Edith Pretty was convinced that the mounds on her land in Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, held important archaeological secrets. In 1939, on the eve of the second world war, she was…Read More >
history
Teaching Holocaust Testimonies
As an adolescent boy, growing up in the 1960s, I used to enjoy playing with my newly minted Action Man. I would dress him up in various army uniforms and…Read More >
Connecting through Collections Histories
As a historian of archaeology, I know that museum collections are an important route into the history of empire. British archaeologists and antiquarians brought artefacts from many countries back to…Read More >
Christmas coming early: there’s never been a right time to put up the decorations
In the words of Perry Como’s classic, “it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas”. The pandemic has got many yearning for a little festive joy earlier than usual and,…Read More >
Ethiopia’s troubled history provides clues to why an all-out civil war is possible
Ethiopia’s government, under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, is carrying out a military offensive in Tigray, Ethiopia’s most northern state. A six month state of emergency has been declared in the region. Dozens…Read More >
Black History Month: ‘A visit to the countryside is always accompanied by a feeling of unease; dread.’
The countryside has long been a place intrinsic to the British national identity, from the Romantic movement through to the present day. And yet, it has remained largely inaccessible to…Read More >
Welcome to Black History Month
2020 marks the 33rd anniversary of Black History Month (BHM) in the UK, and it has never seemed more relevant. One outstanding feature of the wave of protests, conversations, and questioning that has…Read More >
Archiving Youth Cultures
Pop music and youth cultures can define who you are and where you come from. For a decade, Professor Matt Worley’s research has explored how these youth cultures reflect and…Read More >
The medieval roots of modern weather forecasts
From astronomy to almanacs, Professor Anne Lawrence-Mathers explores the historical origins of weather forecasting in a new post for The Conversation. It’s official: according to the UK’s Met Office, February 2020…Read More >
Roman Catholic priests have been celibate for a thousand years – but this could change
For almost a thousand years, Roman Catholic priests have been required to be celibate. But this age-old practice is now under fire, with the suggestion that the rules should be…Read More >