Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Modern forensic analysis will be paired with detailed historical research to reveal new insights into medieval British society hidden within the wax seals of thousands of historic documents. The unique research project, called Imprint, will examine fingerprints and palm prints left behind on the wax seals of documents dating from the 12th to the 14th centuries. These seals, attached to documents such as land transactions, business contracts, and financial exchanges were the medieval equivalents of modern-day signatures and credit cards. The three-year study is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and led by Dr Elizabeth New from Aberystwyth University and co-investigator Professor Philippa Hoskin from the University of Lincoln. They will work with historical materials in the cathedrals of Exeter, Hereford and Lincoln, the National Library of Wales and Westminster Abbey. The aim is to reveal more about medieval social structures, networks of authority, and the bur...

The South, West and Wales Consortium, in which Aberystwyth University is partnered with seven other universities – Bath, Bath Spa, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Reading and Southampton - has been awarded £14.2 million funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) over the next five years to deliver postgraduate supervision, training and skills development from 2014. The Consortium is one of 11 new Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) and seven Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) to have been awarded a total of £164m funding from the AHRC. The South, West and Wales Consortium will offer postgraduate studentships and training across the full range of the AHRC’s disciplines, with a strong emphasis on collaboration between the members of the consortium and 19 partner organisations including English Heritage, the National Trust, the BBC, Cadw and Welsh National Opera. The funding, which equates to 200 new studentships, will allow for innovative postgraduate support, including t...