Author | Lightnews

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

David Morley @profdavidmorley.bsky.social · 18h

Let the mind take its photograph
Of the bright scene, something to wear
Against the heart in the long cold.

from 'A Day in Autumn' by R.S. Thomas

2 14

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 1d

Like a time capsule: a #Roman tile marked with #finger lines, hobnail #shoe prints, #dog's paw prints, and a #stamp of the LEG(io) XIIII G(emina). Tiles with imprints are very common, since tiles were laid out to dry in the open air ahead of firing, where...🧵1/2

#TilesOnTuesday 🏺

A tile with well-preserved surface impressions: three distinct outline of shoes with hobnail patterns in the center, a animal paw prints nearby, and a rectangular maker's stamp with worn lettering and an imprint of a foot. And finger lines.
The tile surface shows additional small impressions and chips.

10 86 320

Dr Ian Friel @drianfriel.bsky.social · 18h

Piece about 12th/13th-century wrecks discovered off the coast of South Korea - some important finds, as well as hull structures. #archaeology #maritimearchaeology #maritimehitsory #coastalhistory
www.chosun.com/english/trav...

12th-Century Goryeo Shipwreck Found in Taean's 'Underwater Gyeongju'

12th-Century Goryeo Shipwreck Found in Taeans Underwater Gyeongju Celadon, Rice Grains, and Ship Hull Discovered; 15th-Century Joseon Ship Also Raised

www.chosun.com

3 9

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Alison Fisk @alisonfisk.bsky.social · 1d

Delightful detail from the Roman “unswept floor” mosaic by Heraclitus, showing a mouse nibbling a walnut.

Superb use of darker tiles for subtle shadow effect!

2nd century AD. Vatican Museums www.museivaticani.va/content/muse...

#MosaicMonday
#Archaeology

The image shows detail from a floor mosaic of a brown mouse on a pale background facing left with its nose close to half a walnut in its shell. The mouse has a long thin tail stretched out behind. The mosaicist has used a mix of lighter and darker brown tiles for the mouse’s body to hint at fur. The walnut is created with warmer light and dark brown tiles. Slightly darker background tiles have been used beneath the mouse and walnut to create subtle shadows

14 300 1.1K

Dr Ian Friel @drianfriel.bsky.social · 1d

The editing of the Trump piece was a bad & should not have happened. The subsequent 'outrage' from right-wing politicians & media does seems to be part of a campaign to destroy what is, with all its faults, one of the best & most objective news organisations in the world. Once it's gone, it's gone.

2

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Dr Bendor Grosvenor FRHistS @bendorgrosvenor.bsky.social · 1d

We might also wonder why the BBC entrusts episodes of its leading current affairs strand to outside producers. But that takes us back to Conservative govmt demands, under the guise of market liberalisation, that they shift spending to independents. The slow death of the BBC was planned long ago…
3/3

2 13 100

Dr Ian Friel @drianfriel.bsky.social · 1d

Across the world, storms are exposing some very old #shipwrecks. #maritimehistory
www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/typhoon...

Typhoon Kalmaegi exposes centuries-old shipwreck off Vietnam port

HOI AN: Severe coastal erosion caused by Typhoon Kalmaegi exposed a centuries-old shipwreck in Vietnam, providing a narrow window to salvage what experts say could be a historically significant find.I...

www.channelnewsasia.com

1 1

Dr Ian Friel @drianfriel.bsky.social · 1d

I like this photo, so thought I would post it. This visitor arrived in our back garden in Chichester in April 2024. A peregrine falcon, I think, but happy to be corrected (nesting peregrines have taken up residence in the tower of #Chichester Cathedral every year for the last 20 years+).

A ?peregrine falcon standing at the edge of a garden pond, with a small solar-powered fountain behind.

1

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Ian Duhig @ianduhig.bsky.social · 2d

When you suddenly realise you've been saying hello to all the villagers without changing back into human form.

23 120

Dr Ian Friel @drianfriel.bsky.social · 3d

Professor Joyce Youings (1922-2012), historian of the Tudors and of Devon: kind, helpful and encouraging.

1 1

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Dr Samuel McLean @canadianerrant.bsky.social · 3d

Margarette Lincoln has always been extremely kind to me.

Dreadnought Holiday @dreadships.bsky.social · 3d

Right, enough of James Watson - who's a senior academic you've met who's been an utter delight?

I'll go first: Jocelyn Bell Burnell

1 1 2

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Oscar Lozada @oz-of-the-ancients.bsky.social · 3d

A window to the ancient world...

The Roman Amphitheatre of El Djem, Tunisia

📸 Mine

#RomanSiteSaturday #archaeology #photooftheday 🏺

Gap in a wall looking onto the edge of a ruined Roman amphitheatre

20 89

Dr Ian Friel @drianfriel.bsky.social · 3d

Moving & interesting piece on NPR about archaeologists from the US & Sweden helping Ukrainian colleagues rescue parts of a wreck (from an 18th-cent Russian military expedition) exposed by the current war. The archaeologists made out their wills before they travelled.

www.npr.org/2025/11/07/n...

Racing to Save a Ukrainian Archaeological Site Exposed by the War : State of the World from NPR

The war with Russia has touched all aspects of Ukrainian life, including efforts to preserve the nation’s history. We go to an island in the Dnipro River where archaeologists from around the world ar...

www.npr.org

1

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Tim Hitchcock @timhitchcock.bsky.social · 6d

Really pleased to announce the launch of the all-new, all-dancing, London Lives website - www.londonlives.org It has been thoroughly re-engineered to facilitate more types of search, and redesigned for phones and tablets. The team very much hopes peope like it. 1/

London Lives

www.londonlives.org

8 110 130

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

millyallen.bsky.social @millyallen.bsky.social · 10d

This is when I enjoy my job the most. Revelling at the most exposed features, which would normally be well hidden. The former owner supposedly went to bed with an umbrella ☂️…
#buildingsarchaeology #thatch #historicbuildings

1 3 23

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Dr Bendor Grosvenor FRHistS @bendorgrosvenor.bsky.social · 10d

Quick recce in Cirencester’s glorious church of St John the Baptist, before my talk later. One of England’s finest ‘wool’ churches.

6 10 99

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

John McCafferty @jdmccafferty.bsky.social · 10d

Noah's (multi-storey) ark from 'The Florentine Picture-Chronicle', c. 1470-1475 (British Museum)

3 3 22

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Helene von Bismarck @helenebismarck.bsky.social · 13d

Honestly, the more these people opine on how awful the UK is, the more I am reminded of how much - for all its problems and indisputable weirdness - I really rather love it.

Roland Smith @rolandmcs.bsky.social · 13d

An alleged patriot writes.

24 18 170

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Navy Records Society @navyrecords.bsky.social · 13d

⚓ Did you know the Navy Records Society has published over 170 annual volumes in print and online? 📚

Discover the full collection: buff.ly/xuKTHBk

#navyrecords #navalhistory #navyhistory #NRS #history #research #royalnavy #trafalgar #hms #nelson #ww2 #tudor #ww2 #student #academic

Books – The Navy Records Society

The Navy Records Society publishes an annual volume in print and online. Each work presents previously unpublished documents on naval history, edited, introduced and given an analytical commentary by…

www.navyrecords.org.uk

1 7 12

Dr Ian Friel @drianfriel.bsky.social · 13d

Roman merchant vessel and oared warship on the Danube, from Trajan's Column in Rome (113 AD), which commemorated his Dacian Wars. The detail is incredible: regarding #maritimehistory interestingly, I don't recall seeing any vessels in this riverine campaign being shown with sails. #ReliefWednesday

A Roman merchant ship unloading (lefthand side) at a town quay and a bireme warship (right; bireme = two banks of oars). Soldier are shown unloading rope-bound packages from the merchant vessel, with the ?Emperor Trajan and a group other senior figures standing on the right.

2 7

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 14d

#ReliefWednesday!
A Roman marble relief of a warship. Found in the necropolis of Praeneste (Latium), late 1st century BC.
The relief presumably belonged to the tomb of a Roman veteran who had served on Octavian’s side at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC.

📷 me

🏺 #archaeology

A marble relief depicting a Roman warship with rows of oars and soldiers on board. The figures wear helmets and carry shields, while the ship features ornate carvings, including a decorative prow and architectural elements like a tower. Displayed against a blue-lit museum background

6 66 280

Dr Ian Friel @drianfriel.bsky.social · 13d

Thinking of wind powered ships, I've got a book called 'Something New in Model Boat Building' (publ 1945-50, I think) by D H Matheson with illus by Bernard Richardson. Among the conventional ship-type models are instructions for building a rotor ship, based on the principles developed in the 1920s!

The image shows a model ship with three rotors, which rotate int he wind and cause the vessel to move. The first rotor ship was designed and built in the mid-1920s by the German engineer Anton Flettner. Though it did not catch on then, the idea has been revived in recent decades as shipbuilders explore ways of propelling vessels that lower their carbon footprint.

2

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

J. Connell Stryker @jconnellstryker.bsky.social · 13d

I wanted the whole animal band to demonstrate my support for this idea but I'll take Roger Miller Rooster because hell yeah

1 1 3

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Adam Markham @adammarkham.bsky.social · 13d

Fascinating and lovely! I did not know about these and will have to investigate next time I'm there.

1 2

Reposted by Dr Ian Friel

Roman Roads @romanroads.bsky.social · 13d

I mean, look at that - why would you not want to go and poke around an area that looks like that.

Easy to get to, too - just up from Ecclefechan (ooh, early church place name) known as The 'Fech locally (really) just off the M74.

4 3 39