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Marie Jaros

@mariejaros.bsky.social

Medievalist, PostDoc, curiously looking towards the early modern period, currently working on historical whales, but also Kingdom of Sicily, Italy and charters @humboldtuni.bsky.social

170 Posts1000 Follower372 Folgt
Marie Jaros@mariejaros.bsky.social · 3mo ago

In 1624, a #whale stranded at Santa Severa, Italy. It was measured, its anatomy examined. The artist Giovanni Bricci wrote an extensive account, describing the animal—and because words alone weren't enough, he painted it. An artist painted a portrait of the whale! I was so excited… and then THIS:

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North Ages@northages.bsky.social · 3mo ago

The Trustees of the British Museum declined to buy the panels of the Franks Casket #OTD in 1858. ‘They had never committed a greater act of folly,’ said the Keeper of Manuscripts. The museum’s Augustus Wollaston Franks – it is named after him – bought it instead. 📸British Museum

The lidded rectangular box, which was carved in relief and was big enough for perhaps a small book or some relics.
Myriah Williams@myriahwilliams.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Today, according to The Voyage of Saint Brendan, the saint and his brothers would have landed on the back of Jasconius the giant fish en route to finding the promised land of the saints. Some manuscripts of this work incorporated planned illustrations, others had enthusiastic readers...

An illustration of a boat filled with monks on the back of a giant fish biting its tail, from Heidelberg. Universitätsbibliothek, Cod. Pal. germ. 60, fol. 179v.A reader has drawn a doodle of a fish with crude trees and a cooking pot on its back, from Bodleian Library MS. Laud Misc. 44, fol. 41v.
Marie Jaros@mariejaros.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Seeing this depiction of a pilot #whale in an 'indigenous' context is absolutely fascinating! Originally, it was an illustration of an animal that washed ashore near #Zandvoort (NL) in 1594. www.britishmuseum.org/collection/o... #histwhale #oceanspast #melvillemonday

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Paul Montgomery @stonefishweirs.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Their understanding of the natural rhythm and seasonal movements of fish and other species was an intrinsic part of their local traditional knowledge, a valuable resource for today's researchers and wider society. 3/8

Theodore de Bry, “Americae,” (1601-02) Engraving depicting European explorers, possibly in Newfoundland, witnessing Native American whaling practices. Kraus Collection, Library of Congress classification G 159 E141
Marie Jaros@mariejaros.bsky.social · last yr.

🚨🐳We’re putting together a panel on #whales in medieval #literature for #IMC2026! Two papers are already confirmed: Icelandic sagas and English poetry. We’re looking for one more speaker to join us. If your research touches literary traditions too, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please DM.

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