middle ages

Boiling Oil, Red-Hot Iron, And Bleeding Corpses: Inside The Disturbing History Of Medieval Trials By Ordeal

Before jury trials were common, alleged criminals had to prove their innocence by undergoing painful — and sometimes deadly — tests involving water, fire, or burning metal.

By Robin Raz Mithu • Nov 1, 2025

Boiling Oil, Red-Hot Iron, And Bleeding Corpses: Inside The Disturbing History Of Medieval Trials By Ordeal

Before jury trials were common, alleged criminals had to prove their innocence by undergoing painful — and sometimes deadly — tests involving water, fire, or burning metal.

By Robin Raz Mithu • November 1, 2025

Gilles De Rais, The 15th-Century French Nobleman Who Was Found Guilty Of Torturing And Murdering More Than 100 Children

The right-hand man of Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War, Gilles de Rais is best known today as one of history's first documented serial killers.

By Marco Margaritoff • Oct 26, 2025

Gilles De Rais, The 15th-Century French Nobleman Who Was Found Guilty Of Torturing And Murdering More Than 100 Children

The right-hand man of Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War, Gilles de Rais is best known today as one of history's first documented serial killers.

By Marco Margaritoff • October 26, 2025

Gas Pipeline Workers In Poland Just Found A Medieval Cemetery Filled With 24 Men Buried Alongside Their Weapons

Found in Borkowo, these skeletons belonged to "tall, robust individuals... well-built men who commanded respect" and were buried along with weapons like knives and battle axes.

By Ainsley Brown • Oct 22, 2025

News

Gas Pipeline Workers In Poland Just Found A Medieval Cemetery Filled With 24 Men Buried Alongside Their Weapons

Found in Borkowo, these skeletons belonged to "tall, robust individuals... well-built men who commanded respect" and were buried along with weapons like knives and battle axes.

By Ainsley Brown • October 22, 2025

Excavations At A Medieval Chapel In Germany Just Revealed 25 Children’s Graves And Thousands Of Artifacts

The children's graves were positioned so that "holy" rainwater would run over them.

By Ainsley Brown • Oct 15, 2025

News

Excavations At A Medieval Chapel In Germany Just Revealed 25 Children’s Graves And Thousands Of Artifacts

The children's graves were positioned so that "holy" rainwater would run over them.

By Ainsley Brown • October 15, 2025

A Fisherman In Sweden Stumbled Upon A Cauldron Filled With 20,000 Medieval Coins While Digging For Worms

The hoard found just outside of Stockholm consists mostly of coins, but it also contains pearls, rings, and pendants.

By Kaleena Fraga • Oct 13, 2025

News

A Fisherman In Sweden Stumbled Upon A Cauldron Filled With 20,000 Medieval Coins While Digging For Worms

The hoard found just outside of Stockholm consists mostly of coins, but it also contains pearls, rings, and pendants.

By Kaleena Fraga • October 13, 2025

The Life And Death Of Girolamo Savonarola, The Friar Who Tried To Change Florence Into A Christian Republic

Girolamo Savonarola's denunciations of luxury during the Renaissance drew the ire of the Catholic Church, which had him excommunicated, tortured, hanged, and burned in 1498.

By Andrew Milne • Oct 11, 2025

The Life And Death Of Girolamo Savonarola, The Friar Who Tried To Change Florence Into A Christian Republic

Girolamo Savonarola's denunciations of luxury during the Renaissance drew the ire of the Catholic Church, which had him excommunicated, tortured, hanged, and burned in 1498.

By Andrew Milne • October 11, 2025

Archaeologists In Turkey Just Found Intact 1,300-Year-Old Bread Bearing The Image Of Jesus

Unearthed at the Topraktepe archaeological site, this image of Jesus is a rarely-seen variant known as the "Farmer Christ" that honors his connection to agriculture, fertility, and the cycles of the natural world.

By Kaleena Fraga • Oct 10, 2025

News

Archaeologists In Turkey Just Found Intact 1,300-Year-Old Bread Bearing The Image Of Jesus

Unearthed at the Topraktepe archaeological site, this image of Jesus is a rarely-seen variant known as the "Farmer Christ" that honors his connection to agriculture, fertility, and the cycles of the natural world.

By Kaleena Fraga • October 10, 2025

This 650-Year-Old Sandal Was Found In The Nest Of A Bone-Eating Vulture Inside A Spanish Cave

Researchers studying these abandoned, centuries-old nests in Spain found a wealth of other human-made objects, including baskets, a crossbow bolt, a wooden lance, and a slingshot.

By Ainsley Brown • Oct 9, 2025

News

This 650-Year-Old Sandal Was Found In The Nest Of A Bone-Eating Vulture Inside A Spanish Cave

Researchers studying these abandoned, centuries-old nests in Spain found a wealth of other human-made objects, including baskets, a crossbow bolt, a wooden lance, and a slingshot.

By Ainsley Brown • October 9, 2025

The Dramatic History Of Castle Stalker, The Picturesque Scottish Fortress In The Middle Of A Lake

Constructed in the 14th century, Castle Stalker was controlled by various Scottish clans over its long history, and was later featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

By Austin Harvey • Sep 26, 2025

The Dramatic History Of Castle Stalker, The Picturesque Scottish Fortress In The Middle Of A Lake

Constructed in the 14th century, Castle Stalker was controlled by various Scottish clans over its long history, and was later featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

By Austin Harvey • September 26, 2025

Rare Artifacts Believed To Be From The Middle Ages Mysteriously Found At A Canadian Thrift Store

These 13 jewelry pieces that were on sale at Thrifty Boutique in Chilliwack, British Columbia for $30 each might be priceless relics dating back untold centuries.

By Ainsley Brown • Sep 26, 2025

News

Rare Artifacts Believed To Be From The Middle Ages Mysteriously Found At A Canadian Thrift Store

These 13 jewelry pieces that were on sale at Thrifty Boutique in Chilliwack, British Columbia for $30 each might be priceless relics dating back untold centuries.

By Ainsley Brown • September 26, 2025