This weekly feature is a place to discuss new developments in fields of history and archaeology. This can be newly discovered documents and archaeological sites, recent publications, documents that have just become publicly available through digitization or the opening of archives, and new theories and interpretations.
I've just read one of the most enjoyable articles I've seen in a long time: Charles West's experiment in early medieval microhistory. And it's open access!
So strap yourselves in for a fascinating peek into a ninth-century Frankish village to recover history's lost voices, complete with dodgy courtroom shenanigans, scheming and ambitious priests and divine revelations. "But then, who said that lost voices need always be sympathetic ones?"
Does anyone have any insight or strong and informed opinions one way or the other about the controversy over the digitization of Israel's archives? http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-archive-idUSKCN0XH1OZ
I would usually regard myself as being reflexively pro-digitization but it seems that there's a stink being made about this over potential redaction of documents.
I'm excited about Matt Delmont's new Black Quotidian project:
Black Quotidian is a digital project designed to highlight everyday moments and lives in African-American history. This site features historical articles from black newspapers. By emphasizing the ordinary or mundane aspects of history I hope both to call attention to people and events that are not commonly featured in textbooks, documentaries, or Black History Month celebrations, while also casting new light on well-known black history subjects.
Lots of good anecdotes to be found.