Free Republic

Scholars have long debated the origins of the House of Piast, Poland's first royal dynasty, who ruled the nation from the tenth through the fourteenth century. Some believe they were Slavic nobles, others Moravian exiles, and still others say they were Viking warriors. The Conversation reports on new DNA analysis that has revealed shocking new information concerning the Piasts' genetic background that might potentially rewrite history. Researchers led by molecular biologist Marek Figlerowicz of Poznań University of Technology extracted DNA from 33 individuals, 30 men and three women, belonging to the Piast dynasty. Most of the deceased, who lived between...

The former first minister rebuked the actor for remarks about her impact on Scottish arts, calling them ‘baseless rubbish’Nicola Sturgeon has branded the Hollywood star Rupert Everett “deeply misogynistic” after he called her a “witch” and claimed she ruined the arts in Scotland. Everett, 66, known for My Best Friend’s Wedding and the voice of Prince Charming in Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third, said the world of Scottish arts has become more parochial since the SNP came to power. The actor moved to Glasgow from England aged 18 to work at the Citizens Theatre in the Gorbals in...

Scott Gibb was playing in a secluded area at Terry Hershey Park in Houston on May 26, when he was confronted by Eunice Isgur, 76. 'She said I had no right to play here in this public park,' 'She said, "I'm gonna call my husband. He's a federal judge and he's gonna make you stop",' Gibb told the outlet, referring to Isgur's husband US District Bankruptcy Judge Marvin Isgur of the Southern District of Texas. But Isgur reportedly became further angered that she was being recorded, which is when she allegedly hit the victim's arm while swiping at her phone....

In an effort to assure that no Muslim doctors ever again try to bomb Glasgow airport, bureaucrats at Glasgow's public hospitals have decreed that henceforth no staff may eat lunch at their desks or in their offices during the holy month of Ramadan, so that fasting Muslims shall not be offended by the sight or smell of their food. This kind of absurdity is what happens when the highly contestable doctrine of multiculturalism becomes a career opportunity for the semi-educated and otherwise unemployable products of a grossly swolen university system. Meanwhile, the highest court in Italy was confirming an appeals...

In the windswept reaches of northern Scotland, where jagged cliffs meet the crashing waves of the Atlantic, a discovery has emerged that challenges long-held assumptions about human history at the icy edge of Europe.Archaeologists have unearthed stone tools on the far northern coast of the Isle of Skye, suggesting that humans thrived at what was once considered the bleak and uninhabitable margin of the world during the final throes of the last Ice Age.The study, published in The Journal of Quaternary Science, details the finding of Late Upper Paleolithic (LUP) tools at South Cuidrach on the Isle of Skye. These...

With a public apology secured, Claire Mitchell KC & Zoe Venditozzi fight on for a pardon and are spreading the word with a podcast and tartan memorialAre you female, have one or more moles and are capable of expressing yourself? Perhaps you have a cat, are maybe single by design or circumstance, and given to bestowing well-meaning medical tips? Then you might as well get yourself a pointy hat and broomstick because turn back the clock a few centuries and you’d find yourself accused and convicted of witchcraft and in a burning bucket of tar surrounded by a braying mob...

A medieval cemetery unearthed near an airport in the UK has continued to raise questions for archaeologists, as the mystery surrounding it has multiplied.The discovery of the site at Cardiff Airport dates to the 6th or 7th Century and was announced last year.Dozens of skeletons were found lying in unusual positions with unexpected artefacts and now researchers have learned nearly all of those buried in the cemetery are women.While their bones have shown signs of wear and tear, there are also surprising signs of wealth and luxury. Mystery of medieval cemetery near UK airport runway deepens | 4:20 BBC News...

Archaeologists excavating the site of a future golf course were surprised to find evidence of a prehistoric village — including a rare chariot wheel dating back millennia. The excavation took place near Inverness, Scotland, at the site of the future Old Petty Championship Golf Course at Cabot Highlands. Experts working for Avon Archaeology Highland also found a Bronze Age cremation urn estimated to be 3,500 years old, along with flint tools and quern stones, which were used to grind grains. Remnants of at least 25 Neolithic-era wooden buildings were also uncovered at the site, according to the BBC. Archaeologists told...

Anthropologist Richard Rudgley explores the history of the Celtic world and reveals the Celtic tradition to be a crucial part of what makes a Brit a True Brit. From Germany to the far west of Ireland, by way of Gaul, Pictish Scotland and England under Roman occupation, Rudgley takes a 5,000-mile journey of discovery that starts around 1,000 BC and ends in the present day. He uncovers remarkable archaeological evidence that puts a brand new light on the savagery and civilisation of an often misunderstood European culture. Where Did the Celts Really Come From? | 48:22 Our History | 883K...

To begin, then, I was born in Dunfermline, in the attic of the small one-story house, corner of Moodie Street and Priory Lane, on the 25th of November, 1835, and, as the saying is, "of poor but honest parents, of good kith and kin." Dunfermline had long been noted as the center of the damask trade in Scotland.[1] My father, William Carnegie, was a damask weaver, the son of Andrew Carnegie after whom I was named. My Grandfather Carnegie was well known throughout the district for his wit and humor, his genial nature and irrepressible spirits. He was head of...

Like the eco-freaks who keep vandalizing priceless artwork in the name of "the environment," pro-Hamas extremists think that violence and destruction will attract people to their cause. We've seen them harassing Jewish students and participating in mob violence on college campuses across our country, and we've seen them on our city streets as they shut down traffic and sow chaos. Notice one thing they never chant? "Free the hostages, Hamas!" No, they are so consumed by their hatred for Israel that they don't care what atrocities the terrorists commit.They were at it again Friday night, tearing up the famed Trump-owned...

This video explores how Roman law became the legal framework of medieval and early modern Europe, and went on to inspire the civil codes used across two-thirds of the globe today. Why Scotland and Sri Lanka use Roman Law | 11:36 toldinstone | 551K subscribers | 29,782 views | March 7, 2025

Praying at home could be a criminal offence “depending on who passes by the window”, according to the Scottish Greens MSP behind legislation restricting protests near abortion clinics. Gillian Mackay suggested that “performative” prayer within a 200-metre radius of an abortion facility might contravene the law even if it occurred inside someone’s home. The law, which was overwhelmingly approved by Holyrood last year, was designed to curb demonstrations by anti-abortion groups outside clinics. Mackay’s comments come after remarks by JD Vance, the US vice-president, who criticised the policy this month. Vance claimed in a speech at the Munich Security Conference...

A new study has determined that the famous Galloway Hoard may not have belonged to a single wealthy individual but perhaps to an entire community, according to a statement released by National Museums Scotland. In 2014, metal detectorists in Kirkcudbrightshire discovered a collection of Viking Age objects that were buried around a.d. 900. The treasure included 11 pounds of silver and gold, an Anglo-Saxon crucifix, various pendants, brooches, and bracelets, and a silver gilt vessel that originated in the Sasanian Empire of Iran. A recently translated runic inscription found within the interior of one silver armband reads, "this is the...

Lady led away in handcuffs. Here you are, @JDVance The law in action. PLEASE SHARE WIDELY. People need to understand the nation we are living in.

A fragment of “lost” music, discovered within the pages of Scotland’s first full-length printed book, is offering valuable insights into the sound of music from five centuries ago.Experts from Edinburgh College of Art and KU Leuven in Belgium have been examining the origins of this musical score—comprising just 55 notes—to shed light on early sixteenth-century, pre-Reformation Scottish music.Researchers describe the find as a rare glimpse into the musical practices of Scottish religious institutions 500 years ago. Notably, it is the only surviving piece of music from this era originating in the northeast of Scotland.The scholars made the discovery in a...

Could DNA findings answer long-held questions regarding a possible link between ancient Egyptians and the Emerald Isle? Legends, myths, and intriguing archaeological finds suggest ancient Egyptians once visited Ireland. Could DNA findings answer long-held questions regarding a possible link between ancient Egyptians and the Emerald Isle? To begin with, there is the legend of Scota, an Egyptian princess who fled from Egypt with a large group of followers, arriving in Ireland in 1700 BC. It is believed Scota, whose descendants are said to have become high kings of Ireland, was killed in battle by the Tuatha De Danann (the tribe...

Edinburgh, Scotland held a Christmas Eve 1715 hanging of a soldier for abortive plot in the abortive Jacobite rising of 1715 The plot was a bold conspiracy of Highlanders to seize Edinburgh Castle itself, which would have been every bit the coup it sounds like. Sergeant William Ainslie and two other soldiers of the garrison had been bribed to admit the plotters via a sally port. Once there, the Highlanders meant to seize the castle’s ample stock of weapons and cash, and also “fire three cannon; that when this signal should be heard by some men stationed on the opposite...

There may be some truth to the myth of Merlin. On Tuesday, archeologists in Scotland revealed evidence of the legendary wizard’s death in Drumelzier between the 6th and 7th centuries — and the findings could change the way we tell Merlin’s tale. Merlin was said to have been a loyal advisor to King Arthur amid the Dark Ages before being imprisoned, killed and buried along the river Tweed, according to Vita Merlini Sylvestris (the Life of Merlin of the Forest), a medieval manuscript of his life which is currently held at the British Library. A new geological survey of the...

Newsweek reports that a kite-shaped ring with a piece of garnet in its center was uncovered at the site of Burghead Fort, which is located on the coast of northeastern Scotland, by researchers from the University of Aberdeen. Burghead Fort was a seat of power used by the Picts between the sixth and tenth centuries A.D. "There are very few Pictish rings which have ever been discovered and those that we do know about usually come from hoards which were placed in the ground deliberately for safekeeping in some way," said archaeologist Gordon Noble of the University of Aberdeen. "We...