#TeamNun
@teamnun.bsky.social
Recovering the stories of medieval and early modern religious women using all available methods from science and the humanities. #TeamNun projects integrate research from library to lab.
Reposted by #TeamNun
Professor @alisonibeach.bsky.social was interviewed in the latest episode of the podcast ’Tis but a Scratch. You can give it a listen here: tis-but-a-scratch-fact-and-fiction-about-the-middle-ages.buzzsprout.com/1925107/epis...
#MedievalSky
#MedievalSky
February 5, 2026 at 7:25 PM
The women's Hospitaler monastery at Alguaire is at the centre of this fascinating project. And their teeth, bones, and hair (!) have lots of fascinating stories to tell!
January 30, 2026 at 10:15 AM
The women's Hospitaler monastery at Alguaire is at the centre of this fascinating project. And their teeth, bones, and hair (!) have lots of fascinating stories to tell!
TeamNun is joining forces with "Prioresses, Lords and Princes. Spaces of Power in Medieval and Modern Catalonia," a major research project led by Prof Maria Soler Sala at the University of Barcelona combines archeology with the analysis of written texts and the study of the landscape.
January 30, 2026 at 10:05 AM
TeamNun is joining forces with "Prioresses, Lords and Princes. Spaces of Power in Medieval and Modern Catalonia," a major research project led by Prof Maria Soler Sala at the University of Barcelona combines archeology with the analysis of written texts and the study of the landscape.
#TeamNun in the Laboratory of Medieval Archaeology at the University of Barcelona -- assessing a skeletal assemblage from ongoing excavations at Santa Maria d'Alguaire.
January 30, 2026 at 10:03 AM
#TeamNun in the Laboratory of Medieval Archaeology at the University of Barcelona -- assessing a skeletal assemblage from ongoing excavations at Santa Maria d'Alguaire.
TeamNun on the road in Catalonia! Follow us here as we have our first look at the nuns of Santa Maria d'Alguaire in the lab and in the field.
January 23, 2026 at 11:05 AM
TeamNun on the road in Catalonia! Follow us here as we have our first look at the nuns of Santa Maria d'Alguaire in the lab and in the field.
TeamNun on the road in Catalonia! Follow us here as we have our first look at the nuns of Santa Maria d'Alguaire in the lab and in the field.
January 23, 2026 at 11:05 AM
TeamNun on the road in Catalonia! Follow us here as we have our first look at the nuns of Santa Maria d'Alguaire in the lab and in the field.
Reposted by #TeamNun
🤔 We also speculate on the future of such inter- and trans-disciplinary work/projects with examples from @teamnun.bsky.social @matthewcollins.bsky.social & others! This is after all a special 💯 🎂 "Speculations" Issue for @medievalacademy.bsky.social journal Speculum!
December 29, 2025 at 6:30 PM
🤔 We also speculate on the future of such inter- and trans-disciplinary work/projects with examples from @teamnun.bsky.social @matthewcollins.bsky.social & others! This is after all a special 💯 🎂 "Speculations" Issue for @medievalacademy.bsky.social journal Speculum!
The #TeamNun fleece-to-embroidery project continues! The wool thread that we prepared at #ucdexperimentalarchaeology is dyed, dried, and ready to go to Scotland to be tested out by TeamNun St Andrews! Madder (red/brown) and Woad (blue) thread, and Weld (yellow) and Weld + Woad (green) fleece!
December 2, 2025 at 9:03 AM
The #TeamNun fleece-to-embroidery project continues! The wool thread that we prepared at #ucdexperimentalarchaeology is dyed, dried, and ready to go to Scotland to be tested out by TeamNun St Andrews! Madder (red/brown) and Woad (blue) thread, and Weld (yellow) and Weld + Woad (green) fleece!
As the #TeamNun fleece-to-embroidery project continued, we dyed a hank of wool using the indigo Anita made with woad. Watching the thread turn from a blackish colour to lovely blue when the dyed wool was squeezed out & exposed to the air was magical! The smell of the boiling dyes was...interesting!
November 26, 2025 at 11:16 AM
As the #TeamNun fleece-to-embroidery project continued, we dyed a hank of wool using the indigo Anita made with woad. Watching the thread turn from a blackish colour to lovely blue when the dyed wool was squeezed out & exposed to the air was magical! The smell of the boiling dyes was...interesting!
Our #TeamNun fleece-to-embroidery project continues with the spun thread removed from the spindle and placed in the dyer's madder! Dyer's madder can produce a range of colors from oranges to reds and was one of the most commonly used dyes in the Middle Ages. @experimentarchaeol.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Our #TeamNun fleece-to-embroidery project continues with the spun thread removed from the spindle and placed in the dyer's madder! Dyer's madder can produce a range of colors from oranges to reds and was one of the most commonly used dyes in the Middle Ages. @experimentarchaeol.bsky.social
Meanwhile, Anita began preparing the dye. We chose dyer's madder -- because this was a common source of oranges-to-reds and Anita detected this plant in ELS215's dental calculus. Anita also prepared a gorgeous rich blue from woad.
November 25, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Meanwhile, Anita began preparing the dye. We chose dyer's madder -- because this was a common source of oranges-to-reds and Anita detected this plant in ELS215's dental calculus. Anita also prepared a gorgeous rich blue from woad.
I was definitely not as chill as this woman from the Fécamp Psalter (The Hague KB, 76 F 13)...
November 25, 2025 at 10:45 AM
I was definitely not as chill as this woman from the Fécamp Psalter (The Hague KB, 76 F 13)...
The next step involved holding the distaff under my left arm and pinching some of the fleece firmly away from the distaff -- all the while twirling the drop spindle to create the twist that turns the fleece from fluffy fibre into thread. I got pretty good at this with patient tutoring from Lucy!
November 25, 2025 at 10:30 AM
The next step involved holding the distaff under my left arm and pinching some of the fleece firmly away from the distaff -- all the while twirling the drop spindle to create the twist that turns the fleece from fluffy fibre into thread. I got pretty good at this with patient tutoring from Lucy!
This woman has the multitasking down! I definitely was not going to be feeding any chickens while holding on to my distaff! Image: Luttrell Psalter (BL Add. MS. 42130, f. 166v). The innocent-looking thing hanging from the distaff is a drop spindle. Things are about to get more complicated!
November 25, 2025 at 9:20 AM
This woman has the multitasking down! I definitely was not going to be feeding any chickens while holding on to my distaff! Image: Luttrell Psalter (BL Add. MS. 42130, f. 166v). The innocent-looking thing hanging from the distaff is a drop spindle. Things are about to get more complicated!
After combing the fleece, we placed it on a distaff to begin the spinning process. The distaff is commonly associated with women in the Middle Ages -- it is really just a long stick with the prepared fleece tied to it. #TeamNun #UCDExperimental Archaeology
November 25, 2025 at 9:03 AM
After combing the fleece, we placed it on a distaff to begin the spinning process. The distaff is commonly associated with women in the Middle Ages -- it is really just a long stick with the prepared fleece tied to it. #TeamNun #UCDExperimental Archaeology
We used wool combs created to reflect actual medieval tools -- wooded-handled with iron spikes. After aligning the fleece on the first comb, we began to use the second comb to pick up and align the long wool fibres with a circular motion of the arm. Hard work for the upper arm and wrist!
November 24, 2025 at 6:30 PM
We used wool combs created to reflect actual medieval tools -- wooded-handled with iron spikes. After aligning the fleece on the first comb, we began to use the second comb to pick up and align the long wool fibres with a circular motion of the arm. Hard work for the upper arm and wrist!
Our work in the UCD Experimental Archaeology Lab began with a lovely pile of cleaned fleece from Valais Blacknose sheep (Image: CC-SA 2.0 alex.ch). #TeamNun #UCDExperimentalArchaeology
November 24, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Our work in the UCD Experimental Archaeology Lab began with a lovely pile of cleaned fleece from Valais Blacknose sheep (Image: CC-SA 2.0 alex.ch). #TeamNun #UCDExperimentalArchaeology
Follow along with TeamNun Dublin and TeamNun St Andrews as we use experimental archaeology to see how wool fibre and dyer's madder ended up in ELS215's mouth. We'll go from preparing fleece to embroidering on linen -- exploring the materials and motions of ELS215's fibre artistry.
November 24, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Follow along with TeamNun Dublin and TeamNun St Andrews as we use experimental archaeology to see how wool fibre and dyer's madder ended up in ELS215's mouth. We'll go from preparing fleece to embroidering on linen -- exploring the materials and motions of ELS215's fibre artistry.
Dental calculus analysis (the identification of microparticles embedded in mineralized dental plaque!) has revealed clear evidence of ELS215's participation in cloth production. As she worked with wool, flax and, dye, fibres and plant material ended up in her mouth! Image callout 2 is dyer's madder!
November 24, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Dental calculus analysis (the identification of microparticles embedded in mineralized dental plaque!) has revealed clear evidence of ELS215's participation in cloth production. As she worked with wool, flax and, dye, fibres and plant material ended up in her mouth! Image callout 2 is dyer's madder!
Look closely at the bottom of the Rupertsberg Antependium and you will see ten praying nuns. These may have been the artists who created this altacloth at Eibingen. All are named and embroidered right into the centre of the liturgical action -- a sacred space from which they were otherwise excluded.
September 22, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Look closely at the bottom of the Rupertsberg Antependium and you will see ten praying nuns. These may have been the artists who created this altacloth at Eibingen. All are named and embroidered right into the centre of the liturgical action -- a sacred space from which they were otherwise excluded.
Did you know that medieval religious women were among the most skilled artists of the Middle Ages? Nuns at the abbey of Eibingen in Germany worked together in the early years of the thirteenth century to create a richly embroidered cloth of purple/red silk to decorate the front of a church altar.
September 22, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Did you know that medieval religious women were among the most skilled artists of the Middle Ages? Nuns at the abbey of Eibingen in Germany worked together in the early years of the thirteenth century to create a richly embroidered cloth of purple/red silk to decorate the front of a church altar.
Excited about my first ever poster presentation!
August 27, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Excited about my first ever poster presentation!
Wolfram Wintzer-Essling (Germany) - specialist in medieval archaeology for LWL-Archäologie für Deutschland. Driving force behind the research excavations at the women's monastery at Dalheim. #TeamNun loves archaeologists who uncover medieval women's religious communities!
August 14, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Wolfram Wintzer-Essling (Germany) - specialist in medieval archaeology for LWL-Archäologie für Deutschland. Driving force behind the research excavations at the women's monastery at Dalheim. #TeamNun loves archaeologists who uncover medieval women's religious communities!