The Basiliscoe Mercury 278

The Basiliscoe Mercury 278


TheInternet newsletter for the arms and armour community


This week’s Bazzy delayed due to tour of German museums with colleagues, but some of those visits have filtered into the newsletter items. Otherwise, a cracking Bazzy, with Roman weapons, Viking swords, bodies in Swiss glaciers, wreck updates and new books from Germany.


Arms and armour in the news


Ancient arms


Neanderthals show how clever they were by gluing their weapons together

http://www.ibtimes.com/how-neanderthals-made-first-glue-tar-make-stronger-weapons-2585232


Roman military equipment excavated near Hadrian's Wall

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...-wall-lost-secrets-roman-vindolanda-unearthed


Feature on the Guisborough Roman helmet- pictures

http://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/15536579.Archaeologist_on_a_mission_to_raise_awareness_ofhttp://secretsoftheice.com/news/2017/09/05/viking-sword/


Hunting round the world and through the ages


Fishing in ancient Taiwan

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/trave...shing-methods-tourist-destinations-180964694/


Grave stories


Bodies & their weapons found in Swiss glaciers-stunning pictures of wheellock & rapier

http://secretsoftheice.com/news/2016/11/17/death-high-mountains/


Fascinating piece on Westminster Abbey’s royal funeral effigies

http://museumcrush.org/the-secrets-of-the-funeral-effigies-of-westminster-abbey/


Mass graves found near VinegarHill, Ireland

http://www.independent.ie/regionals...ind-mass-graves-on-vinegar-hill-36121841.html



Through the arrow-slit . . .


Exploring a Hospitallers’ estate

http://www.medievalists.net/2017/09...e-medieval-manor-linked-knights-hospitallers/

https://www2.le.ac.uk/services/ulas...le-hill-in-search-of-the-knights-hospitallers


Medieval castle and blast furnace for sale in Shropshire

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news...17/09/02/ancient-furnace-site-goes-on-market/


Update on Hull blockhouse fortifications

http://developmentfinancetoday.co.u...gin-at-the-site-of-henry-viii’s-hull-fortress



Princesses and Amazons


Viking woman in warrior grave raises problems…

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-09/su-aoa090817.php

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/skeleton-ignites-debate-over-whether-women-were-viking-warriors


And more on women warriors

https://www.theguardian.com/science...ale-viking-warrior-was-written-out-of-history

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...ce-warrior-women-ancient-amazons?CMP=soc_3156


Cannons to the left, cannon to the right


Raising funds for new carriages for two CivilWar cannon

http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/news/ci_31278559/funds-provide-carriages-historic-cannons


World War I cannons dedicated at Fort Howard, Baltimore County

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/breaking/bs-md-co-defenders-cannons-20170902-story.html


The story of the Fremont cannon and the feud

http://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/op...remont-cannon-trophy-center-of-football-feud/


A history of rocket technology

http://www.popsci.com/what-are-rockets-red-glare-in-star-spangled-banner


Round the world


Walking the Great Wall of China

http://www.bbc.com/news/av/magazine-41240113/the-first-men-to-walk-the-great-wall-of-china


Interesting piece aboutAfghanistan and its place in history- lots of pics

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/29/world/asia/afghanistan-graveyard-empires-historical-pictures.html


Another week, another neglected Indian fort

http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/i...10/Molangur-Fort-in-a-state-of-neglect/325379


Saigo Takamori: The Last Samurai?

http://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/history/who-was-saigo-takamori-the-last-samurai.aspx


Smuggling antique pistols out of Egypt foiled- picture

https://dailynewsegypt.com/2017/09/17/authorities-seize-attempt-smuggle-ancient-guns-turkey/


Café Basiliscoe


Medieval diet

http://www.medievalists.net/2017/09/medical-dietetic-references-medieval-german-cookbooks/


Miscellany


13th century psalter acquired by British Library- nice knights!

http://artdaily.com/news/98762/Thir...lter-Hours-saved-for-the-nation-#.WcElc7puL4g


Yorkshire schoolgirl finds a sword in the water on holiday- don’t get excited….

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/our-...g-king-arthur-s-legendary-excalibur-1-8734754


Piracy and bankers- we all knew there was a connection…

http://www.thejournal.ie/the-centra...-archives-for-the-first-time-3574045-Aug2017/


Archaeologists discover coins hidden from the Swedes in 30 Years War http://scienceinpoland.pap.pl/en/ne...from-the-swedes--more-than-350-years-ago.html






Into the 20th century


Exhibition on one WW1 officer in Parliament

http://museumcrush.org/the-parliamentary-clerk-lured-to-the-wwi-trenches-never-to-return/


Cache of old guns and parts found in Somerset river

http://www.guns.com/2017/09/07/father-and-son-dredge-wwii-guns-out-of-river-in-great-britain/


Metal-detecting on battlefields in Eastern Europe

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2017/sep/17/battlefield-bounty-hunters-in-polish-ww2-battlefields


Archaeologists attempt to unite dog tags with families from RAF base in Norfolk

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-41280711


Remembering Mikhail Kalashnikov in Moscow with 30ft-high statue.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...tue-of-mikhail-kalashnikov-unveiled-in-moscow


Nautical news


Update on the shipwrecks located in the Black Sea

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-hampshire-41320935/stunning-pictures-of-black-sea-shipwrecks

https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blog...climate.html?spref=fb&m=1#3TcCsbTALEUepoMX.97


Update on the Bom Jesus lost off Namibia, 1533

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...9ed4a8-99fd-11e7-af6a-6555caaeb8dc_story.html


Remains of Sweden’sSceptre, built 1615, identified in Stockholm

https://www.thelocal.se/20170906/sw...th-century-warship-found-in-central-stockholm


Update on the Rooswijk

https://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/rescuing-the-rooswijk.htm


Interesting article inspired by Capt Cook’s Endeavour cannon

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...f/news-story/2e118a456b4df6ded3cce366e6d8aeeb


Investigating the fate of Jean François de Galaup, Comte de La Pérouse andhis crew, disappeared 1788

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170830114820.htm




Two cannon recovered from the Mercedes

http://algarvedailynews.com/news/12419-cannons-from-1804-spanish-wreck-recovered-off-the-algarve

http://www.laverdad.es/murcia/cartagena/expedicion-pecio-senora-20170829183039-nt.html


Update on the Franklin expedition

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/lost-franklin-expedition-historical-tug-of-war-1.4293114?cmp=rss


Just when you think they have solved how the Hunley sank….

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/...cle_2f9152e4-8dc3-11e7-ba92-739503f2fe3f.html


The sinking of USS San Diego

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/military/sd-me-usssandiego-exploration-20170913-storyhttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41318195


Prototype for Canada's secret plane found in Great Lake

http://theprovince.com/news/nationa...ario/wcm/8efa72d3-e758-47a3-b4b2-b8151e76467e



Museum news and exhibitions


News


Met named number 1 museum in world

http://artdaily.com/news/98947/Metr...seum-in-the-world-by-TripAdvisor#.WcNzMDFK19A


Houston museums re-open…

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/museums-in-houston-reopen-after-hurricane-harvey


..while Florida museumsassess the damage

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/florida-museums-assess-damage-and-start-repairs-in-irma's-wake


New museums


British Museum plan major new redisplays

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/british-museum-plans-sweeping-redisplay-of-world-cultures


Conservation corner


Stolen Guercini badly damaged

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/stolen-guercino-painting-will-need-a-year-of-conservation


Restoring historic firearms

http://www.bendbulletin.com/outdoor...celebrates-the-artistry-of-historic-flintlock


Exhibitions


Scythians in London

https://www.theguardian.com/culture...ied-warrior-revealed-british-museum-scythians

https://www.theguardian.com/artandd...iors-of-ancient-siberia-british-museum-london


Napoleon in Arras

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/03/napoleon-exhibition-museum-france-modernhttp://artdaily.com/news/98581/The-...portraitists-to-the-Osuna-Family#.Wa0H5DFK19A


Flemish portraits in The Hague

http://artdaily.com/news/98736/Van-...an-Dyck--Flemish-masters-on-view-in-The-Hague



Books


Willers, Johannes et al: Kaiserburg-Museum des Germanischen Nationalmuseums. Führer durch die Schausammlung.

https://www.zvab.com/servlet/BookDe...y=20&an=willers+johannes+karl+wilhelm+nawroth


Wilfried Baumann: Katalog der Stiftung Baumann (CD rom)

http://www.reichsstadtmuseum.rothenburg.de/index.php?id=160


Tomaz Lazar: Late-Medieval Artillery in Slovenia: A Study of Two Early Artillery Pieces from the Regional Museum Ptuj-Ormoz

https://www.amazon.com/Late-Medieval-Artillery-Slovenia-Regional-Ptuj-Ormoz/dp/9616981021


Holger Schuckelt: The Turkish Chamber: Oriental Splendour in the Dresden Armoury

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turkish-Chamber-Oriental-Splendour-Dresden/dp/3422069143


Online texts


Craig Nakashian: “A New kind of monster … part-monk, part-knight”: the paradox of clerical militarism in the Middle Ages

http://www.medievalists.net/2017/09...ight-paradox-clerical-militarism-middle-ages/


Daniel Franke: Beyond the Medieval military revolution: Robert Ufford, Earl of Suffolk, and the wars of England 1298–1369

http://www.medievalists.net/2017/09...t-ufford-earl-suffolk-wars-england-1298-1369/



Popular culture


Their Finest…- very absorbing film about propaganda in the Second World War, now available on DVD- both funny and sad

https://www.theguarhttps://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/sep/17/munich-by-robert-harris-review-spy-novel



Events


Conferences


14 October 2017Hindlip Hall

The Black Powder Ordnance: A conference on safe use

Contact Roger Emmerson for details: emmersonrw@aol.com


15-17 November 2017, Canterbury

Black Prince Conference

https://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/whats-on/event/blackprinceconference/


Sales Fairs and auctions


Preview for Hermann Historica

https://www.hermann-historica.de/AuctionData/1/_Sonstiges/flyer/A75/A75_Flyer_Netz.pdf


30 September Olympia Arms Fair

http://artdaily.com/news/98709/The-...eptember-at-Pillar-Hall--London-#.WbaFYbpuL4g


Websites and downloads


Jagdschloss Kranichstein Museum

http://jagdschloss-kranichstein.de/


1066 etc: Templars,Charles the Bold, horses, & Greek Fire

http://www.medievalists.net/2017/09/rise-spectacular-fall-templars-interview-dan-jones/

http://www.medievalists.net/2017/09/matthias-corvinus-charles-bold/

http://www.medievalists.net/2017/09...divergent-horse-market-late-medieval-england/

http://www.medievalists.net/2017/09...divergent-horse-market-late-medieval-england/


Finally


This next fortnight I will be tweeting German museums, castles and forts!

https://twitter.com/Basiliscoe



Compiled by Ruth Rhynas Brown –22 September 2017


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