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Reposted by Esther Addley

Alison Fisk @alisonfisk.bsky.social · 6d

At almost 2,000 years old, this child’s wooden toy sword is a remarkable survival from Roman times!

Found in the living quarters of the cavalry barracks at Vindolanda fort in 2017. Dated c.120 AD. Chesterholm Museum 📷 by me

#RomanFortThursday
#Archaeology

My photo shows a Roman-era wooden toy sword made from oak. It is dark brown in colour, displayed against a cream and pale green background. It is carved to look like an adult sword, with a semi-circular handle, a blade with pointed tip, and a semi-circular guard embellished with a centrally-set oval polished stone. The wood is remarkably well-preserved except for a break across the hilt. Excavated in 2017 from the cavalry barracks at Vindolanda, a fort on the Roman Empire’s northern frontier. Dated c. AD 120.

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Reposted by Esther Addley

Kevin Wilbraham @kpw1453.bsky.social · 5d

A late 9th century sword pommel - part of the Bedale Hoard which was found by metal detectorists in 2012. The hoard is now part of the collections at the Yorkshire Museum in York. 📸 My own. #FindsFriday #BedaleHoard #YorkshireMuseum

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Esther Addley @estheraddley.bsky.social · 6d

Many years ago I had the huge and thrilling my privilege of travelling with Jane Goodall in the US for a few days. She was fascinating/gracious/ inspirational as you’d expect - and she got absolutely MOBBED everywhere she went, it was mad. What a life. RIP.

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

everywhere.ma

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Esther Addley @estheraddley.bsky.social · 6d

Jane Goodall has died. What a woman

Katharine Hayhoe @katharinehayhoe.com · 6d

The world has lost its most powerful advocate for nature and hope. Yet many remain who will continue her legacy and I know she will continue to inspire generations more.

A screenshot of a post by the Jane Goodall Institute on LinkedIn stating that they learned that Dr. Goodall passed away due to natural causes in California while on her speaking to her current speaking tour there.

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Esther Addley @estheraddley.bsky.social · 7d

I mean you're not alone but i know many nordies would disagree.. (I'm all for parity of esteem)

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Reposted by Esther Addley

Kevin Wilbraham @kpw1453.bsky.social · 7d

Portable altar to the Roman goddess Minerva which was found at Lemington, near Morton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire. Now part of the collections at Chedworth Roman Villa. 📸 My own. #ReliefWednesday #RomanBritain #RomanArchaeology

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Esther Addley @estheraddley.bsky.social · 7d

Here is Colin Farrell appreciating the difference (although let it be noted yellow Tayto are amazing too.)
Here ends my Ted Talk on Irish potato products.
www.instagram.com/reel/DOxsdhc...

todayfm on Instagram: "Let there be NO question, Irish Tayto beats yellow Tayto every time 🇮🇪 💪 Ian Dempsey knows the way straight to Colin Farrell and…"

Let there be NO question, Irish Tayto beats yellow Tayto every time 🇮🇪 💪 Ian Dempsey knows the way straight to Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie's hearts!A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is in cinemas now 🍿

www.instagram.com

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Esther Addley @estheraddley.bsky.social · 7d

Randomly they both have a yellow potato man in a red suit for a mascot but the ROI Mr Tayto has stripey trousers. (Also Irish Tatyo cheese and onion - the best, did I mention - is red, white and blue, confusingly). 4/x

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Esther Addley @estheraddley.bsky.social · 7d

Republic of Ireland Tayto was founded in 1954 by Joe "Spud" (of course) Murphy and invented the world's first ever flavoured crisp (cheese and onion - the best). Northern Irish Tayto licensed the name two years later but is a completely different company. Mad. 3/x

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Esther Addley @estheraddley.bsky.social · 7d

However perhaps the maddest thing about the partition of Ireland (ok maybe not the maddest) is that there are two *entirely separate* Tayto crisps companies on either side of the border... 2/x

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Esther Addley @estheraddley.bsky.social · 7d

Love the Irish Times's description of House of Guinness as a "steampunk Mr Tayto", referencing Ireland's favourite brand of crisps and its cheery potato mascot. 1/x
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

‘A steampunk Mr Tayto’: why Irish critics hate Netflix’s House of Guinness

While US and UK reviewers have praised the series, in Ireland it has faced a barrage of withering put-downs

www.theguardian.com

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Esther Addley @estheraddley.bsky.social · 8d

Hooray for bees

c0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · 8d

Honeybees are the very model of a modern minute monarchy.

There's a female queen & her male consorts (drones) & the teeming masses of workers, who are sterile but anatomically & genetically female.

Have you ever wondered how that happens, how it's maintained?

Let's talk about it!

From Britannica, three bees in a diagram, showing worker, queen and drone shown from above. They're all winged, yellow with black abdomens, but there are subtle differences in shape and size.

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Esther Addley @estheraddley.bsky.social · 12d

Early King Billy #iykyk (alas)

Jon Hawke @archaeohawke.bsky.social · 12d

#FrescoFriday from the "Tomb of the Black Rider", c. 340 BC
Found from Paestum in Magna Graecia, Lucanian period.

#Archaeology #Art #History
#AncientBlueSky🏺

The Tomb of the Black Rider is the popular name for a 4th-century BCE Lucanian fresco from Tomb 58 in the Andriuolo necropolis at Paestum, Italy. The fresco depicts a horseman riding a black horse, a scene that highlights the Lucanian elites' passion for horses and horse racing during that period. The artwork is a significant example of Lucanian funerary art and is now housed in the

National Archaeological Museum of Paestum.

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Reposted by Esther Addley

Kevin Wilbraham @kpw1453.bsky.social · 14d

The dragon head of Skidbladner - a replica of the famous 9th century Viking Gokstad ship which was found in a burial mound at Vestfold in Norway in 1880. Skidblander can be found at Haroldswick on Unst in Shetland. 📸 My own. #Woodensday #Unst #Shetland

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Reposted by Esther Addley

John McCafferty @jdmccafferty.bsky.social · 15d

Glove, probably made for the coronation of Frederick II in 1220. With some 14thC additions.

(Kaiserliche Schatzkammer Wien)

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Esther Addley @estheraddley.bsky.social · 20d

Please make time if you can to read this meticulous and damning piece by my friend @paullaity.bsky.social about the search for accountability after his daughter Martha's needless death

Paul Laity @paullaity.bsky.social · 21d

'Welcome to my last four years.' A search for accountability and a full, detailed explanation for Martha's death . . . www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Paul Laity · After Martha

For the hospital, and for the NHS, it was a closed case, another preventable death: medicine is imperfect, such things...

www.lrb.co.uk

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Reposted by Esther Addley

The Megalithic Portal Ancient Sites & Stones @megalithic.bsky.social · 28d

Stenbjerggård Langdysse: Langdysse (Long Barrow) in Svendborg. There are 5 chambers on this monument. Four are more or less in line, the eastern one is located to the north of that line. Easy to find on road 323 from Orbaek to Ringe. You can park your car on the side of the road.

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Reposted by Esther Addley

Alison Fisk @alisonfisk.bsky.social · 28d

Let’s go inside Bryn Celli Ddu Neolithic passage tomb!

Built about 5,000 years ago to align with the rising sun on the Summer Solstice! 🌅

Look for the stone pillar inside the burial chamber, like a tomb guardian keeping watch from the shadows!

Anglesey, Wales 🎥 by me

#Archaeology

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Reposted by Esther Addley

Richard Carr @richardcarr.bsky.social · 28d

AJP Taylor - not a referencing guy

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Reposted by Esther Addley

Alison Fisk @alisonfisk.bsky.social · Sep 8

Happy Monday!

Here are two lovely little owls decorating an ancient Greek ceramic drinking cup made in Athens around 2,500 years ago!
🦉😍

Louvre, Paris 📷 by me

#Archaeology

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Reposted by Esther Addley

Dr Sue Oosthuizen @drsueoosthuizen.bsky.social · Sep 4

What research! What a story! It seems the statue of the winged lion in Venice may have been a tomb guardian brought from China by Niccolò & Maffeo Polo - &, once in Venice, it was modified to resemble the Republic’s emblem – the winged lion of St Mark ...
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Venice’s Lion of St Mark’s Square was at least part made in China, study suggests

Isotope analysis finds copper ore came from Yangtze River basin while statue could be a repurposed Tang Dynasty tomb guardian

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Esther Addley

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · Sep 3

Sort of dizzying to think about how many people are alive today because Patricia Hewitt (ban on smoking in enclosed spaces) was health secretary and because Norman Fowler (mandatory seatbelts) was transport secretary and health secretary (HIV/Aids).