On Friday the 20th of January 2017, a conference hosted by the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti at the Palazzo Franchetti in Venice commemorated the 900th anniversary of ‘the most severe north Italian earthquake’, as the 1117 ‘Veronese’ earthquake has been labeled. (http://www.istitutoveneto.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/1086; videos of the presentations are on line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LArtXCWyS8&list=PLfcFPNXyAOqYA9ie8eeoPU2ziSQFhHtQi) The conference organisers… Read More Conference on the great 1117 Veronese earthquake (Venice, 20th January 2017)

In November 2016, thanks to the kind support of Protezione Civile, Feltre section, I had the chance to spend four days in the area of Tolentino (province of Macerata, Marche) with the aim of surveying some medieval sites which were recently affected by the 2016 Central Italy earthquakes. Although set slightly away from the epicentral area… Read More Medieval sites affected by the 2016 Central Italy earthquakes in the Tolentino area (Macerata, Marche)

When an earthquake occurs in a densely populated area like central Italy, reactions are mainly focused on the recovery and assistance of victims, removal of debris, assessment of the damage, reactivation of infrastructures and public services. As nowadays, these actions also constituted the core of post-disaster recovery in the Middle Ages, when populations were far… Read More 2016 Central Italy earthquake. Wrath of God, scapegoats, miracles,and other ‘medieval’ aspects of a 21st century seismic disaster

I am happy to attach the text which will be published soon by the Society for Medieval Archaeology Newsletter about our 2016 season in the Azores (6-27 September). This is a collage of pictures taken during our fieldwork in Vila Franca. Under the volcano: excavating in the Azores (Vila Franca do Campo 2016) The islands of… Read More Under the volcano: excavating in the Azores (Vila Franca do Campo 2016)

Overview Waiting for the end of the world: perceptions of disaster and risk in medieval Europe What happened when natural disasters affected medieval European societies (AD 500-1550)? The roll-call of disasters during this period is lengthy and their effects were sometimes felt across the whole of Europe in a way that has not been observed… Read More SMA Annual Conference ‘Waiting for the End of the World: Disaster & Risk in Medieval Europe’ – Programme