Scilicet - History of Knowledge

We've joined the blue sky! Just as the skies darken for winter too

Please let your followers know that the Scottish History Society has arrived!

Find out more about memberships, the society, and events at our website: scottishhistorysociety.com

Thomas Simpson (1710–1761)

In our latest article, @jamesafox.bsky.social charts the meteoric rise and eventual decline of #18thcentury mathematician 🧮 Thomas Simpson.

👉 Read more here: scilicet.org.uk/becoming-a-m...

#history #mathematics #skystorians

Title page of Ein köstlich new kochbuck (1598)

In our latest blog post, intern Sandrine Hoppe explores the earliest known recipe book authored by a woman in vernacular German, Anna Wecker's Ein köstlich new kochbuck (1598)

howtobook.hypotheses.org/4596

#bookhistory #cookbook #blog

Leon Battista Alberti, (possibly) Self-Portrait, c. 1435

🤔 Is it better to learn from the wisdom of the ancients or from your experience gained over time?

📚 In our latest blog post, @guyfassler.bsky.social explores a 15th-century Tuscan dialogue debating that very question...
scilicet.org.uk/whats-the-po...

#bookhistory #medieval #knowledge

An early pamphlet printing of The World Turn’d Upside Down (1647).

What do beekeeping books tell us about changes in early modern science and society? @jamesafox.bsky.social has some suggestions, especially in relation to #17thCentury England scilicet.org.uk/the-hive-tur...
#Skystorians #EarlyModern #Bees #AnimalHistory

🐝 Beekeeping was a staple of early modern how-to books. A new blog post by @jamesafox.bsky.social explores the changing tone of English apicultural books...

#beekeeping #bookhistory

An early pamphlet printing of The World Turn’d Upside Down (1647).

What do beekeeping books tell us about changes in early modern science and society? @jamesafox.bsky.social has some suggestions, especially in relation to #17thCentury England scilicet.org.uk/the-hive-tur...
#Skystorians #EarlyModern #Bees #AnimalHistory

Very excited about our new series starting tomorrow!

We're back from our summer break, and are ready for a new season ☀️ Keep an eye on this page tomorrow, there's something buzzing...

First page of 'Record-Keeping and the Business of Books in Pre-Union Edinburgh' by James Fox

The latest issue of Scottish Archives has now been published, featuring work from @mchapelproject.bsky.social @nicolemaceira.bsky.social @ksmcgregor.bsky.social and myself, among others. If anyone would like a PDF of my article, just send me a message!

#bookhistory #scottishhistory #Archives

Aritmetiqve facile (1588)

New on our #blog: @jamesafox.bsky.social explores the unique #marginalia in a one-of-a-kind 16th-century French arithmetic book from the Herzog August Bibliothek 📖🇩🇪🧮

Read more here: howtobook.hypotheses.org/4415

#bookhistory #rarebooks #knowledge #mathematics

Medieval Elections I: The Duke of Athens goes to parliament | Scilicet In celebration of the UK 2024 general election, we delve into some intriguing and intricate elections from medieval Italy. This first one comes from 14th C. Florence and involves the mysterious Duke o...

Everyone likes a good villain. One who is just waiting for a biopic about him is Gautier de Brienne (duke of Athens) who briefly became the autocratic ruler of Florence. If you want to learn more about him, give this post a read or explore others in our back catalogue!
#Skystorians #Florence

Royal Doodles: Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden’s childhood drawings of horses | Scilicet A curious set of drawings by the future king of Sweden, 10 year old Gustav IV Adolf, shed some light on a royal childhood.

Before becoming the king of Sweden, young Gustav Adolf showed remarkable aptitude for drawing. His doodles of horses and military scenes give a fascinating insight into the childhood of a future king. Read our post here, and why not explore our back catalogue!
#Skystorians #Sweden #AnimalHistory

A rare treasure in the Ferguson collection: The true and perfect order to distill oyles (1575)

In our latest blog post @jamesafox.bsky.social examines the only surviving copy of the first Paracelsian medical text printed in English, 1575 - an important milestone in the history of Anglophone how-to books.

howtobook.hypotheses.org/4371

#bookhistory #rarebooks #medicalhistory

Animals | Scilicet

Last week we had a post about bees on @scilicetblog.bsky.social, but there's lots more #AnimalHistory to be found there! From Swedish royal monkeys to Italian dogs in churches, and from Medieval lions to 18th Century birds... Check it out!
scilicet.org.uk/animals

ICYMI, yesterday's post by @guyfassler.bsky.social

ICYMI, yesterday's post by @guyfassler.bsky.social

My latest post for Scilicet on why bees were considered the perfect society in the #AberdeenBestiary.

A drawing from the Aberdeen bestiary of a dog and two bees

Fantastic bees and where to find them 🐝 What can a #medieval book of strange animals teach us about kingship and ideal society? @guyfassler.bsky.social explains how the Aberdeen Bestiary can answer these questions in our latest post: scilicet.org.uk/fantastic-be... #Skystorians #MedievalHistory

My most recent post for Scilicet, on viking history and Swedish national identity

Rediscovering the Vikings | Scilicet After the collapse of the Swedish empire, Swedes found themselves turning to their ancient forebearers the Vikings for help. But how did it come about and how did it shape their understanding of the S...

After Sweden’s empire crumbled, Swedes looked to the Vikings for a new sense of identity. But why Vikings, and how did this reshape how they saw their own landscape? @nataliesmith.bsky.social explores in our latest post: scilicet.org.uk/rediscoverin... #Skystorians #Vikings"

Why not give one of these recipes a try? @guyfassler.bsky.social enjoyed making the compote! www.instagram.com/reel/DKL0peS...

Beer soup, pear jam and carrot cake from Märta Sture’s 1739 recipe book | Scilicet What was Swedish food like in the eighteenth century? A fantastic book in which Märta Sture wrote down hundreds of recipes paints a tasty (if aometimes unusual) picture.

You’ve probably heard of Martha Stewart, but how about Märta Sture? In this post, @nataliesmith.bsky.social takes us through her recipes for pear compote, beer soup, and carrot cake from 1739! scilicet.org.uk/beer-soup-pe... #Skystorians #History #Foodhistory

Botanic drawing of Parsley. Pellegrino Artusi, La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene, recipe no. 119:

Hungry for more historical recipes? 🌿 @guyfassler.bsky.social has found multiple Salsa Verde recipes spanning multiple centuries, offering a delicious insight into how tastes have changed over time. Why not give one a try? scilicet.org.uk/salsa-verde-... #Skystorians #History #SalsaVerde

Botanic drawing of Parsley. Pellegrino Artusi, La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene, recipe no. 119:

Hungry for more historical recipes? 🌿 @guyfassler.bsky.social has found multiple Salsa Verde recipes spanning multiple centuries, offering a delicious insight into how tastes have changed over time. Why not give one a try? scilicet.org.uk/salsa-verde-... #Skystorians #History #SalsaVerde

painted ceramic plate with a very goofy leopard

A leopard with a policeman's moustache, spotted(!) amongst the ceramics at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello

A letter with the following text: וזאת לאיש אשר המלך חפץ ביקרו, מנורת זהב המאיר את עין כל הארץ, המצמיח הרים חציר בחכמתו, מרבה ומפשיא מזריע ומדשיא אילנות ועשבים למינהו, לבלתי צאת מעורבבים, מגיא הדשי[א] זרעונים, ומאליהם פרי טעונים, מלמד דרך צדק, גבורות מפעלותיו להודיע לבני האדם, טוב תורת פיו מאלפי זהב וכסף, כבוד האדון הרב הגדול המפורסם ...... Carl Line יהי כעץ שתול על פלגי מים, עלהו לא יבול, יהי פיסת בר בארץ, בראש הרים ירעש כלבנון פריו, ויציצו מעיר כעשב הארץ, יהי שמו לעולם, לפני שמש ינון שמו, ויתברכו בו כל גוים יאשרוהו. נדבת פי ירצה נא בכושר, אם נא מצאתי חן יוקח נא מנחתי כאשר יביאו בני ישראל את המנחה. לסדר ולפרט קטן. כי על כן ראיתי פניו כראות פני אלהים ותרצני

If you're interested in some more Linnean correspondence, @guyfassler.bsky.social has translated a letter, originally in Hebrew, that @nataliesmith.bsky.social came across. You can read his translation and their discussion of its possible authorship here:
scilicet.org.uk/a-letter-to-...

Happy birthday, Carl Linnaeus! 🌿🌱🌼 We're celebrating by revisiting our favourite letter to him, translated here by @nataliesmith.bsky.social. It was written by nobleman Olof von Dalin in 1762, asking: Should Royal Monkeys Wear Sweaters During the Winter?
scilicet.org.uk/should-royal... #Skystorians

A somewhat wobbly sketch of a battlefield. One of the horses has fallen, and is being trampled by the oncoming cavalry

Before becoming king, a young Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden sketched several scenes of horses and battlefields🐴🪖 In this archival post, @nataliesmith.bsky.social talks us through some of these childhood doodles: scilicet.org.uk/royal-doodle... #ThrowbackThursday #SwedishHistory #Skystorians

A somewhat wobbly sketch of a battlefield. One of the horses has fallen, and is being trampled by the oncoming cavalry

Before becoming king, a young Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden sketched several scenes of horses and battlefields🐴🪖 In this archival post, @nataliesmith.bsky.social talks us through some of these childhood doodles: scilicet.org.uk/royal-doodle... #ThrowbackThursday #SwedishHistory #Skystorians