mediumaevum:

The gruesome death of Thomas Becket

One of more graphic depictions of this moment. Three of the four knights attack the archbishop, who is kneeling in prayer before the altar. One of the knights kicks Thomas to the floor, and sends his miter flying as his sword cracks open Thomas’s head.

Edward Grim, who was himself wounded in the attack, wrote down what, according to his account, are the last words of Thomas:

‘For the name of Jesus and the protection of the Church, I am ready to embrace death.’

For sooooth!

#booksales are a dangerous thing for #nerds! Managed to make it out with only two books. Phew! #books #medieval #grammar #nerd

Word.

wildeyedsoutherncelt:

Dolwyddelan Castle, Wales by PhotoToasty

Apparently yesterday was the 2nd anniversary of my initiation into the Epsilon Omicron chapter of Eta Sigma Phi, National Honors Society for the study of Greek and Latin. #nerd

mediumaevum:

Oooh, I like this:

Almost all medieval feast foods were conveyed to the mouth by elaborate, and often elegant, finger choreography…However, both pinky fingers were extended, never touching food or gravy or sauce, reserved as spice fingers. Dipped into the salt, sweet basil, cinnamoned sugar, or ground mustard seed, then raised to the tongue, the spice fingers displayed a feaster’s digital finesse while adding another sensual pleasure: touch of food’s texture.

Some modern polite extensions of pinky fingers, serving no physical pur­pose, are cultural remembrances of medieval spice fingers. In fact, a medieval clerical encouragement for use of the fork was to eliminate the pleasure of touch. The fork was generally ignored until the late 16th century as a super­fluous and foppish metallic intrusion between sensual food and willing mouth. 

-Historian Madeleine Pelner Cosman

image: The Marriage Feast At Cana, traditionally attributed to Hieronymus Bosch

mediumaevum:

Medieval relics in Museum of London

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