History

Historical writing across eras

National Geographic

The Reconnaissance Plane That Helped Win World War II

Nimble and fast, Spitfire PR planes ran vital photo missions for Allied forces.

14 min read

The Conversation

Ancient virus hunters: how we discovered sheeppox DNA hidden in medieval gospels

DNA can survive in parchment for well over a thousand years.

Louis L'Hôte, PhD Candidate in ancient pathogen genetics, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College DublinSep 25, 2026

The Conversation

Why Indiana Jones is the best and worst thing to happen to archaeology

The idea of archaeology as adventure predates the discipline itself.

Stephan Blum, Research Associate, Institute for Prehistory and Early History and Medieval Archaeology, University of TübingenSep 25, 2026

The Conversation

The Uprising: the real medieval revolt that inspired Andrew Garfield’s new film

Government corruption and misspending inspired the medieval rebels depicted in The Uprising.

Alex Brown, Associate Professor of Medieval History, Durham UniversitySep 25, 2026

The Conversation

Does fandom for the rock duo ‘Angine de Poitrine’ signal a prog rock renaissance?

Angine de Poitrine occupies a different part of the prog rock musical spectrum than Rush, who emerged from the classic prog rock era.

Alexander Carpenter, Professor, Musicology, University of AlbertaSep 24, 2026

The Conversation

The medieval world had its own ‘deepfakes’ – church officials cited a fake imperial decree for centuries

The forged document was used as leverage to try to expand papal control throughout the Italian peninsula.

Vanessa Corcoran, Director of Catholic Studies, Georgetown UniversitySep 24, 2026

The Conversation

ICE arrests at Philadelphia International evoke time when airport police helped military catch AWOL Vietnam War soldiers in 1960s

A local historian combed through a 1967 collection of police incident reports from Philadelphia’s airport police that included detentions of soldiers and veterans.

Menika Dirkson, Associate Professor of History, Morgan State UniversitySep 24, 2026

Literary Hub

The Independent Press Top 40 Bestsellers: Nonfiction

1. Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea: Journeys Through Ancient Literature by Emily Wilson (Liveright) 2. The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore (Liveright) 3. Live Laugh Love: The Secret History of White Christian Women and the World

Literary HubSep 24, 2026

Hyperallergic

The Unsung Craftspeople Who Built Ancient Egypt

A new publication reflects a growing interest in the lives of the makers behind the civilization’s arts and crafts, long marginalized and erased by mythologized depictions of the ancient world.

Nageen ShaikhSep 23, 2026

Artforum

U.K. Bans Export of “Exquisite” Renaissance Statuette

The U.K. government has placed a ban on the export of an early-sixteenth-century bronze, valued at $6.2 million, in an effort to give British museums and galleries time to acquire the work and keep it on public display. Seated Nymph was sculpted by the Italian artist Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi, also known as Antico, in […]

Theo BelciSep 23, 2026

The Conversation

Ravenser Odd, the sunken medieval island that continues to inspire and obsess

A medieval island that was home to a wealthy city continues to fascinate 800 years after it disappeared beneath the waves.

Emily Robinson, Professor in British Studies (Politics), University of SussexSep 23, 2026

The Conversation

Emily Robinson wins The Conversation Prize for writers 2026 for her entry on the lost medieval island of Ravenser Odd

Emily Robinson from the University of Sussex and Alison Garden from Queen’s University Belfast are winner and runner up in The Conversation Prize for writers 2026.

Jo Adetunji, Executive Editor – Partnerships, The ConversationSep 23, 2026

Hyperallergic

Tarot for a Broken World

With some of the oldest surviving tarot decks on view, the Morgan’s exhibition traces how a Renaissance card game became something far more powerful.

AX MinaSep 22, 2026

Literary Hub

Heather Cox Richardson has been awarded the inaugural Gitlin-Auster Defender of Democracy Award.

Over the weekend, Writers for Democratic Action (WDA) awarded historian Heather Cox Richardson with its inaugural Gitlin-Auster Defender of Democracy Award, “established to honor a writer whose voice powerfully embodies the wisdom, courage, and steadfastness that marked the lives of

Literary HubSep 21, 2026

Artforum

New Lawsuits in Ongoing Battle Around Return of Nazi-Looted Art

Two new lawsuits, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, by Jewish heirs or their representatives seek the return of artwork taken by the Nazis during World War II and now held by prominent museums. The suits are prompted by two new laws, one passed by California lawmakers in 2024 and the other signed […]

Thomas PatierSep 18, 2026

The Conversation

The Bayeux tapestry: how this medieval wonder was reinvented for modern times

From replicas to politicians’ ties, from satire to humour, the Bayeux tapestry inspires creative, artistic and political acts a thousand years later.

Carl Kears, Senior Lecturer in Medieval Literature, King's College LondonSep 18, 2026

The Conversation

What the Bayeux tapestry reveals about medieval buildings on both sides of the Channel

From Westminster Abbey to Mont St Michel, the Bayeux tapestry’s 33 buildings reveal its designer was familiar with monastic manuscripts and stonemasonry.

Elizabeth den Hartog, Assistant Professor of Art and Architecture Before 1600, Leiden UniversitySep 16, 2026

Artforum

Terry Iacuzzo and Tony Oursler Talk Tarot

Visiting “Tarot! Renaissance Symbols, Modern Visions” at the Morgan Library & Museum

Mika LeeSep 16, 2026

Literary Hub

Attention LBJ nerds: Robert Caro is posting book updates on Instagram.

As Lit Hub’s resident Caro-head, I’m committed to bringing you regular updates on the historian’s progress on his Years of Lyndon Johnson series (searching “Folta Caro” on Lit Hub turns up more results than I remember). And if on Monday

James FoltaSep 16, 2026

Aeon

The meaning of fake marble

From ancient Roman frescoes to modern kitchen benchtops, our desire to recreate marble is about more than cutting costs- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

Aeon VideoSep 16, 2026

Hyperallergic

10 Art Shows to See in DC This Fall

Carlotta Corpron photographs light, Ahn Chang-Hong unmasks Korean history, Black women reimagine Shakespeare, three mid-century New York artists paint by the sea, and more.

Emma CieslikSep 15, 2026

Artforum

Ching-Ling Wang Named Nancy Chang Lee Curator of Chinese Art at Smithsonian

The National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) at the Smithsonian has appointed Ching-Ling Wang as the inaugural Nancy Chang Lee Curator of Chinese Art. The art historian and curator begins his new role in November. “I hope to not only uphold one of the finest collections of Chinese art in the world, but to expand […]

Theo BelciSep 15, 2026

The Conversation

Have South Africans always been hostile to migrants? Historians map a chequered history

South Africa’s history shows that anti-immigrant violence is neither an aberration nor the country’s only possible path.

Julie Weise, Associate Professor of History, University of OregonSep 15, 2026

The Conversation

History is being rewritten at an archaeological site in Morocco. What the discovery of an ancient wall tells us

Communities in the north-west Maghreb were able to coordinate large construction projects thousands of years ago.

Toby C. Wilkinson, Assistant Research Professor, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of CambridgeSep 15, 2026