The Basiliscoe Mercury 211

The Basiliscoe Mercury
The Internet newsletter for the arms and armour community
Roman helmets, dead monarchs, Smithsonian sword catalogue and a request for contributions for the next ICOMAM MAGAZINE
Arms and armour in the news
Ancient arms
Earliest cave paintings found in Indonesia
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/oct/08/cave-art-indonesia-sulawesi

Princely grave from Bronze Age Murcia - no pictures
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141008101410.htm
Flint dagger with wooden hilt found in Lolland, Denmark - picture
http://cphpost.dk/news/rare-bronze-age-knife-discovered-in-southern-zealand.11165.html
Battles, towers and forts
Possible head of the goddess Brigantia found in Roman fort at South Shields
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history...head-of-northern-goddess-at-arbeia-roman-fort
Canterbury’s Roman helmet goes on display - fascinating story!
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history...ntainer-for-cremation-goes-on-display-in-kent
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art411288
Investigating a Roman camp in Bulgaria unearths many finds
http://www.naukawpolsce.pap.pl/en/news/news,401982,numerous-finds-in-a-roman-camp.html
Ancient warriors liked nothing better than sitting down doing their nails and titivating their hairdos
http://sciencenordic.com/ancient-male-warriors-showed-signs-vanity
Update on the Finnish discovery of swordsman’ grave a few month back
http://yle.fi/uutiset/ancient_swordsmans_grave_could_hold_many_more_secrets/7495913
Grave stories
This week’s candidate for looking-for a-dead-monarch-1 Philip of Macedonia
http://news.discovery.com/history/a...-the-greats-father-confirmed-found-141009.htm
This week’s candidate for looking-for a-dead-monarch-2 King Harold
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history...ttle-of-hastings-ground-scan-could-reveal-all
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/efnews/11501908._/
Moving piece about recently identified Canadian soldiers who died at the Somme
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/wwi-canadian-soldiers-remains-identified-1.2779824
Something for fans of this section to put on Christmas list: Forensics by Val McDermid
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/26/val-mcdermid-extract-forensics-the-anatomy-of-crime
Middle-east updates
Ritual baths and WW2 Australian graffiti in Israel - great research!
http://www.antiquities.org.il/article_eng.aspx?sec_id=25&subj_id=240
Lists of cultural artefact casualties in Syria being made available
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Antiquities-collections-destroyed-in-Gaza-conflict/35883

Through the arrow-slit . . .
Medieval castle found under school in Ross-on-Wye
http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/11497427.Ancient_stone_castle_found_under_school/
Investigating Dracula’s castle, Tokat, in northern Turkey
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/draculas-dungeon-discovered-by-archaeologists-tokat-castle-turkey-1467632
Back to the front
Sir Ranulf Fiennes has his say on Agincourt
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...r-Ranulph-Fiennes-ancestors-fought-sides.html
One last survey and dig at Flodden this year before winter sets in…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-29474387
New developments offer a chance to investigate Annapolis’s Civil war History
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...d-ar-camp-parole-20140923,0,652812,full.story
Cannons to the left, cannon to the right
Vasa’s replica cannon to be proofed
http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/vasamu...warship-vasa-s-24-pounder-bronze-guns-1064562
Update on the find of two cast-iron cannon in Vietnam some time ago - lots of pictures
http://tuoitrenews.vn/lifestyle/228...uriesold-cannons-to-museum-in-central-vietnam
French cannon included in top ten 'portable'(!) finds
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history...in-britain-by-the-portable-antiquities-scheme
Old cannon in Louisiana gets a new carriage, in time for the celebrations in New Orleans next year - video
http://www.fox8live.com/story/26670354/an-old-cannon-gets-the-support-it-needs-to-impress-visitors
Putting a spoke into FortNegley’s new cannons..,
http://www.fox17.com/news/features/...oric-cannons-ft-negley-sky-arnold-24013.shtml
Into the 20th century - mainly planes rising from the Deeps
Leeds Pals and German PoWs investigated in a small piece of Yorkshire
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history...er-of-war-camp-rediscovered-by-archaeologists
Wreck of a Junkers 87 or Stuka found off the coast of Croatia
http://artdaily.com/news/73286/Well...d-in-Croatia-s-central-Adriatic-#.VC0DG7AtCUk
Douglas A-20 raised from the Baltic
http://www.portalmorski.pl/morze-in...yto-wrak-amerykanskiego-bombowca-douglas-a-20
Translation here: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=62&p=1901230
Nautical news
Update on Antikythera wreck
http://www.whoi.edu/news-release/antikythera-finds
One of Kublai Khan’s ships may have been found off Japan
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201410030034
The identification of the Santa Maria getting the thumbs down
http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/09/26/4183211/official-wreck-off-haiti-likely.html?
http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/...0926_ap_f46f1460e60648d1a731ce989d1a3835.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/s...nd-christopher-columbus-flagship-9778287.html
Official report is here
http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CLT/images/Haiti-STAB-en.pdf
Well, they may not have found the resting place of the Santa Maria, but perhaps they have got where she sailed from: http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2355320&CategoryId=12395
Revisiting the Mary Rose
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history...-be-held-by-marine-archaeologists-in-november
Update on recent work on the Gnalić shipwreck off the coast of Croatia
http://www.kbtx.com/news/headlines/...-Year-Old-Shipwreck-In-Croatia-277934121.html
Archaeologists hope to raise two more cannons from Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge, North Carolina
http://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_e23b626a-4698-11e4-86c0-132c482e453f.html
Searching for Captain Cook’s Endeavour, off Rhode Island
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/search-launched-find-captain-cooks-long-lost-hms-endeavour-1469095
Franklin ship identified as HMS Erebus
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/10/01/franklin_expedition_ship_identified_as_hms_erebus.html
Divers complete first dive there
http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stori...completes_first_quick_survey_of_erebus_wreck/
Museum news and exhibitions
News
Ashmolean Museum receives gift of collection of historic embroideries
http://artdaily.com/news/73120/Ashm...rom-Miche-l-and-Elizabeth-Feller#.VCUXxbAtCUk
Science Museum's Space Exhibition delayed by current events
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Kensington-we-have-a-problem/35886
Met has difficulties trying to get loans for upcoming exhibition on the Seljuks
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/No-Turkish-loans-for-big-Met-show/35727
New museums
Opening of Jin State Museum of Antiquities (includes the new home of the chariot burials)
http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2014-10/01/content_33668679.htm
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/shanxi/2014-09/24/content_18655695.htm
Plans for the new V&A East revealed
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/VA-East-could-be-vast/35879
Design released for the new Cambodia Museum of Genocide
http://www.theguardian.com/artandde...euk-rith-institute-zaha-hadid-cambodia-museum
Article on Frank Gehry and designing new museums
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Museum-directors-hated-Bilbao/35731
Museum developments
IMW putting together a digital history of US airmen in UK in WW2
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history...ng-history-of-wwii-american-airmen-in-england
RAF Museum is looking for a blogger
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history...af-museum-announces-blogger-in-residence-post
Short film about armour and fighting in the 15th century from Geneva and Musee de Cluny

Nobel Prize for discovers of LED lightning - where would museums be without it?
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2...-for-led-lighting/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
Conservation corner
Paying for 15th century masterpiece’s conservation - nice armour!
http://artdaily.com/news/73146/Bank...rpiece-by-the-Master-of-Fl-malle#.VCZ7N7AtCUk
Objects
Short history of wearing and use of knives in the USA:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/poste...lf-long-before-guns-became-a-political-issue/
Box from ScotneyCastle reveals life of WWI officer
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/military-history/first-world-war/art502341
RAF’s Sopwith Camel flies into new display
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history...-again-as-first-world-war-gallery-takes-shape
Turing’s machine to break the enigma code voted Top Invention
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history...tion-says-institution-of-mechanical-engineers
Exhibitions
Sherlock Holmes coming to London soon
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/29/sherlock-holmes-london-page-museum
And John Singer Sargent in the spring.
http://www.theguardian.com/artandde...llery-bid-save-john-singer-sargent-reputation
Gothic in London (just in time for Hallowe’en)
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history...ary-terror-of-wonder-shines-light-on-darkness
http://www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions/gothic/index.html
WWI comic art in Kendal
http://artdaily.com/news/73474/Abbo...World-War-with-comics-exhibition#.VDd2grAtCUk
Fashion inspired by military history in Dublin
http://www.museum.ie/en/exhibition/stitches-in-time.aspx
Dutch Golden age in Haarlem
http://artdaily.com/news/73499/-Emo...--opens-at-the-Frans-Hals-Museum#.VDjxd7AtCUk
Medieval travels in Paris
http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/activi...-a-venir/exposition-voyager-au-moyen-age.html
Hokusai in Paris
http://artdaily.com/news/73387/Exhi...n-Japanese-artist-Hokusai-career#.VDOyarAtCUk
http://www.grandpalais.fr/fr/programmation?state=now
Velazquez in Vienna
http://www.khm.at/besuchen/ausstellungen/velazquez/
Sleazy Baroque paintings in Rome
http://artdaily.com/news/73477/-The...--opens-at-Villa-Medici-in-Italy#.VDjxKbAtCUk
Books
Helen Castor: Joan of Arc
http://www.faber.co.uk/shop/general-non-fiction/biography-memoir/9780571284627-joan-of-arc.html
New book about pirates, treasure and the Pope in 14th century Europe
http://www.livescience.com/48067-pirate-tale-revealed-in-vatican-archives.html
Koert van der Horst: Great Books on Horsemanship
http://www.brill.com/products/book/great-books-horsemanship-0
Scientific Instruments on Display, Edited by Silke Ackermann, Museum of the History of Science; Richard L. Kremer, Dartmouth College and Mara Miniati, Museo Galileo
http://www.brill.com/products/book/scientific-instruments-display
Patrick Leigh Fermor: Abducting a General: The Kreipe Operation and SOE in Crete
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abducting-G...ie=UTF8&qid=1412839495&sr=1-7&keywords=fermor
Latest catalogue from Westholme books
http://www.westholmepublishing.com/new-and-forthcoming-books.php
Online Book
Theodore T. Belote: American and European Swords in the Historical Collections of the United StatesNationalMuseum (1932)
https://repository.si.edu/handle/10088/10007
Popular Culture
Imitation Game hoving into view
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/oct/08/alan-turing-film-imitation-game
Netflix sponsoring sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden dragon with Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen, for release next summer
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-released-on-netflix-and-imax-simultaneously/
Film of Dad’s Army with a glittering cast announced
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/oct/08/alan-turing-film-imitation-game
Events
Diary Dates
https://sites.google.com/site/hbsauk/HBSA-calendar
http://www.hgm.at/de/museum.html
http://livrustkammaren.se/sv
Sales Fairs and auctions
Winston Churchill sale coming up in December
http://artdaily.com/news/73450/Soth...-of-Winston-Churchill-s-children#.VDZDkrAtCUk
27 Oct 2014 New York,
Arts of the Samurai
http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22248/
http://artdaily.com/news/73427/On-p...n-set-to-engulf-Bonhams-New-York#.VDTpVrAtCUk
3–8 November and 8-13December 2014
Catalogues have gone online
http://www.hermann-historica.de/db2_en/
Websites and downloads
Medieval arrow?

Virtual visit to the CIA's very own museum
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/shortcuts/2014/oct/06/virtual-tour-cia-museum
https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/cia-museum/experience-the-collection/index.html#!/collection
1066 etc
Chivalric orders, royal households and Holy War
http://www.medievalists.net/2014/10...od-christ-conquest-livonia-estonia-1203-1227/
http://www.medievalists.net/2014/10...c-arrangements-household-king-john-1199-1216/
http://www.medievalists.net/2014/10...war-chronicle-poles-bishop-vincentius-cracow/
Finally
We are putting together the next ICOMAM MAGAZINE, if you anything for it, please us know. You can read past editions here:
http://www.icomam.be/magazine.php
This fortnight my picture of Stonehenge in a storm proved popular
https://twitter.com/Basiliscoe
Compiled by Ruth Rhynas Brown – 12 October 2014
Some people have asked me about making a contribution to the Newsletter – if you would like to support us, you can make a donation here through our Paypal account – see here for details:
http://www.basiliscoe.com/id2.html

 

WOW, those knights in armour were pretty agile.