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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · 6d

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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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Aug 17

After a number of episodes looking at characters from Norway and Ireland in the middle of the 9th century, my latest post returns to Pictland to look at what happened after the death of Kenneth MacAlpin.

northerntapestry.com/2025/08/17/f...

Forteviot, Palace of Kings

Although there is little evidence of it today, the tiny village of Forteviot with its population of around 200 was once the centre of the Pictish and newly-emerging Scottish kingdoms in the 9th cen…

northerntapestry.com

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Aug 3

My latest blog post continues with the story of the vikings in Ireland in the middle of the 9th century and starts to join up with some of the threads contained in the Icelandic Sagas.
#vikings, #ireland

northerntapestry.com/2025/08/03/v...

Vikings in Black and White

At the end of my last post I noted that in the mid-800s, as well as fighting the Irish, we now had Vikings attacking Vikings and that the narrative was in danger of becoming even more confusing. Fo…

northerntapestry.com

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jul 20

www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/exhibition/v...

Viking North | Yorkshire Museum

www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jul 20

Would highly recommend the new Viking North exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum (York) if you are in the area. Lots to see and thoughtfully presented. #vikingsky

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jul 13

The latest addition to my blog is a short post looking at the continuing strife between the Vikings and the Irish as we reach the mid-point of the 9th century.

#vikings, #ireland

northerntapestry.com/2025/07/13/t...

Tomrair, a Viking Jarl in Ireland

In Turges – a Norse leader in Ireland, we saw how the Irish prince – and then king – of Mide, Mael Sechnaill, had ritually drowned the Norse leader Turges in 845 – a result of the ongoing conflict …

northerntapestry.com

The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 28

In the meantime I will continue to post smaller pieces on here as well as links to any new blog posts. Enjoy! (11/11)

The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 28

I wrote about the so-called “unification” of Picts and Scots and in recent posts have considered Ireland and some characters from Norway who will go on to play a leading part in the British Isles and (spoiler alert!) Iceland. (10/11)

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 28

Then the Vikings arrived and the blog looked at some of the people and actions we know about from Scandinavia and how they began to settle in North Britain, Ireland and the Faroes. (9/11)

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 28

It then went on to look at the Pictish Civil War in the early 8th century before their domination of the area for much of that century. (8/11)

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 28

So far the blog has covered the period from approximately 685 until the 850s, starting with the struggle between the Picts, Anglo-Saxons, Britons and Scots in northern Britain. (7/11)

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 28

In any case I’m finding it a load of fun – I hope you enjoy it too. This is very much a personal project but comments, suggestions, corrections, etc are always welcome. (6/11)

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 28

I accept that what I am trying to piece together is a timeline of relationships which will vary between the “probable” and the “highly unlikely;” however I hope that this will end up in a continuous tale which might overall be seen as at least “possible.” (5/11)

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 28

This is especially relevant when it is obvious that the tales of people like Kenneth MacAlpin, Harald Fairhair, Egil Skallagrímsson and others have been embellished over the years. (4/11)

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 28

linking up the stories of individuals mentioned in Icelandic sagas, Irish Annals and other accounts and trying to piece together some sort of a composite story. As a history graduate from some time ago, I am very much aware of the limitation of sources. (3/11)

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 28

The intention of The Northern Tapestry is to try and follow – through whatever “evidence” we have – the people and places that link the early medieval world of north-west Europe, (2/11)

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 28

Thank you to those who are following this account. As well as my posts here I also have a blog on WordPress and I thought it might be useful to reintroduce that, especially to those who have joined in recent weeks. (A🧵 1/11)

www.northerntapestry.com

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 25

Pictish Queen. Tarbat Discovery Centre.

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 18

angusalive.scot/pictish-symb...

Pictish Symbol Stones to be on display in Aberlemno Village Hall • ANGUSalive

A recently discovered assemblage of Pictish Stones will be on long term display in the village of Aberlemno later in 2025.

angusalive.scot

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 14

The Fishergate, Fulford and Heslington Local History Society have produced an excellent information leaflet about the carving which is available on their website ffhyork.weebly.com/uploads/8/2/...

ffhyork.weebly.com

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 14

Went to see the Viking-age ship carving at Pikeing Well, York today. Dating from 10th-11th century.

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · Jun 8

My latest post looks at one of the Norse leaders in 9th century Ireland

northerntapestry.com/2025/06/08/t...

Turges – a Norse leader in Ireland

A name which appears in the Irish Annals between 839 and 845 is Turges (or Turgeis, Tuirgheis or Turgesius), a Norse chieftain fighting in Ireland. This post will look at this character – and what …

northerntapestry.com

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · May 23

Stone with Ogham writing originally from County Kerry, now in Trinity College, Dublin.

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The Northern Tapestry @northerntapestry.bsky.social · May 14

www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/news-media/l...

Yorkshire Museum Announces Major Exhibition: ‘Viking North’ Opens Friday 11 July 2025 | Yorkshire Museum

www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk

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Reposted by The Northern Tapestry

International Medieval Congress Leeds @imc-leeds.bsky.social · May 8

Returning to #IMC2025 Historical and Archaeological Societies Fair is Scottish Society for Northern Studies ☺️ Make sure to visit their stall in between exploring Making Leeds Medieval! 😁
www.ssns.org.uk
www.facebook.com/NorthernStud...
bsky.app/profile/nort...

#MedievalSky #SkyStorians

A delegate chatting to two Historical and Archaeological Societies fair exhibitor who is sat behind their stall which has journals and a banner saying Scottish Society for Northern Studies.

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