Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Janet E Kay @janetekay.bsky.social · Jun 2

Thank you, Clare!!

Janet E Kay @janetekay.bsky.social · Jun 2

Brand new podcast appearance on Infectious Historians! We discussed our team’s recent burial archaeology article in Speculum, as well as the methods and applications of bioarchaeology

Merle Eisenberg @merleeisenberg.bsky.social · Jun 2

Episode 136 is up on Bioarchaeology with @janetekay.bsky.social and Jordan Wilson. We talk about what bioarchaeology is, how it works, and collaboration with other disciplines. Plus our recent article: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/.... Listen: infectioushistorians.com/2025/05/02/b...

Burial Archaeology and the First Plague Pandemic | Speculum: Vol 100, No 2

Abstract Archaeological evidence from funerary contexts is largely ignored in current scholarship on the First Plague Pandemic, despite the important information that burials and cemeteries can provid...

www.journals.uchicago.edu

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Merle Eisenberg @merleeisenberg.bsky.social · May 12

New timely episode (#135 for those of you keeping track) on "Avian Flu." Lee and I talked to Natalie Porter about her work on outbreaks in Vietnam as an anthropologist and also her move to a non-academic career. Listen: infectioushistorians.com/2025/04/13/a....

Episode 135 – Avian Flu with Natalie Porter, Infectious Historians

Marian Devotion and Plague in Late Medieval Italy with Bianca Lopez Episode 134 - March 7, 2025 Bianca Lopez (Southern Methodist University) joins the...

infectioushistorians.com

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Janet E Kay @janetekay.bsky.social · May 10

Also, gotta love that the Atlantean language was invented by the same person who invented Klingon (I’m deep in a Wikipedia dive at this point)

Janet E Kay @janetekay.bsky.social · May 10

Watching Disney’s Atlantis for the first time in probably a decade. As an archaeologist and historian familiar with both Iceland and Ireland, I am blown away by how well-researched this movie is (they even utilized the fact that Iceland is volcanic). I wish I had known this as a kid!

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Scottish Society for Northern Studies @northernstudies.bsky.social · Apr 29

With vol. 55 of our journal, Northern Studies, having been out for a little while, you can now read the previous volume (54) for free in Open Access! 🔓

www.ssns.org.uk/journal/nort...

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Janet E Kay @janetekay.bsky.social · Apr 24

To friends and colleagues in #archaeology, @naturecities.bsky.social is looking for articles that combine archaeology and history! 6k word limit, more details at website. Submit and/or spread the word! www.nature.com/natcities/

Nature Cities

Nature Cities features timely and impactful cutting-edge research, opinion, and ideas relevant to urbanisation and understanding the role of cities in our ...

www.nature.com

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Janet E Kay @janetekay.bsky.social · Apr 20

Reminds me very much of Jasper Fforde’s excellent novels, he was onto something!

@jasperfforde.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

Hue new? Scientists claim to have found colour no one has seen before

Contested discovery achieved by experiment firing laser pulses into eyes, stimulating retina cells

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Janet E Kay

Merle Eisenberg @merleeisenberg.bsky.social · Apr 18

Worth reading this thread in full. The only thing I can see positively is that at least the Guardian didn't write about the even more problematic idea in the article that connected this one event to the "fall" of Rome 100 years later. But, anyway, huge problems.

Guy H @realhistoryguy.bsky.social · Apr 18

Regret to report that Buntgen Honeydew and his cronies are at it again. Absolutely historically illiterate.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

British rebellion against Roman legions caused by drought, research finds

The pivotal ‘barbarian conspiracy’ of AD367 saw Picts, Scotti and Saxons inflicting crushing blows on Roman defences

www.theguardian.com

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Kristina Killgrove @killgrove.bsky.social · Apr 18

DNA and tomb styles suggest they might have been communal rather than dynastic burial spots. 🧪🏺

Stone Age tombs for Irish royalty aren't what they seem, new DNA analysis reveals

A reanalysis of ancient DNA shows that a major cultural change took place in Ireland after four centuries of farming.

www.livescience.com

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Merle Eisenberg @merleeisenberg.bsky.social · Apr 14

New Episode alert: "Marian Devotion and Plague in Late Medieval Italy." Lee and I spoke with Bianca Lopez (SMU) about her book on plague, piety and power in late medieval Italy. A great convo on Santa Maria di Loreto & the impact of the Black Death. Listen: infectioushistorians.com/2025/03/07/m...

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Jonathan Healey @jonathanhealey.bsky.social · Apr 14

New job at Oxford - do please share widely!

www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DMS153/a...

Associate Professor in History, 1000-1500 at University of Oxford

Looking for a new job opportunity in academia? Check out this job opening for a Associate Professor in History, 1000-1500 on jobs.ac.uk!

www.jobs.ac.uk

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middleages4educate.bsky.social @middleages4educate.bsky.social · Apr 11

Congratulations to ‪‪Merle Eisenberg‬ ‪@merleeisenberg.bsky.social‬
on winning yesterday's contest for best map for teaching the Carolingian Empire! The image will be featured in a gallery on the MAFE website with any commentary Merle would like to append to it.

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Princeton University Press @princetonupress.bsky.social · Apr 11

An invaluable guide for scholars stifled by the traditional academic route.

Ilana M. Horwitz's The Entrepreneurial Scholar: A New Mindset for Success in Academia and Beyond is out now.

Explore a free sample and save 30% with code PUP30: press.princeton.edu/books/paperb...

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · Apr 11

A new book just published by Ian Wood; it may not have a fancy cover but I'll bet it'll be good and useful. www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...

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Janet E Kay @janetekay.bsky.social · Apr 10

Exciting discovery at Abydos! penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-mu...

Penn Museum and Egyptian archaeologists unearth a 3,600-year-old tomb from the lost Abydos dynasty | Penn Today

The excavation will continue through 2025, which includes protection, site management, and conservation of the structures. "This discovery is a new window to understanding the origins of the enigmatic...

penntoday.upenn.edu

Reposted by Janet E Kay

Irina Manea @shieldofskuld.bsky.social · Apr 10

#ironage #medievalsky #scandinavia

Norse Heaven is a place on Earth

The Iron age site of Gudme, home of the gods

open.substack.com

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barbarayorke.bsky.social @barbarayorke.bsky.social · Apr 10

Lectures and an exhibition in Sherborne next month for anyone interested in early medieval Wessex

Upcoming conference for anyone around in Sherborne next month

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American Historical Association @historians.org · Apr 10

The AHA is compiling resources developed by historians in response to recent actions by the federal governments. We welcome submissions from our members about op-eds, media appearances, or other resources they've contributed offering historical context and insight to the public. 🗃️

Historians Respond to Federal Actions - AHA

AHA members are providing important historical context and insight to the public on the recent actions by the federal government.

www.historians.org

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American Council of Learned Societies @acls1919.bsky.social · Apr 10

We are excited to announce the recipients of the 2025 ACLS Fellowships! This year, the program will award more than $3.5 million to 62 scholars, recognizing outstanding research in the humanities and social sciences: bit.ly/4jwiyEq

American Council of Learned Societies Awards 62 ACLS Fellowships

ACLS Fellowships award $3.5 million to scholars in recognition of excellence in humanities and social sciences research

bit.ly

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Janet E Kay @janetekay.bsky.social · Apr 10

Congrats to @ccooijmans.bsky.social and co-authors on their article on warriors in viking society!

Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · Apr 9

Our first major project article, on Viking-Age warrior institutions in Scandinavia, is out now (OA 🔓)!

It explores these institutions as dynamic social formations - embedded in community life and central to wider political, mercantile, and diplomatic networks

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Warrior institutions and martial networks in Viking-Age Scandinavia

The figure of the warrior occupies a key position in both scholarly and popular representations of the Viking Age. Despite this, many aspects of marti…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Janet E Kay @janetekay.bsky.social · Apr 10

Congrats Clare!

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American Historical Association @historians.org · Apr 7

Explore the AHA’s Resource Library, with hundreds of resources developed or vetted by the AHA and our partners. Our resources range from classroom syllabi, to archival documents from the Civil War, to standards and guidelines for the discipline, and more. 🗃️

AHA Resource Library - AHA

Explore All Resources Search Resource Type Thematic AHA Topics Geographic K-12 Education Undergraduate Education Graduate Education Professional & Career Resources Academic Department Resources Histor...

www.historians.org

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Janet E Kay @janetekay.bsky.social · Apr 7

We conclude by offering an example of how such archaeological evidence can be more inclusively and effectively incorporated into interdisciplinary plague studies, to the benefit of the field.

Janet E Kay @janetekay.bsky.social · Apr 7

3) by examining bioarchaeological evidence from entire cemeteries where plague genomes are recovered in any quantity.

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