The brilliant colors of medieval manuscripts came at a price. Dangerous ingredients were often necessary to create beautiful illustrations in ancient texts.
Reading the Runes: Decoding Runic Inscriptions of the Middle Ages
Are runes coded messages, quick notes, or tall tales? Researchers are still working to decipher many runic inscriptions, but the answer is all of the above.
Evidence for Medieval Black History in England
The Ipswich Man in the Domesday Book proves that black history in Medieval/Renaissance England may be more widespread than previously believed.
Mysterious Body in Tomb – Who Was Blanche Mortimer? [VIDEO]
![Mysterious Body in Tomb – Who Was Blanche Mortimer? [VIDEO]](http://decodedpast.com/assets/Blanche-Mortimer-1316-1347-Much-Marcle-Church-Herefordshire-geograph-sleeping-beauty.jpg)
Renovation reveals Blanche Mortimer’s 14th c. stone memorial holds a surprise: Her remains lay in the tomb behind her Sleeping Beauty visage.
Margery Kempe – The Illiterate Writer
The Book of Margery Kempe is considered to be the first autobiography ever written in the English language. It is perhaps one of the few accurate insights historians have into the life of a woman living in the Middle Ages. The Book of Margery Kempe lay forgotten for centuries until a copy was discovered.