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robertmason.bsky.social
Archaeology, museums, science, & my garden. I also write fantasy stories (in an effort to keep the fantasy out of my archaeology). Tolkien & Pratchett nerd. 🌱🏹🏺🗡️📚📖⛏️✍️🚀🪐⚒️
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This mosaic from the late 13th century, part of a bishops throne in Ravello, Italy, actually has fragments of turquoise pottery made in Damascus, Syria, in the late 12th century in the wing. 📷mine of 2003. #MosaicMonday #medievalsky #ArchaeologyofStuff

submitted 8 minutes ago • 0 comments

Another example demonstrating that people who live near the sea are often oriented towards the sea - and lands beyond. Of course in this case they lived on a small island which would reinforce that! 🏺 #Archaeology #ArchaeologyOfStuff www.rfi.fr/en/france/20...

submitted 21 minutes ago • 0 comments

The Newsletter / February up-date for Teaser Tales is out & it's rammed to the gunnels with links to short stories and more of my interview with SM Revolinski - veteran writer medium.com/teaser-tales...

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

It is as I have foreseen... #ArchaeologyofStuff #Archaeology popular-archaeology.com/article/clue...

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

On Teaser Tales today it is me! Standing on a soapbox to support the #fiction #shortstories that I've enjoyed C'mon lets be a community! medium.com/teaser-tales...

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

For #ToxologyTuesday an archer from Tell Halaf, Syria, dating to the Iron Age c. 1200-900 BC. My photos of 2014 at the British Museum. I don't know if they are shooting the lion or riding it! @british-museum.bsky.social 🏺

submitted 13 days ago • 2 comments

Having a bit of snow here at the moment. I actually learned how to shovel from the Ministry diggers at the excavation of Launceston Castle in 1979. Those old guys knew how to shovel.

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

You've been murdered. Who do you want on the case?

submitted 15 days ago • 0 comments

A very rare interment of what may be a Roman soldier of 2nd or 3rd century CE, with a pugio of 1st century BCE. He was face down with the dagger on his back. #Romansky #MortuaryArchaeology #Archaeology 🏺 archaeologymag.com/2025/02/1800...

submitted 17 days ago • 2 comments

On Teaser Tales today - a little taste of #fantasy #fiction from @robertmason.bsky.social medium.com/teaser-tales...

submitted 17 days ago • 0 comments

More pottery from Yemen, these may be some of the world's first coffee cups! #MedievalSky #Archaeology #ArchaeologyOfStuff 🏺

submitted 18 days ago • 2 comments

Showing my students some medieval pottery from Yemen at the ROM today, including this one with a cat's paw impression in it! #MedievalSky #Archaeology #ArchaeologyOfStuff 🏺

submitted 18 days ago • 9 comments

Article on the monastery in Syria where I did fieldwork from 2004 to 2009. www.france24.com/en/live-news...

submitted 18 days ago • 1 comment

Repost with your apocalypse skills Archery, edged weapons, growing food, basic knowledge of all ancient & medieval technology, hates people (yet loves humanity). Will kill you to feed my family.

submitted 20 days ago • 1 comment

I was shovelling snow and ice this morning, so I thought I would post a pic from my Fairy Garden back in the Summer. #FairyFriday #FairyGarden #FairyGardenFriday 🌱

submitted 24 days ago • 0 comments

For #FossilFriday I made ammonite toast for my daughter! #Breakfast

submitted 24 days ago • 1 comment

Château Gaillard (France) reconstruction mock-up. Built by King Richard the Lionheart. William 1st Earl of Douglas may have copied elements of Gaillard in his construction of Tantallon Castle in Scotland. #ChateauGaillard #FrenchCastles #HistoryRebuilt

submitted 25 days ago • 0 comments

I am posting this review rather than the original paper in Nature because I love this painting. I have just been shoveling snow & ice, so building a tent in a thong while my topless wife and pet Auroch look on sounds like fun. 🏺 #Archaeology www.sci.news/otherscience...

submitted 24 days ago • 2 comments

Apparently Wiarton Willie forecasts an early Spring. Yes, Canada has its own groundhog weather prediction service. If you are unaware of the tradition it is a continuation from the European observation that a sunny day on Candlemas (Feb 2nd) means a late Spring.

submitted 28 days ago • 1 comment

Okay, that IS cool. #ArchaeologyofStuff #RomanSky #Archaeology www.livescience.com/archaeology/...

submitted 30 days ago • 1 comment

Anyone interested in a Japanese Tea Ceremony experience in the Toronto area? Proceeds go to the Momiji Healthcare Society that supports Japanese Canadian seniors. 🍵 🍰 momiji.on.ca/en/participa... #Toronto #Scarborough #tea #TeaCeremony #fundraising

submitted 30 days ago • 0 comments

Lead pollution in the Aegean Sea region may have begun around 5,200 years ago, according to a paper in Communications Earth & Environment. The findings suggest that lead pollution due to human activities began approximately 1,200 years earlier than previously thought. #earth-science 🏺 🧪

submitted 31 days ago • 0 comments

That would have been a very fine helmet in it's day. #MedievalSky 🏺 #Archaeology archaeologymag.com/2025/01/pre-...

submitted 31 days ago • 0 comments