Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · 2d

#ManuscriptMonday from a flying visit to Words on the Wave @nmireland.bsky.social 📚

An exquisite show with wonderful archaeological objects, but always a joy to see books at the heart of an exhibition.

#NationalMuseumofIreland #IrishManuscripts #FaddenMorePsalter #KinaleBookShrine

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Reposted by Kristine Rose-Beers

Dr Bryony Coombs @bryonycoombs.bsky.social · 6d

She is holding a book! 📖
Currently writing a section on visual evidence for book use in medieval Scotland - so this could not be better timed...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

'Rare' medieval hair accessory uncovered at Eilean Donan Castle

The gravoir was used for neatly parting hair and creating elaborate hairstyles.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · 12d

New research may rewrite the story of the Book of Kells 📚 @tcddublin.bsky.social @tcdlibrary.bsky.social

Charles West @pseudo-isidore.bsky.social · 12d

Is the Book of Kells Pictish?
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...

New research may rewrite origins of the Book of Kells, says academic

Exclusive: Author challenges assumption monks on Iona created manuscript, instead positing its origins are Pictish

www.theguardian.com

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · 19d

Walnut (husk) ink in progress.

#NaturalDyes #NaturalInks #PracticeBasedResearch

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · 20d

Day to day collaboration between #CULconservation and colleagues in #CHIL @theul.bsky.social 📚 📷

Cambridge University Library @theul.bsky.social · 21d

📸 Quiet on the set, please! This 1798 Deed of Exchange (MS UA D.XXVIII.6) is taking a ride on our XYZ table in the Cultural Heritage Imaging Laboratory.

🤝 Chief Photographic Technician Scott Maloney and Senior Conservator Emma Nichols ensured safe accessibility of the manuscript during imaging.

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · 24d

Catching up on 1920’s week in @sewingbee.bsky.social and noticed a familiar backdrop!

@cam.ac.uk @caiuscollege.bsky.social

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · 24d

Looking glorious in the sunshine 🌞

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · 26d

Clean dry hands have greater dexterity than gloved hands, so are safer when handling delicate manuscripts 📚

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · 27d

Conserved c.20 years ago, and holding up pretty well 📚🧿

@theul.bsky.social Add. 1116, fragments of a Qur’an, 9th century

#CULconservation #ParchmentConservation

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Sep 7

A fascinating treatment by #CULconservation @theul.bsky.social for Criminology #RadzinowiczLibrary 🦛

#Conservation #LibraryConservation #NotJustBooks

Cambridge University Library @theul.bsky.social · Sep 4

'Morning Smile’, affectionately known as Asbo, was the wonderful creation of three inmates of His Majesty's Young Offender Institution Brinsford. Recently, Asbo began to show signs of deterioration, with the paint on the mouth area lifting and peeling. 🦛

#CULConservation

A large, realistic model of a hippopotamus head with its mouth wide open sits on a white surface in a bright, modern room with glass walls and visible office equipment. This photo was taken before the artwork's conservation.

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Sep 2

Fascinating discussion which begins to explore the pros and cons of lending—and transporting—irreplaceable cultural heritage collections.

Museums Association @museumsassociation.org · Sep 2

News | Conservators debate Bayeux Tapestry risk as French voice fears over loan – more than 68,000 people have signed a petition opposing plans to transport artefact to the UK

Conservators debate Bayeux Tapestry risk as French voice fears over loan - Museums Association

More than 68,000 people have signed a petition opposing plans to transport artefact to the UK

www.museumsassociation.org

Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Aug 28

Come and work with us! @theul.bsky.social 📚

#CULconservation #BookConservation @conservators.bsky.social

Cambridge University Library @theul.bsky.social · Aug 28

Applications are open for the post of Conservator (Book and Paper) at Cambridge University Library!

For full details and to apply, click here: https://loom.ly/VUgy3Uo

The closing date for applications is Sunday 7 September 2025.

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Aug 25

There’s not a walnut tree in @theul.bsky.social Dye Garden (yet) so this year’s walnut ink production is thanks to a harvest in Norfolk.

#NaturalDyes #PracticeBasedResearch #MedievalPalette

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Aug 23

Excellent coverage of this beautiful exhibition, previously @kettlesyard.bsky.social 🇵🇸

www.theguardian.com/fashion/gall...

‘A symbol of Palestinian presence and identity’: the personal and political world of ‘tatreez’ – in pictures

A new exhibition explores Palestine’s ‘most vital living tradition’ – embroidery which reflects not only the personal lives of women, but is also a symbol of resistance and survival

www.theguardian.com

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Aug 3

Tyger, tyger, burning bright 🧡

Beautiful day-flying Jersey Tiger moth spotted sheltering from showers today.

@britentsoc.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #BigButterflyCount

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Jul 24

Something for @bbka.org.uk 🐝

Cambridge University Library @theul.bsky.social · Jul 24

🐝Did you know we keep bees at the UL? Dr Melonie Schmierer-Lee explains how she cares for our colony of bees, including queen bee, Brontë!

#CambridgeUniversityLibrary #UrbanBeekeeping #Beekeeping #Cambridge
@meloniesch.bsky.social‬

Video by Blazej Mikula

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Jul 18

Week 2 of the Montefiassone Conservation Project ends with a selection of Safina made by a dedicated class of would-be Safavid binders 📚

Painted gold and stencilling embellishes leather, paper, and textile. Thank you everyone!

#MonteProject2025 #Montefiascone #SafavidBinding #IslamicBookbinding

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Jul 17

Beautiful corners of Orvieto, Umbria, visiting after class here at the Montefiascone Conservation Project.

#MonteProject #BookHistory #PracticeBasedResearch

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Reposted by Kristine Rose-Beers

Dr Jill Whitelock @jillwhitelock.bsky.social · Jul 15

Beautiful black Hollyhock in the Dye Garden at @theul.bsky.social yesterday evening. 🖤 📷 #photography

A tall plant with black flowers against a brick building and arched and rectangular windows.

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Jul 17

Hi! We’re hoping to extract a blueish purple from the flowers using water. Experiments will begin soon, and we’ll share the results here and on Instagram 💜

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Jul 4

A butterfly on the blooming safflower today in the @theul.bsky.social Dye Garden 🌱

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Jul 3

You can get blues and greens from it, but because it’s a natural colour we won’t know how this harvest behaves until we process it 🎨 Chemically, it contains an anthocyanin and is ph sensitive. @majnouna.com has done some excellent work in this and we’ll share our results soon!

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Reposted by Kristine Rose-Beers

Cambridge University Library @theul.bsky.social · Jul 2

This week, our Conservation team harvested the cornflowers from the Dye Garden. Later this summer, we will share how to turn them into traditional colour for manuscript painting.

#CULConservation #CambridgeUniversityLibrary #DyeGarden #ManuscriptConservation

A woman is picking flowers from a raised flower bed. A small pile of dark blue flowers sits on the wall beside her.

We see two hands picking dark blue flowers from a raised flower bed.

We see a pile of dark purplish blue flowers held in the palms.

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Jun 30

Clear skies and rainbow flag flying for the final day of #PrideMonth @theul.bsky.social

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Kristine Rose-Beers @iamkristine.bsky.social · Jun 19

Almost midsummer, and almost twilight in the Dye Garden @theul.bsky.social

#CULconservation #CambridgeUniversityLibrary #LibraryGardens #Midsummer #DyePlants #PracticeBasedResearch

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