in 1939, not much survived of the original ship. However, an imprint of the ship remains on the earth. In this episode, Cat is joined on the ground by archaeologist and writer Martin Carver. Martin, Director of the Sutton Hoo Research Project, shares his knowledge of the infamous mounds and the ongoing reconstruction of The Great Ship Burial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Buffy and husband Ian Bailey went out with their metal detectors in Yorkshire, they thought they'd stumbled across a sheep's ear tag when they picked up a signal something was in the ground. A little digging and it turned out to be a piece of medieval treasure buried on land once belonging to Richard III. Join Matt as he chats to Buffy and Ian about the fascinating history behind the curious artefact. Medieval finds like this are extremely rare, so is metal detecting worth it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Five centuries before Christopher Columbus set foot in America, the Vikings had already crossed the Atlantic. Using new dating techniques, scientists studying timber buildings at L’Anse aux Meadows on the northern tip of Canada’s Newfoundland, have established the Norse settled in AD 1021, 471 years before Columbus’s first voyage. While it’s already known the Vikings landed in North America, exactly when they settled has remained an estimate, until now. Cat was joined by Dan Snow to speak to archaeologist Birgitta Wallace about this breakthrough research: discover how a long-ago Solar storm provided vital information for the study, the significance of the date, and what's left to be discovered in the future. You can read more about the evidence here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over 100 years of conflict, two warring nations, five monarchs on either side and countless casualties in a dispute over claims to the throne: in this episode, our very own Matt Lewis unravels the numbers. He takes us through the biggest turning points of the Hundred Years’ War chronologically, and gives us some insight into the personalities involved on the English and French sides. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Medieval period saw the advancement of many countries, evolving to the provinces in Europe that we know today; Scotland is no different. In this episode, Cat is joined by Dr. Adrian Maldonado, an Archeologist and Glenmorangie Research Fellow at National Museums Scotland. With the birth of kingdoms such as Alba, Strathclyde, Galloway, and the Norse Earldom of Orkney, what can the artefacts and materials tell us about the emergence of Scotland?Adrian Maldonado is the author of 'Crucible of Nations: Scotland from Viking-age to Medieval kingdom', published by NMSE - Publishing Ltd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In October 1066, William the Conqueror led his army to victory over Harold Godwinson and his Anglo Saxon forces. This was to begin the Norman invasion of England, inspire the famous Bayeux Tapestry and result in thousands of deaths. Many Many have argued that William's Conquest had the pope's support, with a supposed papal banner being carried by the Normans into battle. But is this true? And why else might this have been written into history? Daniel Armstrong is a PhD student at St. Andrews and Royal Historical Society Centenary Fellow at the Institute of Historical Research. He takes us through the evidence and explores the possible reasons for such a story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The European eel is now categorised as a critically endangered species, but 1000 years ago they flourished in abundance, and were an important aspect of Medieval life. In this episode, Cat is joined by Medieval historian Dr. John Wyatt Greenlee, also known to many as the ‘Surprise Eel Historian’. We examine the cultural history and significance of Eels in England. From a delicious meal to being used as a form of currency, just how vital was the presence of Eels in the Middle Ages to Britain? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The National Archives can be seen as any medieval historian's candy store. It's filled with an amazing variety of materials, from the Magna Carta to mummified rats. In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt is joined by Principal Records Specialist at The National Archives (TNA), Dr. Euan Roger. Euan takes us through the fascinating ancient documents, materials, and upcoming endeavours that the TNA has to offer, even including a riddle. Can you help us make sense of this early Tudor puzzle? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.