Stone that tells a story.
Every ornament, every line and every arch holds centuries of work, belief, and imagination. When you look up, it’s easy to forget what century you’re in – some places simply pull you out of time.
Last autumn days in Norway. We passed by an old historic farm and were lucky to be the only people visiting the heritage farm with its colourful houses. The sun brought warmth and beautiful light as it crossed the surrounding mountains. Green meadows and trees, still unaware of the upcoming snow.
The image by European Elopement and Wedding photographer Sturmsucht depicts a tranquil, rustic scene in mountainous Norway, illuminated by warm, golden sunlight. In the foreground, a woman with long reddish-brown hair, wearing a dark flowing dress and a white top, walks up a gentle grassy path to the left, suggesting a peaceful stroll. To the right, two traditional wooden houses stand side by side: the closer one is deep red with horizontal planks and a steeply pitched, moss-covered terracotta roof; the other, slightly behind, is made of weathered brown wood with a prominent white-framed window and a white chimney. A rustic wooden fence winds through trees in the middle ground. In the distance, rolling green hills and a hazy mountain ridge stretch beneath a soft, partly cloudy sky. Lush foliage and scattered trees enhance the natural beauty. The overall atmosphere is one of quiet rural charm, evoking an old village or farmstead nestled in a serene valley.
Might as well do an #introduction post as it has been a while...
Hello there Fediverse! I am an environmental archaeologist interested in how past communities interacted with and shaped their environments (and vice versa). Just finished my #PhD (Physical #Geography at #Plymouth) focusing on the #Humberhead Levels. For my thesis, I combined #pollen analysis, #GIS, and #geoarchaeology to understand relationships between people and #wetland#landscapes. I recently passed my viva, so I am currently looking for work.
My published work thus far includes contributions on land cover reconstruction in complex wetland systems and chapters on #anarchist approaches to #archaeology and #heritage practice. I have a few more pieces in the works, and little time to do them all.
As far as research goes, I have been mostly interested in challenging the 'pristine #nature vs human impact' binary, the politics of how we interpret past landscapes, and unpicking what we actually mean when we talk about 'natural' environments and the messy reality of human-environment coevolution.
Hidden among trees, in the shade of leaves, stand quiet guardians of memory.
Time slowly fades the colors, but the meaning remains.
These are places where nature and spirituality learned how to coexist.
🇫🇷 Le chateau et une partie du mur d'enceinte conservé à Andernach (DE). Le fossé est aménagé en jardin comestible et pédagogique offrant différents habitats pour les insectes notamment et un petit parc agréable le long des remparts pour profiter des derniers rayons du soleil du jour... C'était samedi et il faisait beau comparé à aujourd'hui!
Bonne soirée 👋
🇬🇧 The castle and a part of the preserved surrounding wall in Andernach (DE). The ditch was converted into a edible and educational garden offering different habitats for insects in particular. There is also a small pleasant park along the ramparts to enjoy the last rays of sun last Saturday, the weather was pretty good comparing with today!
Les ruines d'un imposant château entourées de deux grandes tours, à gauche ronde et à droite carrée. et le mur d'enceinte de la ville qui s'étend à gauche de l'image avec une autre petite tour visible. A droite, c'est le mur de l'ancien chateau. A l'avant-plan, on peut voir un amoncellement de boulets de canon qui forment une pyramide et en contrebas, une partie du jardin comestible.
The ruins of an imposing castle surrounded by two large towers, on the left round and on the right square. and the city wall which extends to the left of the image with another small tower visible. On the right is the wall of the old castle. In the foreground, we can see a pile of cannonballs which form a pyramid and below, part of the edible garden.
The beautiful Art Nouveau casino in Constanta, Romania. I visited several years ago when it was abandoned. A decaying shadow of her once-grand self. Now, she is renovated and back in use as an exhibition and events venue.
The image shows an old, ornate, and abandoned building with arched windows and detailed architectural features, standing on a paved area under a cloudy sky.
The ancient windows let in so much light, hid so much darkness. The ancient windows have seen history, are themselves history, yet they continue to let in light. Even though they have seen so much darkness.
An ancient window in Torino, Italy. It's a noble window of a noble palace, letting in some light that reflects and creates an interesting illumination. For me, this photo is a metaphor of the soul, which reflects the light that gets in and hides the darkness. Even if the soul has seen much lights, in the life. Even if the soul has seen much darkness.
A pine box is open to reveal four interior compartments for storing a set of four intricate napkin rings. Each napkin ring has its own chocolate brown silvercloth pouch. Two napkin rings have been removed from the box and their pouches and placed next to those still in the box.
Town Mansion, Belgium. One of the first grand (semi) abandoned houses I ever visited!
A mysterious man living (or squatting) in the attic gave me permission to enter and photograph. Outside a storm raged, lighting flashed and thunder shook the house. It was a memorable visit!
Built in 1912, neighbouring houses were lost to First World War bombing, leaving this one as a rare survivor.
A trace of an ancient civilization carved in stone.
Every line and every detail of this relief tells a story of people who lived here centuries ago – their beliefs, rituals, and a world filled with powerful symbols. Incredible how much history you can feel when standing face to face with the past.
The sunbeam shining through the Pantheon’s oculus is one of the most magical sights in architecture. The Romans created something that, even after two millennia, still stuns with its simplicity and engineering brilliance.
The sound of Southeast Asia
A traditional gong painted with the flags of ASEAN countries — unity in diversity, strength in harmony. Each nation has its own tone, yet together they create one melody.
A glimpse into the age of the samurai
Golden helmets, vivid armor, and the spirit of tradition still alive in Japan. History doesn’t sleep here — it walks proudly through the streets of Nikko.
A Visit to the Open-Air Museum Niedersulz, Austria – Part II
Walking through Niedersulz feels like traveling back in time. The museum brings together historical buildings from across the Weinviertel — from humble cottagers’ homes to large farmsteads, complete with animals you can pet, old workshops (including a mother-of-pearl turnery), a traditional schoolhouse, and wine press houses. Each corner tells a story of everyday life and craftsmanship in rural Austria.
Once again, I learned a lot — not only about history but also about working with my Canon AE-1. Even in these photos, there are still many small details I could improve, but that’s part of the process — and part of the joy of learning analog photography.
The photograph shows the exterior of a historic rural house from the Weinviertel region, preserved in the open-air museum Niedersulz. The building has a long whitewashed façade with thick walls and a roof made of small overlapping clay tiles. Arched openings supported by sturdy columns form a shaded corridor along the front. Sunlight filters through surrounding trees, casting soft shadows on the grass and walls. This architecture, simple yet elegant, represents typical rural construction from the 19th century in Lower Austria, where functionality and craftsmanship went hand in hand.
CALL TO ACTION – #EAA Leadership Reverses Anti‑#Genocide Vote After Intimidation
The #European Association of #Archaeologists voted to bar Israeli institutions from its September meeting in solidarity with #Gaza, but the decision was reversed after threats & defamation. This reversal undermines #academic#freedom & shows #bullying can sway #democracy.
Screenshot of an email sent to volunteers: Dear volunteers,
We have been made aware of an attempt by the AAA to hijack and disrupt the EAA Annual Meeting sessions calling itself 'Archaeologists Against Apartheid' for political purposes. This disruption would consist in sessions or presentations being interrupted, including/beginning with a political statement. This directly contravenes EAA ethics and Statutes.
If such disruption appears in the session you are monitoring, please alert EAA staff immediately via Slack and intervene by warning the speaker that any presenter adopting this practice will be immediately removed from the session. Any session organiser adopting this practice will undergo the same procedure. If there is no alternative co-organiser available, the session will be closed after an announcement. If a session needs to be cancelled because of session organisers' take part in the disruption, you should make the following announcement and close the session.
"This session has been hijacked by an organisation that calls itself 'Archaeologists Against Apartheid'. Its actions strictly contravene the ethos and Statutes of the EAA. With profound regret, because of this action, we have to close this session. Please refer to the Membership-wide announcement issued by the EAA on 2 September 2025."
Maldon, in central Victoria, is a historic gold-mining town renowned for its remarkably preserved 19th-century streetscape. Declared Australia’s first “Notable Town” by the National Trust in 1966, Maldon offers visitors a rare glimpse into the gold rush era with its intact stone buildings, old shopfronts, and heritage cottages. Nestled at the foot of Mount Tarrengower, the town is also famous for the annual Maldon Folk Festival, its working steam railway, and panoramic views from the mount’s lookout tower. Today, Maldon blends its rich history with a vibrant arts and café culture, making it both a living museum and a charming country retreat.
Photograph of Stonehenge under a twilight sky with a sequence of six moons in different phases arcing above the ancient stones. The moons progress from a waxing crescent on the left through a reddish lunar eclipse in the middle to a waning crescent on the right. The foreground features dark grassy plains, with a faint path leading toward the monument, and the sky glows with deep purples and warm orange near the horizon.