BBC News

British Broadcasting Corporation

Roman "Souvenir" of Hadrian's Wall Found

Submitted by Karen on Thu, 2003-10-02 03:28
A 2nd century bronze pan, elaborately decorated with Celtic-style motifs and colored enamel, and engraved with the names of four forts at the western end of Hadrian's Wall, was found in the Staffordshire moorlands.

Lost Imperial Purple Formula Rediscovered

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2003-09-17 15:11
The secret formula for creating Roman imperial purple dye has been rediscovered.

3,000-Year-Old Stone Circle Discovered on Lewis

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2003-09-10 22:49
Archaeologists believe a stone circle measuring 30m and dating from 3,000 years ago may be second in importance only to Stonehenge.

Romans May Have Worn Socks With Their Sandals

Submitted by Karen on Thu, 2003-09-04 19:46
A foot from a Roman-era statue was found in London -- wearing a sock under a sandal.

Roman Vase a Renaissance Fake?

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2003-09-03 14:59
The Portland Vase, a key piece in the British Museum's collection of Roman treasures may actually be a clever Renaissance fake.

Da Vinci Painting Stolen

Submitted by Karen on Tue, 2003-09-02 13:37
"The Madonna with the Yarnwinder" was stolen from Drumlanrig Castle, in southern Scotland.

Tourists Banned from China's Great Wall

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2003-08-31 07:15
Large sections of the Great Wall of China have been closed to tourists due to detereoration.

Mongolia's Cult of Ghengis Khan

Submitted by Karen on Wed, 2003-08-27 17:55
Under Mongolia's former Communist rulers, the mere mention of the name of Ghengis Khan was outlawed. Now there is no escaping him.

12th Century Priory Rediscovered in Hereford, England

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2003-08-27 04:04
After 20 years of searching, archaeologists have located a 12th century monastery beneath Hereford County Hospital.

Divers Find Keel of the Mary Rose

Submitted by Karen on Thu, 2003-08-21 22:23
Divers have excavated a piece of wood which they believe is the front stem of the keel of the Mary Rose.

No Loch Ness Monster, says BBC team

Submitted by Karen on Tue, 2003-08-05 13:50
A team of BBC researchers, using satellite navigation technology and hundreds of sonar beams, has shown that there is no monster in Loch Ness.

Stuffed Dormice...Not Just for Breakfast Anymore

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2003-08-03 07:35
Excavations near Whitehall Villa in Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire, have revealed Roman culinary secrets, including stuffed dormice.

Re-enactors Stage Siege of Orleans in the Ukraine

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2003-07-29 13:13
Hundreds of history buffs recreate a battle from the Hundred Years War over a weekend in the Ukraine.

National Gallery Wins Grant to Help Keep "Madonna of the Pinks" in the UK

Submitted by Karen on Sun, 2003-07-27 03:18
The Heritage Lottery Fund will award

Medieval Treasures Added to UN's Heritage Sites

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2003-07-15 17:00
Of the 24 new sites added to UNESCO's list of heritage sites, several date to medieval times.

High-Tech Imaging Could Reveal Lost Texts

Submitted by Karen on Sun, 2003-07-13 08:15
An Allied bombing in 1944 destroyed a collection of around 2,000 medieval books and parchments, some dating back to the 12th century. Multispectral imaging may reveal text on some of the badly burned manuscripts, many of which were unpublished.

Reconstructed Ringlemere Cup to be Displayed at British Museum

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2003-07-07 02:40
A bronze cup, dating from the time of the construction of Stonehenge, has been acquired by the British Museum and will soon be on display.

Italian Scholar Claims Excalibur for Italy

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2003-06-30 16:03
Mario Moiraghi, an Italian scholar, now claims that the legend of Arthur's sword Excalibur originated in Italy rather than Celtic Britain.

Robin Hood a Fake?

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2003-06-27 21:28
Professor Stephen Knight, a British academic, believes that Robin Hood never existed.

Vatican Unveils Virtual Tour

Submitted by Karen on Thu, 2003-06-26 14:43
Tour the Sistine Chapel on the Vatican's new website.

Laser Technology May Shed Light on Museum Exhibits

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2003-06-12 14:17
A laser technique used in medicine and aircraft design may help reconstruct ancient artifacts.

Toilet Exhibit Eliminates Speculation About Medieval Sanitation

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2003-06-10 15:08
A Paris exhibit of medieval toilets and sanitation proves that people of the Middle Ages were more advanced than once thought.

Archaeologists Repair Viking "Faeces Fossil"

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2003-06-09 22:24
To continue our ongoing discussion of medieval sanitation practices, consider this article from BBC News about the restoration of a 1200-year-old fossilized human faeces, quite possibly the most popular exhibit at the Archaeological Resource Centre in York, England.

Mead May be Key to a Healthy Sex Life

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2003-06-04 17:07
Researchers at the Royal Chemistry Society are studying the effects of mead on virility and fertility and are seeking volunteers for their research.

Laser Analysis May Revise Date of Lindisfarne Gospels

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2003-05-21 18:39
A non-destrustive laser has been used to date the pigments of the Lindisfarne Gospels, helping researchers to move the date back to 720 CE.

Excavations of Site of "Boxgrove Man" to Continue

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2003-05-20 20:53
"Boxgrove Man," a forerunner of Neanderthal and the oldest hominid found in Britain, will receive further study, according to British archaeologists.

British Education Secretary Criticizes Universities as "Medieval Concept"

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2003-05-15 18:03
"The medieval concept of a community of scholars seeking truth is not in itself a justification for the state to put money into that. We might do it at say a level of a hundredth of what we do now" says Education Secretary, Charles Clarke.

Lindisfarne Gospels to Return to the Holy Island

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2003-05-14 20:13
After 1300 years, the Lindisfarne Gospels will return to the Holy Island.

Channel 4's "Eye Stunt" Offends Oxfordshire Residents

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2003-05-13 16:54
A 300-ft-wide eye logo advertising Channel 4's "Big Brother" program has been painted next to the famous Uffington Chalk Horse, enraging local residents.

Devon Farmer Builds Bronze Age Burial Chamber

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2003-05-08 01:03
Gavin Dollard, a resident of Ivybridge in Devon, England, is building his own "cromlech," or Bronze Age burial chamber.