Scilicet - History of Knowledge
@scilicetblog.bsky.social
📖 A History of Knowledge blog by Guy Fassler, James Fox, and Natalie Smith.
⌛️ Middle Ages to Modernity
👉 Check out our website: https://scilicet.org.uk
⌛️ Middle Ages to Modernity
👉 Check out our website: https://scilicet.org.uk
To conclude our autumn series, @nataliesmith.bsky.social takes us through early modern descriptions of the Swedish landscape.
This article tells us what descriptions say about their authors, about empire, and so called 'objective' perspectives.
#Skystorians #Sweden
scilicet.org.uk/swedish-land...
This article tells us what descriptions say about their authors, about empire, and so called 'objective' perspectives.
#Skystorians #Sweden
scilicet.org.uk/swedish-land...
November 26, 2025 at 2:37 PM
To conclude our autumn series, @nataliesmith.bsky.social takes us through early modern descriptions of the Swedish landscape.
This article tells us what descriptions say about their authors, about empire, and so called 'objective' perspectives.
#Skystorians #Sweden
scilicet.org.uk/swedish-land...
This article tells us what descriptions say about their authors, about empire, and so called 'objective' perspectives.
#Skystorians #Sweden
scilicet.org.uk/swedish-land...
Where would we be without Google? Before the age of the internet lots of questions went unanswered.
In this week's article @jamesafox.bsky.social takes us through a curious list of questions compiled by Leonard Wheatcroft, a 17th c. man from Derbyshire.
#Skystorians
scilicet.org.uk/where-would-...
In this week's article @jamesafox.bsky.social takes us through a curious list of questions compiled by Leonard Wheatcroft, a 17th c. man from Derbyshire.
#Skystorians
scilicet.org.uk/where-would-...
November 19, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Where would we be without Google? Before the age of the internet lots of questions went unanswered.
In this week's article @jamesafox.bsky.social takes us through a curious list of questions compiled by Leonard Wheatcroft, a 17th c. man from Derbyshire.
#Skystorians
scilicet.org.uk/where-would-...
In this week's article @jamesafox.bsky.social takes us through a curious list of questions compiled by Leonard Wheatcroft, a 17th c. man from Derbyshire.
#Skystorians
scilicet.org.uk/where-would-...
Making a medieval manuscript was an artful process that required many types of specialised knowledge.
Our latest article by @guyfassler.bsky.social is a catalogue of everything you need to know about making medieval books that would last a millennium.
scilicet.org.uk/everything-y... #skystorians
Our latest article by @guyfassler.bsky.social is a catalogue of everything you need to know about making medieval books that would last a millennium.
scilicet.org.uk/everything-y... #skystorians
November 12, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Making a medieval manuscript was an artful process that required many types of specialised knowledge.
Our latest article by @guyfassler.bsky.social is a catalogue of everything you need to know about making medieval books that would last a millennium.
scilicet.org.uk/everything-y... #skystorians
Our latest article by @guyfassler.bsky.social is a catalogue of everything you need to know about making medieval books that would last a millennium.
scilicet.org.uk/everything-y... #skystorians
🎆Happy #GuyFawkesDay!
Before and after the 1605 gunpowder plot, fireworks were an important part of celebrations. But what were they made of?
In our latest article, @jamesafox.bsky.social explores the fascinating book that taught the art of making fire
scilicet.org.uk/before-and-a... #Skystorians
Before and after the 1605 gunpowder plot, fireworks were an important part of celebrations. But what were they made of?
In our latest article, @jamesafox.bsky.social explores the fascinating book that taught the art of making fire
scilicet.org.uk/before-and-a... #Skystorians
November 5, 2025 at 4:33 PM
🎆Happy #GuyFawkesDay!
Before and after the 1605 gunpowder plot, fireworks were an important part of celebrations. But what were they made of?
In our latest article, @jamesafox.bsky.social explores the fascinating book that taught the art of making fire
scilicet.org.uk/before-and-a... #Skystorians
Before and after the 1605 gunpowder plot, fireworks were an important part of celebrations. But what were they made of?
In our latest article, @jamesafox.bsky.social explores the fascinating book that taught the art of making fire
scilicet.org.uk/before-and-a... #Skystorians
What does a Prince need to know?
In our latest article, @nataliesmith.bsky.social analyses Frederick the Great's fiery rebuttal to Machiavelli's "the Prince", and examines what it can tell us about #EarlyModern ideas of morality, war and governance:
scilicet.org.uk/is-ruling-th... #Skystorians
In our latest article, @nataliesmith.bsky.social analyses Frederick the Great's fiery rebuttal to Machiavelli's "the Prince", and examines what it can tell us about #EarlyModern ideas of morality, war and governance:
scilicet.org.uk/is-ruling-th... #Skystorians
October 29, 2025 at 12:35 PM
What does a Prince need to know?
In our latest article, @nataliesmith.bsky.social analyses Frederick the Great's fiery rebuttal to Machiavelli's "the Prince", and examines what it can tell us about #EarlyModern ideas of morality, war and governance:
scilicet.org.uk/is-ruling-th... #Skystorians
In our latest article, @nataliesmith.bsky.social analyses Frederick the Great's fiery rebuttal to Machiavelli's "the Prince", and examines what it can tell us about #EarlyModern ideas of morality, war and governance:
scilicet.org.uk/is-ruling-th... #Skystorians
Navigating flu season is bad enough, but what are you meant to do when the Black Death strikes in your city? 💀In our latest article, @guyfassler.bsky.social looks at some lessons learned from #medieval Pistoia: scilicet.org.uk/the-black-de...
#Skystorians #historyofknowledge #MedievalHistory
#Skystorians #historyofknowledge #MedievalHistory
October 22, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Navigating flu season is bad enough, but what are you meant to do when the Black Death strikes in your city? 💀In our latest article, @guyfassler.bsky.social looks at some lessons learned from #medieval Pistoia: scilicet.org.uk/the-black-de...
#Skystorians #historyofknowledge #MedievalHistory
#Skystorians #historyofknowledge #MedievalHistory
In our latest article, @jamesafox.bsky.social charts the meteoric rise and eventual decline of #18thcentury mathematician 🧮 Thomas Simpson.
👉 Read more here: scilicet.org.uk/becoming-a-m...
#history #mathematics #skystorians
👉 Read more here: scilicet.org.uk/becoming-a-m...
#history #mathematics #skystorians
October 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
In our latest article, @jamesafox.bsky.social charts the meteoric rise and eventual decline of #18thcentury mathematician 🧮 Thomas Simpson.
👉 Read more here: scilicet.org.uk/becoming-a-m...
#history #mathematics #skystorians
👉 Read more here: scilicet.org.uk/becoming-a-m...
#history #mathematics #skystorians
🤔 Is it better to learn from the wisdom of the ancients or from your experience gained over time?
📚 In our latest blog post, @guyfassler.bsky.social explores a 15th-century Tuscan dialogue debating that very question...
scilicet.org.uk/whats-the-po...
#bookhistory #medieval #knowledge
📚 In our latest blog post, @guyfassler.bsky.social explores a 15th-century Tuscan dialogue debating that very question...
scilicet.org.uk/whats-the-po...
#bookhistory #medieval #knowledge
October 1, 2025 at 3:11 PM
🤔 Is it better to learn from the wisdom of the ancients or from your experience gained over time?
📚 In our latest blog post, @guyfassler.bsky.social explores a 15th-century Tuscan dialogue debating that very question...
scilicet.org.uk/whats-the-po...
#bookhistory #medieval #knowledge
📚 In our latest blog post, @guyfassler.bsky.social explores a 15th-century Tuscan dialogue debating that very question...
scilicet.org.uk/whats-the-po...
#bookhistory #medieval #knowledge
What do beekeeping books tell us about changes in early modern science and society? @jamesafox.bsky.social has some suggestions, especially in relation to #17thCentury England scilicet.org.uk/the-hive-tur...
#Skystorians #EarlyModern #Bees #AnimalHistory
#Skystorians #EarlyModern #Bees #AnimalHistory
September 24, 2025 at 12:35 PM
What do beekeeping books tell us about changes in early modern science and society? @jamesafox.bsky.social has some suggestions, especially in relation to #17thCentury England scilicet.org.uk/the-hive-tur...
#Skystorians #EarlyModern #Bees #AnimalHistory
#Skystorians #EarlyModern #Bees #AnimalHistory
Fantastic bees and where to find them 🐝 What can a #medieval book of strange animals teach us about kingship and ideal society? @guyfassler.bsky.social explains how the Aberdeen Bestiary can answer these questions in our latest post: scilicet.org.uk/fantastic-be... #Skystorians #MedievalHistory
June 10, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Fantastic bees and where to find them 🐝 What can a #medieval book of strange animals teach us about kingship and ideal society? @guyfassler.bsky.social explains how the Aberdeen Bestiary can answer these questions in our latest post: scilicet.org.uk/fantastic-be... #Skystorians #MedievalHistory
Hungry for more historical recipes? 🌿 @guyfassler.bsky.social has found multiple Salsa Verde recipes spanning multiple centuries, offering a delicious insight into how tastes have changed over time. Why not give one a try? scilicet.org.uk/salsa-verde-... #Skystorians #History #SalsaVerde
May 26, 2025 at 5:45 AM
Hungry for more historical recipes? 🌿 @guyfassler.bsky.social has found multiple Salsa Verde recipes spanning multiple centuries, offering a delicious insight into how tastes have changed over time. Why not give one a try? scilicet.org.uk/salsa-verde-... #Skystorians #History #SalsaVerde
A leopard with a policeman's moustache, spotted(!) amongst the ceramics at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello
May 25, 2025 at 10:24 AM
A leopard with a policeman's moustache, spotted(!) amongst the ceramics at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello
If you're interested in some more Linnean correspondence, @guyfassler.bsky.social has translated a letter, originally in Hebrew, that @nataliesmith.bsky.social came across. You can read his translation and their discussion of its possible authorship here:
scilicet.org.uk/a-letter-to-...
scilicet.org.uk/a-letter-to-...
![A letter with the following text:
וזאת לאיש אשר המלך חפץ ביקרו, מנורת זהב המאיר את עין כל הארץ, המצמיח הרים חציר בחכמתו, מרבה ומפשיא מזריע ומדשיא אילנות ועשבים למינהו, לבלתי צאת מעורבבים, מגיא הדשי[א] זרעונים, ומאליהם פרי טעונים, מלמד דרך צדק, גבורות מפעלותיו להודיע לבני האדם, טוב תורת פיו מאלפי זהב וכסף, כבוד האדון הרב הגדול המפורסם ...... Carl Line
יהי כעץ שתול על פלגי מים, עלהו לא יבול, יהי פיסת בר בארץ, בראש הרים ירעש כלבנון פריו, ויציצו מעיר כעשב הארץ, יהי שמו לעולם, לפני שמש ינון שמו, ויתברכו בו כל גוים יאשרוהו.
נדבת פי ירצה נא בכושר, אם נא מצאתי חן יוקח נא מנחתי כאשר יביאו בני ישראל את המנחה. לסדר ולפרט קטן.
כי על כן ראיתי פניו כראות פני אלהים ותרצני](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:bjhj6praxbcpak3yn2mppwxj/bafkreid5vfebl3x5eyxbnbut3l6xxe6w4jvcefo3qlrwcqv6foasd57kem@jpeg)
May 23, 2025 at 12:27 PM
If you're interested in some more Linnean correspondence, @guyfassler.bsky.social has translated a letter, originally in Hebrew, that @nataliesmith.bsky.social came across. You can read his translation and their discussion of its possible authorship here:
scilicet.org.uk/a-letter-to-...
scilicet.org.uk/a-letter-to-...
Happy birthday, Carl Linnaeus! 🌿🌱🌼 We're celebrating by revisiting our favourite letter to him, translated here by @nataliesmith.bsky.social. It was written by nobleman Olof von Dalin in 1762, asking: Should Royal Monkeys Wear Sweaters During the Winter?
scilicet.org.uk/should-royal... #Skystorians
scilicet.org.uk/should-royal... #Skystorians
May 23, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Happy birthday, Carl Linnaeus! 🌿🌱🌼 We're celebrating by revisiting our favourite letter to him, translated here by @nataliesmith.bsky.social. It was written by nobleman Olof von Dalin in 1762, asking: Should Royal Monkeys Wear Sweaters During the Winter?
scilicet.org.uk/should-royal... #Skystorians
scilicet.org.uk/should-royal... #Skystorians
Before becoming king, a young Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden sketched several scenes of horses and battlefields🐴🪖 In this archival post, @nataliesmith.bsky.social talks us through some of these childhood doodles: scilicet.org.uk/royal-doodle... #ThrowbackThursday #SwedishHistory #Skystorians
May 22, 2025 at 5:36 AM
Before becoming king, a young Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden sketched several scenes of horses and battlefields🐴🪖 In this archival post, @nataliesmith.bsky.social talks us through some of these childhood doodles: scilicet.org.uk/royal-doodle... #ThrowbackThursday #SwedishHistory #Skystorians
No new post this week, but we want to congratulate our co-editor @jamesafox.bsky.social who graduated last week. Well done, Dr Fox! 🎉🎓
December 11, 2024 at 7:04 AM
No new post this week, but we want to congratulate our co-editor @jamesafox.bsky.social who graduated last week. Well done, Dr Fox! 🎉🎓