Dr Cait Stevenson
anyfourcastles.bsky.social
Dr Cait Stevenson
@anyfourcastles.bsky.social
Medievalist, author, professional nerd! PhD in medieval history (that's the nerd part) and author of How to Slay a Dragon: A Fantasy Hero's Guide to the Real Middle Ages (that's also the...wait a minute).
Let's talk manuscript names (shelfmarks):

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, MS Clm 4660, f. 1r

City, library (can be abbrev.), "MS" (optional), collection name, location
"f. 1r" is the page: lie a book flat; left is verso, right is recto; front+back share a number

That's the Carmina Burana!
November 22, 2024 at 10:33 PM
Me: I love helping people understand the real meaning behind weird medieval art. My Bluesky account will be filled with actual explanations so people can enjoy medieval art nerdily. This is a sacred mission from which I shall not diverge.

Bibliotheque de l'Arsenal Ms-5088 réserve:
November 22, 2024 at 10:19 PM
Need a little boost? Here's a mama and baby elephant from the Queen Mary Psalter (14C)! The purple thing overhead is a dragon, elephants' traditional enemies...and traditional victims. If a dragon tries to attack a mama elephant and her newborn, papa elephant will STOMP on the dragon--and win.
November 18, 2024 at 9:40 PM
Current favorite fact about the Middle Ages: 13th century Egyptians made little doggie sweaters to keep their dogs warm.

(See Shehada, 'Mamluks and Animals')
November 17, 2024 at 10:47 AM
Salve! It's probably best to start with the classic username explanation: "She would rather have lost any four castles than her books." Thank you, Prose 'Lancelot' (early 13C), for the best description of Morgan le Fey in all of Arthuriana.
November 17, 2024 at 8:37 AM