Ghosts in the Black Book of Carmarthen

In 2015 Professor Paul Russell, from the University of Cambridge’s department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, and PhD student Myriah Williams tested one of our ancient national treasures with ultra-violet light and found hitherto unseen images in the parchment of the Black Book of Carmarthen.

This 13th century book is thought to be the earliest surviving manuscript written solely in Welsh. It contains a group of triads and a collection of 9th-12th century poems. One of which is Oh! little Pig.

Some of the poems also draw on the ancient tradition of Welsh heroes connected with the legend of Arthur and Merlin. The Matter of Britain.

The ultra-violet light showed up unknown material, erased about 500 years ago, extensive marginal annotations, including an inscription suggesting that the book was gifted by a previous owner to a family member; drawings of a fish and of two human faces; and a previously unattested Welsh poem.

The Ravens of Dinefwr Chronicles

The Ravens of Dinefwr is the first in a series of novels-in-progress set in the early 12th century. It follows the dispossessed members of the South Wales House of Dinefwr from their origins in Deheubarth to the centre of the known world, Jerusalem. Come and be my fellow Far-Farer. Come travelling and unravelling with me through Wales, Norway, Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Russia, Constantinople, Italy, the Balkans, the Holy Land. Come and Far-Fare through every degree on my 12th century compass.