#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.
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!
What a great team, with great work done despite the heatwave!
August 14, 2025 at 3:20 PM
What a great team, with great work done despite the heatwave!
Nice find at Dalheim! A beautiful sewing needle under the cloister🪡
August 12, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Nice find at Dalheim! A beautiful sewing needle under the cloister🪡
Busy Monday at Dalheim. Skeletons buried in nest rows in the northwest corner of the cloister. Patrons? So far a male and a juvenile.
August 11, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Busy Monday at Dalheim. Skeletons buried in nest rows in the northwest corner of the cloister. Patrons? So far a male and a juvenile.
Kloster Dalheim is a lesser-know religious community in Westfalen, German (near Paderborn) that emerged in the twelfth century. From the twelfth to the fourteenth century, Dalheim was a female monastic community.
August 10, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Kloster Dalheim is a lesser-know religious community in Westfalen, German (near Paderborn) that emerged in the twelfth century. From the twelfth to the fourteenth century, Dalheim was a female monastic community.
University of St Andrews - University of Bonn joint research Field School in May 2025. Uncovering the lives of Dalheim's medieval religious women.
August 10, 2025 at 2:17 PM
University of St Andrews - University of Bonn joint research Field School in May 2025. Uncovering the lives of Dalheim's medieval religious women.
Getting great feedback for our #TeamNun exhibit at the St Andrews Wardlaw Museum Research Studio -- now until 30 May. Check out the online version here!
historyinourbones.info
historyinourbones.info
Home | Historyinourbones
historyinourbones.info
April 7, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Getting great feedback for our #TeamNun exhibit at the St Andrews Wardlaw Museum Research Studio -- now until 30 May. Check out the online version here!
historyinourbones.info
historyinourbones.info
Reposted by #TeamNun
Our History in our Bones exhibit at the St Andrews Wardlaw Museum Research Studio is open! You can visit the online version here:
www.historyinourbones.info
#TeamNun #MedievalSky
www.historyinourbones.info
#TeamNun #MedievalSky
Home | Historyinourbones
www.historyinourbones.info
April 5, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Our History in our Bones exhibit at the St Andrews Wardlaw Museum Research Studio is open! You can visit the online version here:
www.historyinourbones.info
#TeamNun #MedievalSky
www.historyinourbones.info
#TeamNun #MedievalSky
Our History in our Bones exhibit at the St Andrews Wardlaw Museum Research Studio is open! You can visit the online version here:
www.historyinourbones.info
#TeamNun #MedievalSky
www.historyinourbones.info
#TeamNun #MedievalSky
Home | Historyinourbones
www.historyinourbones.info
April 5, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Our History in our Bones exhibit at the St Andrews Wardlaw Museum Research Studio is open! You can visit the online version here:
www.historyinourbones.info
#TeamNun #MedievalSky
www.historyinourbones.info
#TeamNun #MedievalSky
Reposted by #TeamNun
🧵 1/5: I'm THRILLED to see Jiří Vnouček's paper on the Hamburg Bible's parchment finally published with such stunning illustrations (73 in all)!
This research shows how a careful reading of parchment tells a rich story of its creation.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
This research shows how a careful reading of parchment tells a rich story of its creation.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
March 7, 2025 at 5:49 PM
🧵 1/5: I'm THRILLED to see Jiří Vnouček's paper on the Hamburg Bible's parchment finally published with such stunning illustrations (73 in all)!
This research shows how a careful reading of parchment tells a rich story of its creation.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
This research shows how a careful reading of parchment tells a rich story of its creation.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by #TeamNun
Just finished reading this in time for a research trip to examine some exciting archival evidence relating to the historic production of parchment in Scotland.. but more on that tomorrow... (thank you to @mchapelproject.bsky.social for bringing the article to my attention!)
🧵 1/5: I'm THRILLED to see Jiří Vnouček's paper on the Hamburg Bible's parchment finally published with such stunning illustrations (73 in all)!
This research shows how a careful reading of parchment tells a rich story of its creation.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
This research shows how a careful reading of parchment tells a rich story of its creation.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
March 9, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Just finished reading this in time for a research trip to examine some exciting archival evidence relating to the historic production of parchment in Scotland.. but more on that tomorrow... (thank you to @mchapelproject.bsky.social for bringing the article to my attention!)