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Archaeology · Political History

Queens, Crisis, and Coinage at the End of the Sasanian World

Coins were more than currency in the pre-modern world. They were among the most public expressions of political authority. In the final decades of the Sasanian Empire, the coinage of female rulers offers a rare glimpse into how authority was asserted amid dynastic crisis and imperial collapse.

Jonathan Ouellet • October 16, 2026

Archaeology

Arnhems stedelijke ontwikkeling onder de loep

Welke inzichten levert interdisciplinair onderzoek naar Arnhems vroegste stedelijke verleden en wat betekent dit voor bestaande hypothesen? Martijn Defilet is met dit vraagstuk aan de slag gegaan. Een analyse op het snijpunt van archeologie, geschiedenis en landschapsvorming

Martijn Defilet • 02-10-2026

Art History

Antonello Who?

Last summer, four works by the Italian renaissance painter Antonello da Messina were stolen from a regional museum in Messina, Sicily. This blog post explains the significance of Antonello’s paintings for understanding renaissance art, and their value to the local community.

Wouter Wagemakers • 18-09-2026

Manuscript Studies · Book History

Sint Antonius en slimige spise: do's en don'ts tegen de pest

Tussen de gebeden in een Middelnederlands getijdenboek staat er plots een verrassende tekst: praktisch advies tegen de “nieuwe ziekte”, de pest. Voor de moderne lezer misschien onverwacht, maar voor een middeleeuwer meer vanzelfsprekend.

Irene van Eldere • 04-09-2026

Abracadabra? The Graffiti on the Haarlem Broodbank

A close-up look at the intriguing medieval graffiti on the Haarlem Broodbank

Elizabeth den Hartog • 26-06-2026

The so-called Broodbank: A complicated piece of furniture in the St Bavo Church in Haarlem

The St Bavo Church in Haarlem houses a remarkable piece of furniture known as the Broodbank, i.e. a bench from where alms were handed out to the poor. This blog will highlight its complicated history, while the next blog (end of June) will discuss the Broodbank’s medieval and early modern graffiti.

Elizabeth den Hartog • 12-06-2026

Archaeology

Of Donar and Mittens. The Leithon 'amulet' as nalbinding needle

According to the ‘First Law of Archaeology’, whenever archaeologists do not know what an object is, then it must be something religious. In this case, a Donar pendant may be simply a needle for nalbinding. But the story is no less exciting!

Jip Barreveld • 29-05-2026

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