Category Archives: Re-enactment

At the roots of the guitar; The Carolingian CYTHARA.

Perhaps you have already caught a glimpse of my research project of last year. It slipped in on some photos and social media postings. But I haven’t had the possibility to write too much about it earlier. The reason? Like … Continue reading

Posted in Cythara, Events, Guitar Plans, Lectures, Living history, Lute, Music, Projects, Re-enactment, Research, Uncategorized, Woodworking, Year of the Psalter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The year of the Psalter

My focus of research has lately been drawn to instruments in early medieval psalters. With the main focus on the Utrecht and Stuttgart examples. So much that I themed this year the “Year of the Psalter” Both are masterpieces of … Continue reading

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To hang our Lyres up to the Willows…

“By the waters of Babylon,     there we sat down and wept,     when we remembered Zion. On the willows there     we hung up our lyres.” Psalm 137:1-2 (ESV) o you probably have heard these verses? They are fairly well known. The people … Continue reading

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Early Medieval Iron Making

This movie is the first thing I ever saw about early iron production. And it fascinated me completely. Literally combining the four elements in the process to make something. Earth + water make cobb Air dries the oven Fire breaks … Continue reading

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The Prittlewell Lyre

In 2003, archaeologists of the Museum of London Archaeology uncovered the remains of an Anglo-Saxon grave chamber near Southend, Essex. It soon became apparent this was not a normal burial. The person had been laid to rest with a plethora … Continue reading

Posted in Books, History, Living history, lyre, Music, Projects, Re-enactment, Research, Uncategorized, Woodworking | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Printing at the castle

A week ago I was giving a demonstration with the Minion Press at Wijchen Castle. The local television made a small item about it. The Minion Press is lent to the museum for the exhibition “Strengels en Letters” about book … Continue reading

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A lyre delivered…

It’s always a special moment when instruments are delivered to the players. As a maker you can only do so much, it only becomes complete when it is played by someone who really knows what to do. The plan for … Continue reading

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The Trossingen Lyre Project

An introduction to the Trossingen Lyre Project. Continue reading

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Some busy days at the project we call life

To my regret this blog isn’t updated as much as I would like. The reason? There are too many things to do and to few hours in a day… Another factor was that I had no computer or tablet to … Continue reading

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Life as a Professional Time Traveller

Last week a friend called me a “Professional Time Traveller”. A joke, but I think in a sense he is right… I tend to take leapfrogs trough history one day measuring an original guitar from 1760, the next adjusting a … Continue reading

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