Erin Sebo

Two-thirds of researchers globally say there is now more emphasis on producing research aligned with government priorities compared with a few years ago, a major survey has found
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/scholars-worldwide-pushed-towards-mission-orientated-research

Mysterious Greek inscription reignites debate on whether a Syrian mosque stands atop Roman Emperor Elagabalus' Temple.

▶️ phys.org/news/2026-02...

Thanks to all authors, reviewers, & readers as we close out issue 33!

We published 550 pages in 2025: 7 articles; a thematic dossier w/ 4 more articles; a roundtable; an Arabic edition; a pedagogy file; 7 book reviews; & some short communications.

Here’s a thread to gather some highlights! 🧵

Inscribed sandstone fragments of Hole, Norway: radiocarbon dates provide insight into rune-stone traditions | Antiquity | Cambridge Core Inscribed sandstone fragments of Hole, Norway: radiocarbon dates provide insight into rune-stone traditions

We present some results from our long-term work on the earliest #runestone found in an archaeologically datable context #runology: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Six pieces of clay with impressions of various designs imprinted onto them.

Archaeologists have uncovered the largest known corpus of late prehistoric administrative artefacts in the ancient world in western Iran, prompting us to reconsider our understanding of early bureaucratic institutions.

A well-organised #AntiquityThread 1/8 🧵

🏺 #Archaeology

Ten silver coins, viewed from both sides. They all contain the same motifs: on one side, a rising sun, on the other, a pattern called a Srivatsa. Found at numerous sites across Southeast Asia, they indicate long-distance trade through a shared currency.

Southeast Asia was well-connected long before this however, stretching back over 1000 years earlier. Shared coinage from Bangladesh to Vietnam indicates economic connections comparable to those of the Roman Empire as early as the 4th century AD 2/2

🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...

I like that DPs will now be announced after they are nominally supposed to start (Jan 2027)

Discovery Projects are now a complete joke:

EoIs were due 12 Dec last year. Full apps are due 22 April this year. Results won't be out until next year: 15 Jan – 15 Apr 2027.

That’s up to 16 MONTHS!

If the government wants research to work more with industry, they need to sort this out. It's impossible to plan anything with industry partners when you have to tell them its over a year to know whether a grant is successful or not.

Absolutely disgraceful from the Adelaide Festival.
I hope other participants reconsider their part in it.

BREAKING: 3 members of the Adelaide Festival Board have resigned after it refused to reverse its decision to rescind Dr Abdel-Fattah's invitation. No statement has been issued but their names have been quietly removed from the website.

Four people are now responsible for the ongoing crisis.

On the day that a Palestinian writer is dropped from Adelaide Writer’s Week for being *checks notes* Palestinian.

Conference poster: Health and the Environment in the Preindustrial World: Multidisciplinary Approaches 23–24 July 2026, Virtual and at Monash University Rest of text doesn't fit in alt text, see link here: https://premodernhealthscaping.hcommons.org/?p=1656

We're hosting a hybrid conference in July!

"Health and the Environment in the Preindustrial World: Multidisciplinary Approaches" will explore traditional and recent themes converging on public health history.

To be notified when registration opens, fill out this form: forms.gle/5dMU4rNd8d5q...

In fact we have records of at least 65,000 immigrants in the late MEDIEVAL period. This means real numbers were significantly higher. In England more than 1% of the population was foreign born (never mind 2nd gen) with numbers as high as 1 in 10 in cities. There’s a database!

Authors withdraw from festival after Palestinian Australian author dropped After Randa Abdel-Fattah was dropped from Adelaide Writers' Week by the Adelaide Festival Board, a slew of authors, including Michelle de Kretser, have withdrawn from the event.

After Randa Abdel-Fattah was dropped from Adelaide Writers' Week by the Adelaide Festival Board, a slew of authors, including Michelle de Kretser, have withdrawn from the event.

As the Board responsible for the Adelaide Festival organisation and all Adelaide Writers’ Week events, staff, volunteers and participants, we have today advised scheduled writer Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah that the Board has formed the judgment that we do not wish to proceed with her scheduled appearance at next month’s Writers’ Week. Whilst we do not suggest in any way that Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah’s or her writings have any connection with the tragedy at Bondi, given her past statements we have formed the view that it would not be culturally sensitive to continue to program her at this unprecedented time so soon after Bondi. The Board has also now formally established a sub-committee to oversee the ongoing Board-led review, and guide decisions about Adelaide Writers’ Week in the near and longer terms. This includes ongoing engagement with relevant Government agencies and the appointment and/or advice of external experts. This suite of decisions has been taken with the genuine view that they provide the best opportunity for the success and support of the Adelaide Festival, for Adelaide Writers’ Week and the communities we seek to serve and engage. We understand these Board decisions will likely be disappointing to many in our community. We also recognise our request to Dr Abdel-Fattah will be labelled and will cause discomfort and pressure to other participants. These decisions have not been taken lightly. Our only request is that our community is respectful to our staff and volunteers who have not formed part of our decision-making process and deserve nothing but ongoing support for their excellent work. We have communicated our decisions to the State Government after having regular discussions post the tragic events at Bondi. The Board and Senior Executive will be communicating with all Adelaide Writers’ Week participants in coming days, along with other key stakeholders. We hope to see you at Adelaide Writers’ Week. The Adelaide Festival Board

Absolutely disgraceful.

The Adelaide Festival has cancelled Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah from appearing.

I will be withdrawing from two panels I was to chair at Adelaide Writers Week 2026. I stand in solidarity with Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, and other Palestinian Australian writers. I urge all writers to do the same. Watch out for statements from SA mob. www.adelaidefestival.com.au/news/2025/ad...

As a former Director of Adelaide Writers' Week I am appalled that the Adelaide Festival Board has rescinded Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah's invitation to the 2026 AWW, explicitly linking its decision to the shattering crimes in Bondi.

A shocking decision that will and should have far-reaching consequences.

You can contact the Adelaide Festival here to express your opinion about their decision to ban Randa Abdel-Fattah. Please refrain from abuse.

STATEMENT FROM THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE 8 January 2026 Following a statement from the board responsible for the Adelaide Festival organisation and all Adelaide Writers’ Week events, The Australia Institute is withdrawing its support and sponsored events from this year’s literary festival. The Australia Institute has valued being part of discussions at the event, which in the past have promoted bravery, freedom of expression and the exchange of ideas. Censoring or cancelling authors is not in the spirit of an open and free exchange of ideas.

Statement from @australiainstitute.org.au on Adelaide Festival.

Ramping up the PR to absurd heights because they fear the bursting of the AI bubble has been accelerated by Musk's Sexual Abuse Machine antics.

Alexandre le Grand, représenté à la mongole, supervise la construction du mur de fer de Gog et Magog par des forgerons. Miniature persane tirée du Grand Shahnama mongol, XIVe s. Smithsonian Institute, Washington.

"Durant la nuit qui précède la nouvelle année, c’est la tradition et la coutume au sein de la famille de Chinggis Khan de préparer un soufflet de forgeron, une fournaise et du charbon, puis de porter au rouge un morceau de fer, qu’ils frappent sur une enclume..."

Bonne année à toutes et tous !

#calavhist
Jour 24 : Jeanne d'Arc (inutile de préciser qui c'est😉)
Elle avait de beaux seins, selon le duc d'Alençon qui, témoignant pour l'annulation de sa condamnation, a déclaré qu'il les a vus quand elle se préparait. Il a tout de suite ajouté que cette vue ne suscitait aucun...
1/2

Now available on YouTube: www.youtube.com/live/icA1r9X...

What historians (and other scholars do) is create knowledge. We should use that phrase more and talk about what it means. I think we don't, and it's part of why AI enthusiasts are confused when we don't readily agree that our work can be replicated/replaced by their products.

Academics: what's the best bit of knowledge you created this year?

I co-authored a new model of the Irish Neolithic, effectively rewriting social structure and the role of large funerary monuments for the creation of community identities

Medievalist friends! Applications are open until end of Feb for a fully-funded PhD in Arthurian Literature with the brilliant Louise D'Arcens @medievalafterlives.bsky.social and myself, based between Sydney (Australia) and Groningen (The Netherlands).

Please share widely!

tinyurl.com/f7su6urv

Sometimes think we should give votes to children. then maybe their plight would be taken seriously.

An Investigation of Three Megalithic Quoits in Cornwall - BAR Publishing This monograph reports upon the recent excavations of three Cornish megalithic monuments, known locally by the suffix as quoits, which were undertaken by Cornwall Archaeological Unit, with support fro...

'Presenting these three excavations is a major advance in our understanding of Neolithic megalithic monuments in Cornwall, and represents a very significant contribution.’ A fantastic achievement, by the late and much missed Andy Jones, and James Gossip: www.barpublishing.com/book/an-inve...