LAMPS Spring Schedule 2016
Monday, January 11th:
Welcome to LAMPS Pub Night
6:15 PM at Doctors Pub
Join LAMPS as we start off 2016 and the new semester with a
pint at Doctors pub! Our first event of the year, this pub night provides a
wonderful opportunity to get to know LAMPS as an organization as well as get
first hand accounts of the exciting events that we put on each semester for our
members. Whether you are studying the Middle Ages or just love castles, LAMPS
is a wonderful way to get to know Scotland and its magnificent history! This is
also a perfect time for returning members to get better acquainted with our
2016 schedule of events and catch up with each other!
Monday, January 18th: Seminar
6:15 PM in 50 George Square G.05
“The Stryx, the Changeling, and the Midnight Witch:
Opposition in Transformed Women of Medieval Folklore”
Bianca Maggs, MSc Medieval Literatures and Cultures,
University of Edinburgh
The transformed body is an intrinsic feature of mythological
and folkloric texts, yet it is the source of tremendous literary tension. This
tension is particularly felt in the works of medieval writers, who adopted the
metamorphosis framework with caution. They advised that, although a great
source of creative inspiration, the transformed body remains one to be largely
avoided and feared, yet these same writers manipulate such bodies for their own
purposes, producing cautionary works which condemn belief in bodily
transformation whilst simultaneously promoting it. From early medieval folklore
to the works of Liberalis and Apuleius, a common thread appears; the
part-feminine, part-avian bodies of the midnight women. With her origins in
Classical mythology, this woman transcends generation and genre, embodying the
clash of nature and the supernatural, and subsequently becoming a focal point
for many discussions of female misdemeanour.
This paper will explore the transition of this body in motion,
addressing the antithesis of her very being; suspended from categorisation, and
of the way her body is both shunned and elevated by Christian texts. From
temptress to wife; child-killer to mother, the feathered woman takes flight to
evade the constrictions of traditional female archetypes.
Monday, January 25th: Seminar
6:15 PM in 50 George Square G.05
“The Woman and The Wolf: Allegories of Adam and Eve in
Medieval Werewolf Literature"
Kirsten Lopez, MSc Medieval Literatures and Cultures, University of Edinburgh
There is
no doubt as to the central role Christianity played in the Western Middle Ages.
And while the use of biblical allegories and metaphor in medieval literature is
by no means a new concept, it has only been addressed briefly in the context of
romance literature and the connection between the archetypes of Adam and Eve
and werewolf stories has often been approached but not directly explored. This structure is seen very clearly in the
tales of Arthur and Gorlagon, Bisclavret, and Le Roman de Renart. The werewolf
archetype, or in the case of Renart of anthropomorphized wolves, provides the
perfect medium with which to demonstrate the spiritual effect of sin on Adam
and Eve in a clear and tangible way. Different though the three stories may
seem, there exists a tenable link with the standard characters of werewolf
literature acting as allegorical representations of Adam, Eve, and God. In all
three stories there is an evil woman, usually the main protagonist’s wife, who
is responsible for her husband’s downfall. In each, only a noble king can solve
the husband’s situation, meting out justice. As will be shown, the evil wife
represents that most guilty woman of all, Eve, while the husband stands in for
Adam and the goodly king takes on a Christ-like role. Each of the three texts
provides a variation on the allegory that nevertheless contains the key figures
of the biblical story.
Saturday, January 30th:
Glasgow Museums
Meet at 9:30 AM at Waverley
£12.10 return to Glasgow Queen Street / £6.60 Roundabout
ticket for travel within Glasgow / Free entry to all sites
Come along with LAMPS as we take on Glasgow’s numerous
museums! First stop will be the amazing Kelingrove Art Gallery and Museum,
which boasts 22 galleries with over 8000 objects. Highlights include the
Museum’s extensive Scottish history and archaeology material, including the
oldest remains ever found in Scotland, of an early medieval satchel, and its
impressive collections of arms and armour. We will then head over to the
beautiful Pollock Country Park, which is home to the Burrell Collection. This
collection, gifted to Glasgow by Sir William Burrell in 1944, is one of the
greatest collections ever created by one person, and focusses on late medieval
and early Renaissance Europe. These museums are a must-see and can be visited
time and again, so join us for a day of fun and discovery!
Monday, February 1st:
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Lecture
6 PM in the Auditorium of the National Museum of Scotland (Lothian Street doors entrance)
Free (Online booking reservation required
As we continue our relationship with the Society of
Antiquaries of Scotland, we hope you will join us in attending this wonderful
lecture and discussion.
“6,000 Years of Architecture, Innovation and Design”
A journey through Scottish architecture from the earliest
buildings to today’s tower blocks. Our
three speakers have each been given a period of Scotland’s past and presented
the challenge to choose their three examples of architectural innovation and
design that changed the face of Scotland.
Come and hear their choices and contribute your own!
Chair: Prof. Karen Forbes
(Edinburgh College of Art)
Prehistory (earliest people to 600 AD): Dr
Tanja Romankiewicz (Edinburgh University)
Medieval (600 AD to Union of the Crowns): Prof. Richard
Oram (Stirling University)
Modern (Union of the Crowns to today): John
Lowrey (ECA)
Sunday, February 7th:
“Meet the Executioner”
Meet at 12 PM at Edinburgh Castle Esplanade
Free
Join LAMPS as we step back in time at Edinburgh Castle. Come
learn about the preferred methods of execution in the Middle Ages in Scotland
and what the job entailed from the executioner himself. We will spend the
afternoon exploring the castle before being regaled with gory tales of crime and
punishment. A bloody good time is
guaranteed for all, just make sure you don’t lose your head!
Monday, February 8th:
Seminar
6:15 PM in 50 George Square G.05
“Parysatis
: The Agency of the King's Mother in the Achaemenid Court.”
Samantha Walker, University of Edinburgh alumna
The
mother of the Achaemenid King, Artaxerxes II (c.405-359 BCE) is recorded as a
woman with a formidable and seemingly wicked personality. She gained particular
notoriety amongst ancient authors for poisoning her son's beloved wife, Queen
Stateira. Parysatis' reputation as a murderess has since been moulded into
shape by centuries of Orientalist views built on the misogynistic premise that
royal women within the court societies of the ancient Near East had an excess of
power which led to debauchery and the eventual demise of Empire. It is not my intention, however, to clear
Parysatis' name of all the charges held against her, but rather to present the
events of her life in a more realistic fashion. I aim to argue that the agency
exerted by Parysatis within the Achaemenid court was entirely relevant to her
position as the mother of the King and that her reported violent acts were
often political measures taken to ensure that the strict hierarchy of the
Persian court and harem was not unbalanced. In combination with her own strong
personality, the natural influence of her position secured for her a great
amount of economic wealth and a wide political reach. A combination of native
Persian evidence and some cross-cultural anecdotes will be explored along with
that of Greek authors examined with the necessary critical eye. The writings of
the Greek doctor, Ctesias of Cnidus, are of particular interest as he attests
in his Persica that
he was employed in the Achaemenid court and physician to Parysatis herself over
a period of almost two decades. Using the example of Parysatis therefore, I
hope to show royal women as a real, important force within the Achaemenid court
and how the position of the King's mother in particular was one of great esteem
within the harem and the court hierarchy overall.
Friday, February 12th:
Mastering Conference Posters
4-6 PM in 50 George Square G.05
Free
Come learn the ins and outs of poster presentation with
us! Geared at Honors Undergraduate
students and MSc presenters (although PhD students are also very welcome to
attend), this hands-on learning experience and demonstration will not only
cover what a poster session is, but also how to make a vibrant poster of your
own. This is a great way to learn an important skill for public outreach, and
it is also a perfect opportunity to meet and collaborate with fellow students!
Wednesday, February 17th:
‘For our fredome & for our land’: Battle of Bannockburn &
Stirling Castle
Innovative Learning Week Trip
Meet at 8:45 AM at Crichton St.
£12.52 for transport and activities
Join LAMPS as we visit the site of the Battle of Bannockburn
and nearby Stirling Castle. The event will start at the Bannockburn Visitor
Centre, which has recently been restored to commemorate the battle’s 700th
anniversary. The group will be guided through the Visitor Centre, exploring its
didactic material before participating in a 3D recreation of the battle known
as the Battle Game. We will be divided into two parties, one representing the
English and the other representing the Scots, and each group will attempt to
recreate their side’s role in the battle (with the possibility of the English
winning!). After the battle recreation, we will tour the battlefield itself
before heading to Stirling Castle, over which the battle was fought. Stirling
has a long and complex history that marks it as one of Scotland’s most
important heritage sites, and makes it a perfect end to the day! We will be led
through the castle by LAMPS members who
have experience in heritage, and an expert knowledge of the castle and its role
in history.
See Eventbrite and Facebook for ticketing information.
Monday, February 22nd:
Seminar
6:15 PM in 50 George Square G.05
“Accounts of Medieval Witchcraft: The Significance of
Sexuality and Gender in Defining the Medieval Witch”
Makenna Mall, MSc History, University of Edinburgh
In 1324 Alice Kyteler of Kilkenny, Ireland as well as her
son and her associates were tried for acts of heresy and sorcery, thus marking
the earliest documented trial of a group of individuals deemed to be practicing
“black magic.” One hundred and sixty-one years later, the trial of Helena
Scheuberin would evolve the definition of heretical “black magic” to focus on
sexual communion with demonic forces. This shift in the conceptualization of
what constituted black magic or maleficium coincided with the solidification
and entrenchment of religious doctrine regarding female fallibility and the
female sexual appetite.
While research regarding witchcraft has largely been limited
to the early modern period, my essay will seek to remove the veil of mystery
that lays on witchcrafts medieval roots by elucidating the complex role
sexuality and gender played in defining the medieval witch. Furthermore,
through scrutiny of specific cases I will work to elucidate the way in which
the late medieval witch differed from earlier medieval conceptions and why
these variations occurred and how they were reliant upon changes in gender
constructs over time.
Saturday, February 27th:
Dumbarton Castle
Meet at 9 AM at Waverley
£20.30 return/ Entry into the castle is free
Come along to beautiful Dumbarton Castle, which was the
centre of the kingdom of Strathclyde from the 5th-11th centuries. We will spend the afternoon exploring this
medieval stronghold while discussing its history and purpose, including its
Georgian Governor’s House. Adding to the
dynamic view of the castle is its situation atop a massive area of volcanic
rock which overlooks the Firth of Clyde.
This trip to the coast is sure to inspire a love of history!
Monday, February 29th:
Seminar and Bake Sale
6:15 PM in 50 George Square G.05
"Is There a Life Beyond Academics?"
Jeff Sanders, DigIt! Project Manager and Devon McHugh, Relationships & Partnerships Development
Manager, Museums Galleries Scotland
Join LAMPS as we host Edinburgh University alumni Jeff
Sanders & Devon McHugh for a discussion on life beyond academics. There
will also be an opportunity for CV feedback in conjunction with this talk;
details to be announced at the talk.
Follow your sweet tooth!
LAMPS will also be participating in the Guinness Bake Sale World Record
Attempt at the University of Edinburgh.
This event will run from 9 AM to 5 PM around the University of Edinburgh
campus. The goal of the event is to sell
a world record number of baked goods in an eight-hour period, and Great British
Bake Off Star and Edinburgh alumnus Glenn Cosby will be present throughout the
day! Look out for more information on
this fantastic event and for the exact location of the LAMPS bake sale on
Facebook.
Monday, March 7th:
Seminar
6:15 PM in 50 George Square G. 05
“Churches Through Time: An Analysis of the Patterns and
Trends of Ecclesiastical Architecture from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages”
Audrey Scardina, PhD Archaeology, University of Edinburgh
Ancient Lycia, on the southwest coast of modern Turkey,
provides a wealth of still-standing archaeological remains from the Late
Antique and Byzantine periods. In central and west Lycia alone, there are over
sixty sites with existing architectural remains of Late Antique and Byzantine
ecclesiastical structures; this totals in over one hundred churches.
Previous and current research on the architectural remains
from this period tends to emphasise individual sites, or alternately, a
comparison of specific architectural features across multiple sites without
much context. This has lead to an absence of research on the overall trends of
building and rebuilding across the different regions of Lycia, including a
consideration of architectural features such as design and building technique.
In this paper, I will use GIS-based analysis to reveal new
theories about architectural trends, from the genesis of church buildings
during the Late Antique period to their final incarnations in the tenth- to
eleventh-century. This research has revealed the differences in the
construction trends of central and western Lycia, as well as highlighting
possible building programmes throughout the period of study. With a detailed
knowledge and analysis of the individual locations, it is possible to
understand why certain sites stand out, why some decline, and why some continue
to flourish for over five centuries. This research provides a new way of
understanding the use of the churches of Lycia, and through that, a stronger
knowledge of the people who used them.
Saturday, March 12th:
LAMPS Pub Quiz
6:30 PM - 8 PM in Teviot Dining Room
£2/£3 members/ non-members
Come face off against fellow medievalists and movie buffs!
We will be spending the evening being quizzed on everything from the the date
of Thomas Becket’s murder to what castles were used in Monty Python and the
Holy Grail. Prizes will be given out to
the team that proves they have what it takes to go the distance. Don’t forget your game face!
Monday, March 14th:
Heritage in Scotland Roundtable and Annual General Meeting
6:15 PM in 50 George Square G.05
LAMPS is very excited to introduce a new means of creating
interdisciplinary connections within our society by hosting a roundtable event
in which our members will have the opportunity to discuss hot-button topics in
relation to the past in modern-day academia.
The theme for this particular roundtable is “Heritage in Scotland” which
includes everything from cinematic adaptations of the Late Antique to the
Middle Ages to museum outreach programs that attempt to appropriate the past in
the present. This LAMPS-mediated event
promotes safe and provocative discussion of how our modern world affects the
past worlds that we so diligently study, and how heritage impacts us today and
in the future.
After a rousing discussion, LAMPS will have its Annual
General Meeting (AGM) where a new committee will be elected by LAMPS
members. We encourage all members to
come and vote in the new President, Treasurer, Secretary, Seminar Secretary,
Events Secretary, and two new General Members as they will come to represent
LAMPS as a society at the University of Edinburgh!
Saturday, March 19th:
Tantallon and Dirleton Castles
Meet at 10 AM at Crichton Street
£25/£28
members/non-members
Come along with LAMPS as we explore two beautiful coastal
castles. A relatively short coach ride from the city center, both Tantallon and
Dirleton offer breathtaking views and a chance to explore two medieval castles
steeped in history. Tantallon has not only endured three major sieges, but was
the seat of the Douglas Earls of Angus, one of Scotland’s most powerful
baronial families. Meanwhile, Dirleton Castle served as the seat of power for
three noble families before being damaged during Cromwell’s siege in 1650. Come
prepared for rainy Scottish weather as we explore the battle-filled history of
these two coastal treasures.
Monday, March 21st:
Seminar
6:15 PM in 50 George Square G.05
"Colour Symbolism versus Pigment Production in Insular Manuscripts"
Lauren Deeth-Kelt, MSc Art in the Global Middle Ages,
University of Edinburgh
Colour symbolism is frequently encountered in early medieval scholarship as many Insular manuscripts have been deeply studied to reveal connections between the materials of pigment production and how the origins of said compounds contribute to the symbolism of the image. The consideration of pigments in Insular art has recently increased as a field due to new developments in scientific analysis. Contemporary studies on the Book of Kells have revealed more information on the exact composition of the materials used in the illuminations. Whilst previous scholarship has tended towards the symbolic nature of pigment use, the gritty reality of pigment production is frequently underplayed. Dirt, faeces and urine were commonly employed in the early medieval scriptorium in the production of a variety of colours. For example, copper is used to create hues of blue and green that have been imbued with doctrinal meaning in the iconographic programmes of Insular Gospel books, however, urine was needed to create the compounds required. Manuscripts such as the Book of Kells, since their creation, have been revered as apotropaic and divine objects channelling the word of God to the faithful. Indeed, the Book of Kells was famously referred to as so beautiful it must have been “created by angels”; its supposed divine provenance ignoring the very earthly paraphernalia required for its creation. This paper will trace the journey of raw earthly materials to divine commissions and analyse the opposing forces of pigment material and colour symbolism in the early medieval period.
Monday, March 28th:
Seminar
6:15 PM in 50 George Square G.05
“Religious Diversity as a Threat to Civic Unity? : Bishop
Avitus and the Conversion of the Jews of Clermont in AD 576”
Lorenzo Livorsi, MA Classics, Scuola Normale Superiore di
Pisa
At Pentecost in AD 576, more than five
hundred Jews living in Clermont were baptised by the local bishop, Avitus. This
was, however, no collective illumination: it was the final stage of a series of
civic disorders and, faced with the alternative of leaving the town forever or
becoming part of Christ’s flock, the troublesome Jewish minority chose the
latter. Regarding this fact, we have to rely on the not completely concordant
accounts of Venantius Fortunatus and of Gregory of Tours. Fortunatus’ poetical
account, in particular, cloaks the event in deep theological meaning; however,
it does not conceal the serious struggles within the town. But this is not only
one of the several episodes of early Christian anti-Semitism; it also testifies
to a changing perception of community in early Medieval society: civic unity
seems unthinkable without unity of faith in post-Roman Gaul, where kings and
bishops led their towns jointly, in a not always easy dialogue, and the
Catholic Church was a major element of civic cohesion. Some acts of the
councils of Gaul and Spain (where forced conversions were rather frequent) can
reveal much of this new conception of the community. Yet, the way in which,
less than twenty years later, Gregory the Great cautioned Theodorus, bishop of
Marseilles, against converting Jews forcedly suggests that views on this issue
were far from uniform within the western Church.
Thursday, March 31st:
International Hug a Medievalist Day
Meet at 12 PM on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade
FREE HUGS
Feeling
blue? Stressed out about essays? Research not cooperating? Life got you down? Just like hugs? Then this is the event for you! LAMPS will be
celebrating International Hug a Medievalist Day by, well, hugging it out. Join us as we offer hugs, support, and probably
random medieval fun facts!
Saturday, April 9th:
National Museum Celts Exhibition Tour
Meet outside the gift shop at the National Museum of
Scotland at 12 PM
£10/£8 adult/concession for entry to the exhibition
Join us as we explore the Celts Exhibition. This special
exhibition seeks to elucidate through artifacts the rich and often elusive
history of the varied peoples who, throughout history, have been labeled as
‘Celts.’ Included in the exhibition are objects of religious devotion and
jewellery spanning from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.
Friday, April 15th:
Speed Dating Research Q&A
7 PM - 8:30 PM in Teviot Study (next to the New Amphion Café)
Free
Ever wondered what a PhD student would be able to add to
your current research, or what you could add to theirs? Now is a chance to find
out as LAMPS presents a speeding dating Q&A open to Honors Undergraduates,
Masters students, and PhD candidates. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet
fellow researchers and discuss possible new areas of thought, receive general
feedback on your ideas, or to share your potential thesis and get feedback from
students completing a wide range of degrees.
Saturday, April 23rd:
St. Andrews Trip
Meet at 9 AM at Crichton Street
£25/£28
members/non-members
Join LAMPS as we explore the city where royal romance
blossomed! Home to the oldest university in Scotland, St. Andrews also has a
beautiful medieval castle dramatically situated overlooking the North Sea. This
castle was home to Scotland’s leading bishop (and later archbishop) throughout
the Middle Ages, and was therefore the site of many important happenings in
Scottish history, including some key moments leading up to the Scottish
Reformation in 1560. St. Andrews also boasts an amazing cathedral, the largest
and most impressive medieval church in Scotland. We will climb to the top of
St. Rule’s tower to see a breath-taking view of St. Andrews and the coastline,
and explore the museum buildings and graveyard that surround the cathedral. It
is sure to be a great day full of windblown medieval shenanigans!
Email: lampsedinburgh@gmail.com
Twitter: @LAMPS_Edinburgh
Facebook: Late Antique and Medieval Postgraduate Society
