Author Archives: Roisin Astell

New Publication: ‘Fragments: Medieval Makers, Modern Responses’, eds. Catherine A. Fernandez and Pamela A. Patton

This new publication volume explores the complexities of working with fragmented medieval materials through seven essays that highlight their interpretive challenges and significance in understanding medieval culture.

Two Postdoctoral Positions, History, Theory, and Heritage, EPFL Lausanne, deadline 2 March 2026

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne is offering two fully funded postdoctoral positions in early modern Mediterranean art and architecture for the 2026-27 academic year, with applications due by March 2, 2026.

Lecture: ‘The Fabrication of Borders: Tailoring and Cartography in Early Modern Europe’, with Emanuele Lugli, Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies, 12 February 2026 (5:15 – 6:30 pm EST)

Join the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies for Emanuele Lugli’s lecture, “The Fabrication of Borders”. Professor Lugli will explore the interconnected evolution of fashion and cartography in early modern Europe.

CFP: ‘Material Memory and the Provenances of Medieval Artefacts’ (Berlin, 3-4 September 2026), deadline 15 March 2026

The conference ‘Material Memory and the Provenances of Medieval Artefacts’ invites papers that explore how medieval objects and materials retain and convey memories of their origins, incorporating perspectives on provenance, material agency, and the relationships between humans and their environments.

Grant: Call for Proposals, AVISTA START Grant, deadline 15 March 2026

The AVISTA START Grant offers up to $3,000 in seed funding for Ph.D.-holding researchers working on projects at the intersection of science, technology, and art in the medieval world, with applications due by March 15, 2026.

Lecture: ‘Eastern Europe in Focus: Medieval Art, Cultural Heritage, and Global Conflicts’ with Alice Isabella Sullivan, Temple University and Zoom, 6 February 2026, 16:30-18:00 (EST)

In this lecture, Alice Isabella Sullivan examines the intricate history and artistic influences of Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages, highlighting the region’s cultural heritage amidst shifting traditions and conflicts.

Conference: ‘When Materials Meet: Intermateriality in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period’, Krems an der Donau, Austria, 2-4 March 2026

The Institute for Medieval and Early Modern Material Culture Studies (IMAREAL, University of Salzburg), announces the international conference “When Materials Meet. Intermaterialität in Mittelalter und Früher Neuzeit”, to be held from 2 to 4 March 2026 at Krems an der Donau, Austria.

Online workshop: ‘Beyond the Visible: Medieval Roofs and the Making of Sacred Architecture in Italy’, 9 March 2026, 17:30-20:00 (UTC+2)

This workshop marks the conclusion of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie project Cataloguing Medieval Roofs, coordinated by the University of Cyprus. On this occasion, the volume Behind the Scenes of Medieval Roofs. An Overview of the Roofing Systems of Italian Churches (edited by Angelo Passuello and Michalis Olympios, L’Erma di Bretschneider, 2026) will be presented.