Rob Hedge
@robhedge.bsky.social
Archaeologist. PhD research at University of Leicester: peasant perspectives and medieval settlement in the Severn Valley. Freelance artefact analysis, education & illustration. Scribbles a lot. MCIfA 🏺 https://incurablearchaeologist.wordpress.com/
Terrific animation by Imogen Taylor!
Folk on Foot@folkonfoot.com · 2w agoRob Cowen’s evocative description of the Thornborough Henges, re-imagined by the artist Imogen Taylor in this lovely animation. Find out more in our latest episode here: pod.fo/e/44c958 @robcowen.bsky.social @johnnyflynnmusic.bsky.social
New theory on drivers for Icelandic deforestation just dropped: medieval Norse desire for endogenous Cricket bat production, coupled with high breakage rates due to the inherent unsuitability of native birchwood. 🏏🗃️
Iceland Cricket@icelandcricket.bsky.social · 2w agoFollowing scientific tests, we recently discovered that Icelandic birchwood is sub-optimal when used in cricket bats. We thought the rest of the world should also know, because we now realise it has set our cricket back for the past 1,000 years. You are very welcome.
PhD thesis submitted at the end of last month and now feeling weirdly flat and restless. Sharing a little zine I made at the end of the project as a nod to hopefully doing more creative things in archaeology soon! Last few pages to follow
Now the dust is settling on the Women’s T20 #cricket World Cup… it’s been terrific. Took family to Edgbaston to see Bangladesh vs Netherlands and India vs Pakistan. Just incredible for the children to feel the atmosphere, the noise, the joy. To see women’s sport lift the roof. 🏏
The deadline for the MSRG John Hurst Memorial Prize is fast approaching! Open to any current/recent postgraduate students. Submit abstract by 30th June. £200 prize for best paper; presenters eligible for travel bursary. Details/forms at: medieval-settlement.com/grant.../dis... 🏛️🗃️🏺 #medievalsky
If you’d like to take a minute out of your Friday afternoon, here’s a time-lapse video in which I colour my live sketches from the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists conference in Edinburgh this week. (🔈 for commentary) #archaeology #illustration
On my way back after a fine CIfA archaeology conference in Edinburgh. And yes, I’ve been scribbling - will get my illustrations coloured and posted soon… 🏺🏛️🗃️
I suppose it was inevitable… after scoring, then coaching, I played my first game of competitive cricket in 17 years yesterday. The less said about my bowling the better… but I did manage 42no and a last-wicket 50 partnership to win. And I felt the joy of being out in the middle on a glorious day. 🏏
A little time-lapse video, colouring my live conference sketches from the weekend’s Medieval Settlement Research Group Spring conference in Lincoln. #medievalsky 🏺🏛️🗃️ #sketchbook #illustration #skystorians (🔈for commentary)
Don't forget to come and see us today between 12-4! We have #OSL and #Pollen data which gives us a tremendous record of #Medieval farming! Sheen village hall SK17 0ES ///soap.social.cosmic
Enricharch@enricharch.bsky.social · 4mo agoThe @tudorfarming.bsky.social are having an exhibition on the recent #OSL dating and more, inc the chance to add to the story of the parish. Get yourselves over to Sheen Village Hall SK17 0ES 12-4 tomorrow afternoon. There will be cake! Repost widely! TIA. #Archaeology #Medieval #CommunityHeritage
A cartoon to illustrate Ellen Durbin's excellent Diggers' Forum article on the awkward disconnect, raised by @sarahmay1.bsky.social, between the impact of archaeology and the impact on archaeologists. There'll be more from me in future issues of British Archaeology. 🏺
Council for British Archaeology@archaeologyuk.bsky.social · 4mo agoAre commercial archaeologists miserable? In our latest open access article from British Archaeology, Ellen Durbin explores the gap between the wellbeing benefits associated with archaeology and the realities of commercial practice. Read here 👉 bit.ly/3NYunJo Illustration by @robhedge.bsky.social
Enjoying that ‘first page of a new sketchbook’ feeling. Bishop’s Palace, St Davids, Pembrokeshire.
Restorative Pembrokeshire Easter weekend with familiar faces. Not pictured (because they were too quick), the first swallows. One on Friday 3rd, then two pairs on Sunday 5th above Aberfelin, Trefin.
Not felt like there’s been much to celebrate of late, but today as the mist cleared and the sun appeared, I shaved 18 seconds off my #Parkrun PB.
🏺🗃️ The #Historians of #Archaeology group website launches soon! historiansofarchaeology.wordpress.com We welcome submissions for the blog from everyone working on any aspect of the history of archaeology (excavations, object provenance, community, popular histories, histories of science...) 1/2
#Parkrun at Worcester Woods this morning, with Millie’s customary post-run scamper through Nunnery Wood. My journey up there probably follows the route once taken by medieval nuns of Worcester’s Whiston nunnery on the Tything, who farmed the land and after whom it’s named.
A nice surprise this morning: my article on prison reform from below is out! I believe it’s open access but let me know if you can’t get a copy and would like one. academic.oup.com/histres/adva...
Prison reform from below: London, c.1780–1830*
Abstract. This article explores the history of the English prison reform movement from ‘below’ – that is, from the perspective of prison inmates. By highli
academic.oup.com
Cheers Tess. I’ve been remiss of late in advertising, but some of my illustrations are available on sustainable clothing and gifts. And if you’d like a design in a different colour/garment, give me a shout. Tomorrow is last day for 1st class Christmas postage 👍 incurablearchaeologist.teemill.com
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Archaeological and historical-themed sustainable clothing and gifts. Designed by archaeologist and illustrator Rob Hedge, delivered by Teemill.
incurablearchaeologist.teemill.com
Dr Tess Machling@tessmachling.bsky.social · 8mo agoHonestly, if you're struggling for Christmas gifts, have a look here - Rob's designs are wonderful! ❤️ #Archaeology 🏺
By strange coincidence, I’m wearing my Cirencester Roman Cockerel T-shirt today! I love Tess’s chocolate version. Any other representations out there? 🏺🏛️
Dr Tess Machling@tessmachling.bsky.social · 8mo agoWas reminded of this today. That time I made the roman Cirencester Cockerel (AKA Jamie's Cock... IYKYK 🤣) in #chocolate... ...later it fell off a shelf and broke and I haven't had the patience to make another one yet!! 🤪 #Archaeology 🏺
Completed my ECB Level 2 Core Coach qualification yesterday! 🎉 A great course: participants from current 1st class / England U19 pros all the way down to parent volunteers. Pride slightly tempered by aches in muscles I’d forgotten I even had, after yesterday’s pace bowling session. 🏏😬🤕 #cricket
I had a great time giving this talk yesterday! And it's already available to watch in YouTube! Huge thanks to @insuhi.bsky.social for having me!
UHI Institute for Northern Studies@insuhi.bsky.social · 8mo agoLast night's @thinkuhi.bsky.social excellent Public Seminar by Tom Fairfax is now online. Families, Networks and Informants: The Making of Orkneyinga saga youtu.be/r2Tgd4HBkzI
Just sharing this again - a piece in @uk.theconversation.com that Alex Brown and I wrote about peasants and the surprising amount of 'sick leave' they were given in the middle ages #medievalsky #history #medieval theconversation.com/medieval-pea...
Medieval peasants enjoyed a surprising range of sick, annual and bereavement leave benefits
Some peasants were entitled to up to a year and a day of leave if they were sick.
theconversation.com
📣Join us on 2 Dec, 5.30pm for our hybrid SBC lecture and reception with Neil Gregor @neilgregor.bsky.social on 'Writing Cultural Histories of Nazi Germany: Thoughts from the Concert Hall' - Please register for in-person or online attendance. Eventbrite links below
Ventured over to Worcester Woods for #Parkrun. Millie likes to bark encouragement on the home straight. The woods seem eternal, but the undulations underfoot are what remains of medieval ridge and furrow created by ploughing: once upon a time, all this was open fields… 🏺🗃️
I am currently reading 'Hild', a fabulous novel by @nicolaz.bsky.social that explores her early life, immersing the curious reader in the rhythms of 7th century life. Would heartily recommend it to anyone curious about Hild and her achievements. nicolagriffith.com/2023/11/17/h...
Hild—A Historical Note
Today is the Feast Day of St Hilda of Whitby, that is, Hild—the protagonist of my novels HILD and MENEWOOD. Why does a 21st-C queer crip celebrate the life of a saintly Early Medieval abbess? It mi…
nicolagriffith.com
North Ages@northages.bsky.social · 9mo agoNov 17: Feast of Hild (c.614-680), abbess. She succeeded Heiu in charge of Heruteu (Hartlepool) before founding, or refounding, Streanæshalch (Whitby), where she championed the 'Irish' dating of Easter at the synod in 664. She later founded a monastery at Hacanos (Hackness). #medievalsky
Spent the morning turning this into a tiny zine. Printing, cutting, folding - a tiny analogue act of resistance to the news we’ve had this week about cuts to History at Leicester. I’ll bring them along to the @leicesterucu.bsky.social demo on Weds 12th November if you’d like your own copy.
Rob Hedge@robhedge.bsky.social · 10mo agoA new comic: A brief history of History at the University of Leicester. You can download the originals and find links to further reading on my blog: incurablearchaeologist.wordpress.com/2025/10/02/l... #skystorians 🏛️🏺🗃️ Individual panels are threaded below:
Less than a month to go for submission of abstracts! Papers invited for the Life and Landscape Research Showcase at the University of Nottingham.
Doing my ECB level 2 cricket coaching qualification. It’s great… … but yesterday’s enthusiasm (“wicket keeping is great fun, why did I never do it… maybe it’s not too late?”) has been tempered by today’s bruises and aches. Newfound respect for all you ‘keepers.🫡
