New World

Incan, Aztec, Native American, and other cultures native to the New World, as well as those cultures imported by colonists during the Medieval and Renaissance period.

Huge cache of 17th century beads found in Georgia

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2009-05-03 17:45
A recently discovered large collection of glass beads dating to the 17th century proves that global trade had reached the shores of North America. The 70,000 beads, which included Venetian, Dutch, French and Chinese glass beads, were found at an excavation at the Santa Catalina de Guale Mission. (photo)

New York celebrates Henry Hudson's discovery of New Amsterdam

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2009-04-21 16:43
In commemoration of the Henry Hudson's 400th discovery of the City of New Amsterdam, the Museum of the City of New York will present “Amsterdam/New Amsterdam: The Worlds of Henry Hudson,” an exhibition of 275 artifacts housed in a replica of the hull of Henry's triple-masted ship. The exhibit runs through September 2009.

"Severed Ways" explores Viking discovery of America

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2009-03-25 15:26
Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America, a 2007 film written and directed by Tony Stone, tells the story of two Norsemen stranded in North America in the year 1007 who are forced to survive by their wits.

America's oldest free library may close

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2009-02-20 09:04
Out of our time period, but a sad commentary on the financial crisis in the United States: Delaware County's Darby Free Library (Pennsylvania) is one of eleven libraries destined to close their doors due to lack of funding. The library "is believed to be the oldest continuously operating public library in America."

Chocolate dated to 1000 CE in North America

Submitted by AEschwynne on Tue, 2009-02-10 16:38
Chocolate was drunk in North America as early as 1000 C.E., according to an article posted at LiveScience magazine online. The article describes cacoa residue found inside carved cylinder tubes in northern New Mexico.

"Murder" at the re-enactment

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2009-02-08 13:17
A fall 2008 Civil War re-enactment in Virginia went terribly wrong when a Yankee cavalryman from New York was shot and wounded by a .44-caliber ball from an 1860 Army Colt pistol.

Chocolate residue found in ancient pottery remains

Submitted by AEschwynne on Thu, 2009-02-05 12:20
Residue from a chemical only known in chocolate has been found on pottery shards dating back to between 1400 to 900 BC in Central America, according to an article at LiveScience magazine online.

ELAD'S Leather Armor

Submitted by armor777 on Tue, 2009-01-27 13:10
ELAD's provides handcrafted, leather armor for LARP, SCA, Renaissance and Medieval Festivals. They offer a wide selection of breastplates, helmets, bracers, gauntlets, spaulders, greaves, and more. Custom leather armor design is available as well.

American reforestation may have led to "Little Ice Age"

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2009-01-04 14:23
A new study by Stanford University researchers suggests that the reforestation of areas in the Americas following the collapse of pre-Columbian population centers may have triggered the Little Ice Age which occurred from 1500 to 1750.

Following the path of our Scotch-Irish ancestors

Submitted by jt4novels on Thu, 2009-01-01 13:27
"Growing up in North Carolina, I always knew we had a huge group of Scotch-Irish settlers in the Piedmont of the Carolinas, but I didn't understand their ancestry. Were they from Scotland or Ireland?" Jennifer Hudson Taylor looks for an answer on her blog.

Waldseemueller map a mystery

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2008-12-03 18:58
Scholars are still puzzled by 16h century map created by German cartographer Martin Waldseemueller which depicts a vast ocean west of the Americas years before its discovery by Vasco Núñez de Balboa.

Archaeologist re-creates ancient booze

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2008-10-06 14:05
Patrick McGovern, a molecular archaeologist at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, does not hesitate to chat about the history of alcoholic beverages, and has even re-created a "9,000-year-old Chinese drink we call Jiahu."

Jewelry finds help illustrate history of Jamestown

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2008-09-11 15:42
The recent discoveries of a small pendant depicting a Virginia native American, and several other pieces of jewelry, will help historians understand more fully the history and life in the Jamestown colony.

Vikings not driven from Canada by the Thule

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2008-09-03 15:00
New research shows that Viking settlers in Newfoundland were not driven from the country by the native Thule, a native ancestor of the Inuits. Scientific re-dating has placed the native tribes in the area 150 years after the Viking settlements.

From the halls of Montezuma

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2008-07-07 15:11
Mexican archaeologists believe they have, at long last, found the fabled palace of Aztec emperor Montezuma, destroyed by the conquistador Hernando Cortés in 1521.

A tour of "remarkable Viking sites"

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2008-07-06 14:20
Jeff Lukovich takes visitors on a unique tour of Newfoundland's Viking sites in an article for Canada.com.

Search continues for "Lost Colony"

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2008-06-06 18:47
Researchers from the First Colony Foundation are gearing up to begin an extensive search for America's "Lost Colony." The project will be covered by the Time Team America program.

Alabama Welsh Society calls for the return of Madoc's historic marker

Submitted by Sabine Berard on Fri, 2008-05-16 13:50
The Alabama Welsh Society wants a plaque reinstated marking the supposed arrival of Prince Madoc ap Owain in the U.S. three centuries before Columbus. The legend has it their two ships dropped anchor at what is now Mobile Bay, Alabama, in 1169 or 1170.

1600 volcano affected world climate

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2008-05-03 12:22
UC Davis geology professor Ken Verosub believes that a volcano which erupted in 1600 in Peru may have affected global weather, causing famine in Russia and a late wine harvest in France.

Canada's Red Bay Project proves Basque whalers visited Labrador in the 16th century

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2008-04-28 17:22
A new report by the Canadian government gives a detailed picture of Basque whaling and shipbuilding in 16th century Red Bay, Labrador. The report discusses artifacts discovered on the San Juan, a galeon sunk in 1565 and recently excavated.

Costuming sets the mood of historical films

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2008-04-04 14:49
An article by David Ansen in the March 6 Newsweek Magazine on the latest costume dramas deals with the HBO mini-series John Adams and how costume sets the mood for a project.

Columbus may have spread "social disease"

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2008-02-05 06:42
A new study claims that explorer Christopher Columbus may have been responsible for bringing syphilis to Europe. The controversial theory has been debated for years, but the new study of molecular genetics may show whether the theory is true.

Archaeologists explore 450 year old shipwreck off Florida

Submitted by Sabine Berard on Fri, 2007-12-14 19:35
Archaeologists are studying the buried remains of a ship from a Spanish colonization fleet led by Don Tristan de Luna.

Archaeologists seek early Spanish evidence in Georgia

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2007-12-07 20:20
Archaeologists working on a dig in southern Telfair County, Georgia, believed they were looking for a 17th century Spanish mission. Instead they found something even more interesting: evidence of Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto's 1540 travels through the state.

Plimoth Plantation embroidery blog

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2007-11-22 10:26
A daily blog by members of the Plimoth Plantation's (Massachusetts) embroiders' guild shares notes and progress on a variety of early 17th century projects including the current one: an embroidered jacket.

The Nina tours the southern U.S.

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2007-11-14 12:39
The Nina, "the Most Historically Accurate Replica of a Columbus Ship Ever Built," will be touring the southern United States during November and December 2007. Tours are available.

16th century Spanish ship found off Florida coast

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2007-10-20 19:19
Divers are examining the remains of a ship which sank off the coast of Pensacola, Florida during a hurricane in 1559. The ship is believed to be one of several Spanish ships sent to colonize the area. A previous ship was discovered 15 years ago.

Modern technology may help to locate "Lost Colony"

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2007-10-10 06:16
Researchers such as George Ray hope that hard work and Google Maps may yet discover the fate of settlers of the "Lost Colony" of Roanoke in North Carolina, abandoned in the late 1500's.

Fire destroys "Lost Colony" costumes

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2007-09-21 06:23
A fire recently destroyed the section of the Waterside Theatre in Roanoke Island, North Carolina which housed historic costumes in the Irene Rains Costume Shop. Most of the costumes for Paul Green's play, the Lost Colony, were destroyed.

DeSoto's Florida camp found

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2007-08-05 13:24
Archaeologists are studying what they believe are the remnants of conquistador Hernando de Soto's camp in Tallahasse, Florida abandoned in 1540. The site is near the modern state capitol.