Eight years before J.R.R. Tolkien published The Hobbit, archaeologist Sir Mortimer Wheeler sought the author's opinion about a cursed Roman ring discovered in Silchester, Hampshire in the 1920's. The ring, along with a tablet, cursing any thief who thought to steal it, are believed to have inspired Tolkien's One Ring.

Archaeologists have exhumed the remains from an unmarked grave at St Bartholomew's Church in Winchester, England, hoping they have found the bones of the Saxon king Alfred the Great who died in 899.

A 14th century, hand-written copy of the Expositiones Vocabulorum Biblie has returned to its place of origin after surviving the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII in the 1530s. The parchment manuscript, which was created to help the nuns of Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire study and understand the Bible, is now on display at the abbey thanks to the National Trust which purchased the document at auction. (photos)

The Mary Rose, the flagship of Henry VIII found on the ocean floor off the south coast of England, may once again change English history. Scientists studying cannonballs discovered on the ship have found them to be armor-piercing, a technology believed to have been created in the 18th century. (photos)

For years, archaeologists have concentrated on Roman excavations in western Germany, largely ignoring its medieval past, especially when it came to Jewish history. Now the discovery of over 250,000 artifacts in Cologne, is revealing new insights into "one of Europe's oldest and biggest Jewish communities."

William Shakespeare may have been the world's greatest writer, but he routinely failed to pay his taxes. This is the conclusion of a new study by scholars from Aberystwyth University which shows that Shakespeare was "repeatedly prosecuted and fined for illegally hoarding food, and threatened with jail for failing to pay his taxes."

Somewhere in 14th century Croatia, a scribe must have had a few choice words for his pet cat after kitty left his little paw marks on the pages of the scholar's book. The discovery was made by Ph.D student Emir O. Filipović in the Dubrovnik State Archives. (photo)

In a recent burial service considered an "historic event," 17 sets of remains of Jewish descent were laid to rest in Norwich, England. The bones were discovered in 2004 in a well, and are believed to be victoms of 12th century religious persecution.

Lack of funding for needed repair work threatens to close Canterbury Cathedral. Allegedly, duct tape has been used on pillars to hold them together.

A walk through old town Nuremberg, Germany takes visitors back in time to the Middle Ages. An 11th century castle, toy museum, the home of Albrecht Dürer and over six acres of brewing tradition make for a memorial travel location. Russ Juskalian of the New York Times Travel section has the story.

According to an article by Laurel A. Rockefeller, "Saint" Bishop Patrick as we think of him is far more myth than history.

A new archery newsletter has recently become available for the SCA. The newsletter, called Quivers & Quarrels, is free and will be going out to all kingdoms via each kingdom's online newsletter.

Attention Don Wildman of Cities of the Underworld: Archaeologists plan to investigate if the legendary tunnels beneath a Newark, England marketplace really exist. The two-month study, using ground-penetrating radar, will be funded by the town council.

In the 14th century, Charterhouse Square in London was no-man's land, making it an excellent place to bury victims of the Black Plague. Now the site is the focus of archaeological investigations after being unearthed during construction of the city's Crossrail project. (video)

Manchester University in England has created a searchable website of sources for medieval textiles and clothing. The lexis of cloth and clothing in Britain c. 700-1450: origins, identification, contexts and change collects documentation from "diverse academic disciplines: archaeology, archaeological textiles, art history, economic history, literature, languages."

Medb reports that Niall inn Orkneyskii was the winner of the May 4, 2013 Crown Tournament in the Kingdom of Lochac. His Highness was inspired in His endeavor by Liadan ingen Fheradaig.

Centuries-old Warwick Castle has revealed some new secrets. Time Team presenter Tony Robinson was among the first to see four new rooms  opened to visitors as part of Warwick Castle Unlocked. (video)

The Bulgarian resort town of Sozopol, on the Black Sea, has long attracted visitors wanting to relax. Now the discovery of a large stone thermae building shows that the attraction may stretch back to Roman times. (photo)

Four hundred years after his death, facial reconstructionists have revealed the face of France's 'Good King Henri IV' whose mummifed head is believed to have been discovered in an attic in 2008.

Sadly, the Higgins Armory will close its doors in December, 2013, but a catalog from an auction of some of its collection, which took place March 20, 2013, is available to view online.

Historians have long been fascinated by the creation of maps during the Age of Exploration. Of special interest are maps such as Waldseemüller and Ringmann's first map mentioning "America." The New York Times Science page looks at A Renaissance Globemaker’s Toolbox, a new book on the subject by John W. Hessler.

Maol Mhichil mac Giolla Pheadair, Polaris Principal Herald, reports that in the last Court of Their Reign, Yngvar and Luce, King and Queen of Northshield offered admittance to the Order of Chivalry to Toyoka Katsuo.

Shipwreck diver Todd Stevens hopes he has found a gem at the bottom of the ocean near the Isles of Scilly in the form of the Lizzy, a shipwreck which may have belonged to Sir Walter Raleigh. Raleigh lost a ship, the Flying Joan, in the area in 1617.

Marita Genesis of Potsdam, Germany has an interesting area of study: execution site archaeology. Genesis is just one of a number of scientists and scholars interested in finding out how those executed died and how executioners, particularly in the Middle Ages, lived. Matthias Schulz of Der Spiegel has the story.

The State of Florida is celebrating its 500th birthday, including debates about the exploration of Juan Ponce de León, who landed on the peninsula on April 2, 1513. St. Augustine is the traditional site of the landing, but historian Douglas Peck believes otherwise.

The study of a series of old LIDAR (light detection and ranging) aerial photos has led to the discovery of what may be a camp of the men who constructed Hadrian's Wall. The find could change the way historians view civilian life in Roman Britain.

Popular British chef, and "self-confessed medieval foodie," Clarissa Dickson Wright takes on the cooking of the 14th century when she prepares dishes from Britain's oldest known cookbook, The Forme of Cury, written during the reign of King Richard II.

Dorset auctioneer Richard Bromell had an Antiques Roadshow moment recently when he was told that a plate, "found hanging on a makeshift wire frame in a Somerset cottage" was a 16th century original maiolica, bringing over £500,000 at auction. (photo)

Historians and craftsmen have long pondered the absolute regularity of Viking jewelry made from twisted rods of gold and silver, but a new theory by Kasper Olsen and Jakob Bohr at the Technical University of Denmark may have solved the puzzle: mathematics.

King Edmund of England, later St. Edmund after being shot by Viking raiders in the 9th century, might be buried under the tennis courts at Bury St Edmunds, once the Abbey graveyard. After Richard III, some historians would like to know.