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Helen Gittos

@helengittos.bsky.social

2.6K followers 390 following 580 posts

Associate Professor of Medieval History; parent involved in the Independent Inquiry into Maternity Services at East Kent

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · Jan 7

'Sutton Hoo & Syria: The Anglo-Saxons Who Served in the Byzantine Army?' This is one of the most exciting things I've written (so far..!). Thanks to everyone who helped.
academic.oup.com/ehr/advance-...

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 5h

This is such a fab title! And I reckon the book'll be pretty good too 😉

Jon Woolcott @jonwoolcott.bsky.social · 5h

Here it is, the gorgeous cover of The Tattooed Hills by the talented illustrator Jon McCormack. It's just perfect!

The book is out next spring and you can preorder a copy here: geni.us/TheTattooedH...

The cover of The Tattooed Hills, a white horse on a chalkand landscape.

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Reposted by Helen Gittos

Medieval and Early Modern Orients (MEMOs) @memorients.bsky.social · 1d

Assistant Professorship in Early Medieval Literatures and Cultures, Fordham University:
memorients.com/news/assista...

Assistant Professorship in Early Medieval Literatures and Cultures, Fordham University | MEMOs

Early Modern Literatures and Culture, Fordham University (NYC)

memorients.com

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Reposted by Helen Gittos

Hedley Thorne @hedleythorne.bsky.social · 1d

Wittenham Clumps at sunset yesterday. This is the view from the steps on the iron age hillfort of Castle Hill, looking towards Round Hill. #Oxfordshire

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Reposted by Helen Gittos

Adrián Maldonado @archaeonado.bsky.social · 1d

HES asking the public which properties they should dump next?

"...the strategy acknowledges that 'not all sites and collections are equally important' and that 'it may not be possible or necessary for us to be the custodians of a place forever'"

The Scotsman @scotsman.com · 2d

Historic Environment Scotland embarks on 'difficult and emotional' decisions over future of 300 properties
www.scotsman.com/heritage-and...

'Difficult and emotional' decisions start on future of 300 of Scotland's historic sites

There are tough talks ahead on the future of Scotland’s prized historic sites as climate change, costs and rising visitor numbers take their toll

www.scotsman.com

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 1d

Delighted to be giving a Bede's World / Durham World Heritage Site lecture in @durham.ac.uk on 18 October.

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 2d

Any thoughts about this object? A bone seal matrix which appears to have a chi-rho on one side and a naked, standing figure wearing a tunic on the other. Recently found and recorded @findsorguk.bsky.social. Byzantine? Medieval? Modern? finds.org.uk/database/art...

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Reposted by Helen Gittos

Shaun Lintern @shaunlintern.bsky.social · 3d

🚨 Exclusive: New leaked document proves @NHSEngland was warned a decade ago about failures in child hearing test centres across England.
Hundreds of children have been harmed, some left with lifelong problems:
▶️ www.thetimes.com/article/294c...

NHS ignored warnings on children’s hearing tests for a decade

Health bosses in England knew about testing failures in 2014. Hundreds of babies with severe hearing problems were left without help, leading to delayed development

www.thetimes.com

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 3d

'works by well-known artists, including Henry Moore, Paul Nash, Norman Ackroyd (to whom it is dedicated), Julian Trevelyan, Eric Ravilious, John Piper, and Thomas Guest.' - and these evocative images by Rose Ferraby herself. Makes me wish I were on the ridgeway today not madly prepping for term!

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 4d

And a short piece by @alijanemoore.bsky.social on the HSJ panel discussion on maternity safety with @dockendenltd.bsky.social, Anthony May, @jamestitcombe.bsky.social & myself.
www.hsj.co.uk/patient-safe...

Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 4d

As a coda, one of the things that's stuck with me from @paullaity.bsky.social's recent piece in @lrb.co.uk was this: 'any idea of restorative justice depends on an acceptance of responsibility'. I think this has to be the first step in improving maternity care and I've seen little evidence for it.8/

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 4d

Thanks to @jamestitcombe.bsky.social for alerting me to the paper. /7

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 4d

Although I see that this week the NMC & GMC have 'published new resources to support maternity care'. www.nmc.org.uk/news/news-an...
NMC: www.nmc.org.uk/standards/gu...
GMC: www.gmc-uk.org/professional...
Perhaps it's a start. The real question is how to embed this in practice./6

NMC and GMC publish new resources to support maternity care

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and General Medical Council (GMC) have today published new resources to support healthcare professionals working in maternity care.

www.nmc.org.uk

Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 4d

Meanwhile, this is the current front page of the RCOG website. However well-intentioned, this isn't the most urgent priority in maternity right now... 5/

Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 4d

Michael Buchanan's @bbcnews-uk-rss.bsky.social story from yesterday neatly illustrated so many of the problems. 4/ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

NHS boss Sir Jim Mackey backed heart surgeon whose failures contributed to deaths

Seven people died following multiple failures by Karen Booth who continues to work for the NHS.

www.bbc.co.uk

Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 4d

... much use of the East Kent #readingthesignals report because 'bad apples' & unprofessional behaviour were(?) such a big part of it. 3/

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 4d

... Kirkup's East Kent recommendations was about exactly this. Yet we've heard little from GMC, RCOG, RCM, NMC, et al. about the part *they* play in what has/is happening & what *they* are doing to raise standards & improve sanctions. @marydixonwoods.bsky.social paper @hsj.co.uk made...🧵2/

Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 4d

A new paper by @marydixonwoods.bsky.social daring to argue 'bad apples' are a serious threat to patient safety. A point I made @hsj.co.uk congress was the dissonance btw Charlie Massey CEO of GMC blaming everyone else followed by her paper. One of Bill...🧵👇
qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/qhc/...

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Reposted by Helen Gittos

Liturgica Poloniae @liturgica-poloniae.bsky.social · 4d

The LITURGICA POLONIAE project, funded by the Ministry of Education and Science, has been carried out since 2022 at the Institute of Art, PAS. Our team catalogs 130 liturgical manuscripts c.1300 in Polish collections and abroad.

Join us on this journey! 🖋️

#manuscripts #medieval

Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 4d

*there*

Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 4d

Civaux's riches survive incongruously in the shadow of a nuclear power station... and a crocodile museum! Googling for research on the site, brought up reports of cracks in the reactor. And I was able to get their from Poitiers because of a tourist bus to the Terre de Dragons. 😱 😂

Reposted by Helen Gittos

Toby Martin @tobyfmartin.bsky.social · 4d

Here's an opportunity to come and work for us at @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social as a tutor in archaeology on a part-time (0.6FTE) and permanent basis. We're looking for anyone with a background from late Prehistory to the medieval period. Deadline: 10 November 2025

my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...

Job Details

my.corehr.com

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 5d

This looks good. Due out in December.
'It also provides the first full catalogues of a number of important but poorly understood hacksilver hoards from the UK: Norrie’s Law (Fife), Gaulcross (Aberdeenshire), Tummel Bridge (Perthshire) and Patching (Sussex).' www.scriptbooks.co.uk/archaeology/...

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 5d

On a bus from Summertown to Oxford recently, three women in front of me were talking about @oxfordprestrust.bsky.social Open Doors - when visitors can go inside buildings usually closed. One said to the others, 'We normally open the synagogue. But we didn't this year. It's too dangerous.'

Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 5d

I refuse to be inveigled into buying shoes just because they are called after liturgical equipment... but every time I see the name... #flabelus 😆

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Reposted by Helen Gittos

Francesca Tinti @francescatinti.bsky.social · 5d

At Early Medieval Europe we’re thrilled to team up once again with the BSR to sponsor a fellowship! One doctoral student or ECR will have the chance to carry out a month of research in Rome. More info below

British School at Rome @bsrome.bsky.social · 6d

📣 BSR / Early Medieval Europe Fellowship – Call for Applications!

Are you a PhD student or early career researcher in early medieval European history?
Apply now!

⏳ Deadline: 30 January 2026
More info here: bsr.ac.uk/awards-resid...

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