Alicia Smith
@timekeptcity.bsky.social
Researcher & teacher in medieval studies. Currently Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Bergen, Norway, researching sex, money, & power in the story of the 'harlot saint' Thais: see @thaisisproject.bsky.social for more!
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Alicia Smith
@timekeptcity.bsky.social
· Jul 13
Finally getting project social media up and running! It's been a rollercoaster first few months as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions postdoc @ec.europa.eu at the University of Bergen, Norway 🇳🇴, and some great stuff has happened so far.
My work at the moment is funded by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions postdoc fellowship, and I've posted some updates in this thread on the project's own bsky @thaisisproject.bsky.social - will probably cross-post some here, but do follow if you're interested in all things 'harlot saints'!
Reposted by Alicia Smith
It's just weird isn't it when the British Museum is running a sold-out exhibition, when The Odyssey reports $1billion at the box office, when the V&A has just opened the most innovative and accessible museum model in Europe....and this is what our minister for research comes out with.
A cheery message from the new minister responsible for research funding for the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences (and the subjects that the majority of UK taught undergraduate and Masters students study).
Science and maths degrees offer most value to the nation, says minister
Chris McDonald told a room full of vice-chancellors that science, engineering and mathematics ‘offer the greatest personal, social and economic value’
www.thetimes.com
September 11, 2026 at 9:00 AM
It's just weird isn't it when the British Museum is running a sold-out exhibition, when The Odyssey reports $1billion at the box office, when the V&A has just opened the most innovative and accessible museum model in Europe....and this is what our minister for research comes out with.
Less disappointed than just baffled by noticing this ?new aspect of a SOLO entry (the online catalogue of the Bodleian libraries) - note the acknowledgement in the last line of AI use to populate metadata, apparently to create the most useless description of a book I've ever seen 🤔
September 10, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Less disappointed than just baffled by noticing this ?new aspect of a SOLO entry (the online catalogue of the Bodleian libraries) - note the acknowledgement in the last line of AI use to populate metadata, apparently to create the most useless description of a book I've ever seen 🤔
Interested in any thoughts on this image...
New blog post: Here's an image I wasn't expecting. In fact, I had to look twice to really believe it: had this medieval manuscript illustrator really chosen to depict this saint up her neck in her own shit? www4.uib.no/en/research/...
September 7, 2026 at 9:36 AM
Interested in any thoughts on this image...
Reposted by Alicia Smith
i sometimes wonder if academia brought some of this efficiency BS on ourselves with our endless grind mindset.
there’s always been value in slow, deliberate scholarship. when we truncated the process, we tend to most truncate the deliberating part.
there’s always been value in slow, deliberate scholarship. when we truncated the process, we tend to most truncate the deliberating part.
Tech companies don’t understand scholarship. ‘Quickness’ and ‘efficiency‘ are not always the right values. Sometimes you don’t want to “answer your research queries faster” and when you do, existing search technology is more than adequate to help you do scholar.googleblog.com/2026/08/quic...
September 2, 2026 at 12:01 PM
i sometimes wonder if academia brought some of this efficiency BS on ourselves with our endless grind mindset.
there’s always been value in slow, deliberate scholarship. when we truncated the process, we tend to most truncate the deliberating part.
there’s always been value in slow, deliberate scholarship. when we truncated the process, we tend to most truncate the deliberating part.
Calling anyone & everyone interested in saints: Saints Outside Hagiography has *two* calls open for you to consider! First, for our next series of monthly online workshops: get in touch to propose a source from your research about saints and sanctity to discuss in an informal setting, by 25 Sept.
September 2, 2026 at 9:25 AM
Calling anyone & everyone interested in saints: Saints Outside Hagiography has *two* calls open for you to consider! First, for our next series of monthly online workshops: get in touch to propose a source from your research about saints and sanctity to discuss in an informal setting, by 25 Sept.
Reposted by Alicia Smith
🎊 Look at how many CfPs are on the #IMC2027 Padlet page! 🎊
Check out the IMC Padlet by clicking the link here: tinyurl.com/IMC2027Padlet
If you’d like us to add your CFP to the Padlet, please tag us on bluesky at @imc-leeds.bsky.social, or email us at [email protected]
#MedievalSky
Check out the IMC Padlet by clicking the link here: tinyurl.com/IMC2027Padlet
If you’d like us to add your CFP to the Padlet, please tag us on bluesky at @imc-leeds.bsky.social, or email us at [email protected]
#MedievalSky
July 31, 2026 at 9:15 AM
🎊 Look at how many CfPs are on the #IMC2027 Padlet page! 🎊
Check out the IMC Padlet by clicking the link here: tinyurl.com/IMC2027Padlet
If you’d like us to add your CFP to the Padlet, please tag us on bluesky at @imc-leeds.bsky.social, or email us at [email protected]
#MedievalSky
Check out the IMC Padlet by clicking the link here: tinyurl.com/IMC2027Padlet
If you’d like us to add your CFP to the Padlet, please tag us on bluesky at @imc-leeds.bsky.social, or email us at [email protected]
#MedievalSky
Reposted by Alicia Smith
I did this years ago on Twitter, but, here's a list of tools/utilities that every medievalist show know about and have bookmarked:
#medievalsky
#medievalsky
July 21, 2026 at 2:39 PM
I did this years ago on Twitter, but, here's a list of tools/utilities that every medievalist show know about and have bookmarked:
#medievalsky
#medievalsky
Interesting experiment!
Un collègue mène une recherche autour d'une mystérieuse image... Répondre au sondage prend 3 minutes et l'aide ! Et c'est très amusant en plus.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Are you Albertus Magnus (died 1280) or Filarete (1400-1469)?
The basilica of San Marco in Venice dazzles visitors with the variegated marble slabs encrusting its walls. Over the centuries, two of these slabs became famous for showing on their surface a mineral ...
docs.google.com
July 21, 2026 at 10:30 AM
Interesting experiment!
Saints Outside Hagiography is going to Leeds 2027! Co-sponsored by the Hagiography Society (www.hagiographysociety.org) we are planning a panel series to go deeper into the issues our online workshop has opened up this year. Paper proposals can be submitted here: forms.cloud.microsoft/r/Qqv6AA7q4K
July 20, 2026 at 1:04 PM
Saints Outside Hagiography is going to Leeds 2027! Co-sponsored by the Hagiography Society (www.hagiographysociety.org) we are planning a panel series to go deeper into the issues our online workshop has opened up this year. Paper proposals can be submitted here: forms.cloud.microsoft/r/Qqv6AA7q4K
Reposted by Alicia Smith
One of my favourite images of Thais: something of a sly smile, and what is she looking at? 👀 Bibliothèque Nationale Française, MS Esp. 44, f.219v.
July 14, 2026 at 1:45 PM
One of my favourite images of Thais: something of a sly smile, and what is she looking at? 👀 Bibliothèque Nationale Française, MS Esp. 44, f.219v.
Reposted by Alicia Smith
📢 Once more for the people in the back:
- Most [more than 95%] of archives have not been digitized.
- Most of humanity's knowledge and memory is *not* reachable by LLMs.
- Believing that AI can provid you with comprehensive, definitive, "intelligent" results is folly.
- Most [more than 95%] of archives have not been digitized.
- Most of humanity's knowledge and memory is *not* reachable by LLMs.
- Believing that AI can provid you with comprehensive, definitive, "intelligent" results is folly.
July 13, 2026 at 11:57 AM
📢 Once more for the people in the back:
- Most [more than 95%] of archives have not been digitized.
- Most of humanity's knowledge and memory is *not* reachable by LLMs.
- Believing that AI can provid you with comprehensive, definitive, "intelligent" results is folly.
- Most [more than 95%] of archives have not been digitized.
- Most of humanity's knowledge and memory is *not* reachable by LLMs.
- Believing that AI can provid you with comprehensive, definitive, "intelligent" results is folly.
My work at the moment is funded by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions postdoc fellowship, and I've posted some updates in this thread on the project's own bsky @thaisisproject.bsky.social - will probably cross-post some here, but do follow if you're interested in all things 'harlot saints'!
Finally getting project social media up and running! It's been a rollercoaster first few months as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions postdoc @ec.europa.eu at the University of Bergen, Norway 🇳🇴, and some great stuff has happened so far.
July 13, 2026 at 10:46 AM
My work at the moment is funded by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions postdoc fellowship, and I've posted some updates in this thread on the project's own bsky @thaisisproject.bsky.social - will probably cross-post some here, but do follow if you're interested in all things 'harlot saints'!
Seems like sth for #medievalsky: this (interesting!) BBC article about the arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry in London states that it is 'not actually a tapestry' but a wool embroidery; but my seamstress mother thought that wasn't right because embroidery with wool is broadly called tapestry in the UK.
Bayeux Tapestry delivered to British Museum in dead of night
The famous artefact depicting events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England will go on display in September.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 12, 2026 at 9:59 AM
Seems like sth for #medievalsky: this (interesting!) BBC article about the arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry in London states that it is 'not actually a tapestry' but a wool embroidery; but my seamstress mother thought that wasn't right because embroidery with wool is broadly called tapestry in the UK.
Hope to see anyone interested in Latin poetry, medieval education, and manuscript transmission at our session at @imc-leeds.bsky.social in the 14:15 session 📜
Looking forward to @imc-leeds.bsky.social starting Monday! I'm co-organising a panel presenting new manuscript research on the works of Marbod of Rennes. You may never have heard of him but come along if you're interested in poetry and education, manuscript compilation, & odd accidents of reception!
July 7, 2026 at 7:46 AM
Hope to see anyone interested in Latin poetry, medieval education, and manuscript transmission at our session at @imc-leeds.bsky.social in the 14:15 session 📜
Looking forward to @imc-leeds.bsky.social starting Monday! I'm co-organising a panel presenting new manuscript research on the works of Marbod of Rennes. You may never have heard of him but come along if you're interested in poetry and education, manuscript compilation, & odd accidents of reception!
July 2, 2026 at 5:53 AM
Looking forward to @imc-leeds.bsky.social starting Monday! I'm co-organising a panel presenting new manuscript research on the works of Marbod of Rennes. You may never have heard of him but come along if you're interested in poetry and education, manuscript compilation, & odd accidents of reception!
The first series of the Saints Outside Hagiography workshop has been a fascinating set of discussions on sources from murals to tombs to birth girdles - we have one more meeting left this summer, so join us if you want to hear about St Nicholas and music teaching + Jain monasticism and ritual!
June 29, 2026 at 8:49 AM
The first series of the Saints Outside Hagiography workshop has been a fascinating set of discussions on sources from murals to tombs to birth girdles - we have one more meeting left this summer, so join us if you want to hear about St Nicholas and music teaching + Jain monasticism and ritual!
Reposted by Alicia Smith
A lot of media coverage of the ‘AI’ reading of the Herculaneum scrolls really fails to understand what’s happened here. There’s no language processing happening, the AI/ML is not trained on a corpus of texts or language. It can detect ink to see shapes. HUMAN EXPERTS are then transcribing the text.
June 28, 2026 at 7:11 AM
A lot of media coverage of the ‘AI’ reading of the Herculaneum scrolls really fails to understand what’s happened here. There’s no language processing happening, the AI/ML is not trained on a corpus of texts or language. It can detect ink to see shapes. HUMAN EXPERTS are then transcribing the text.
Reposted by Alicia Smith
Make it stop!!!! Sign below 👇😠
AI data centres are coming to Britain - from the US and beyond.
This one's in the village where I write my books.
It'll use the same amount of power equivalent to 1 million homes and will wreck the natural environment.
Please sign if you value nature.
www.change.org/p/save-the-l...
This one's in the village where I write my books.
It'll use the same amount of power equivalent to 1 million homes and will wreck the natural environment.
Please sign if you value nature.
www.change.org/p/save-the-l...
Sign the Petition
Save The Lammermuirs - Stop The Data Centre
www.change.org
June 6, 2026 at 12:16 PM
Make it stop!!!! Sign below 👇😠
After experimenting with a low/no-screen environment last semester, I'd also like to hear about others' experiences!
Love to hear from anyone on ProfessorSky who has successfully kept screens out of a seminar (with exceptions for accomodations, obvs). Reinhard Hütter did it for his Aquinas seminar and it was one of the best classes I took in grad school.
April 28, 2026 at 8:56 AM
After experimenting with a low/no-screen environment last semester, I'd also like to hear about others' experiences!
Reposted by Alicia Smith
I LOVE WHEN PEOPLE LEARN THIS
Pop Leo asked if he should put on gloves to turn pages in the gorgeous Renaissance Bible and the librarian explained why it’s better to do so with bare hands. Glorious reaction.
Every rare books librarian & archivist feeling very seen, I gather. www.instagram.com/reel/DUcpEBY... #BookHistory
Every rare books librarian & archivist feeling very seen, I gather. www.instagram.com/reel/DUcpEBY... #BookHistory
March 25, 2026 at 7:55 PM
I LOVE WHEN PEOPLE LEARN THIS
Reposted by Alicia Smith
So, um... this is bad. Really bad. I looked at the letters that were translated by the AI, and the very first one I found was almost entirely hallucination. Thread:
The new project mapping 7,000+ ancient letters is impressive: romanletters.org . The database & geolocation (although noting Pleiades rather than just AWMC would be nice) are great. But I absolutely cannot get over use of AI—however transparent—for translation.
🚨 Value human translators 🚨
🚨 Value human translators 🚨
March 22, 2026 at 3:09 PM
So, um... this is bad. Really bad. I looked at the letters that were translated by the AI, and the very first one I found was almost entirely hallucination. Thread:
Reposted by Alicia Smith
This is an excellent thread on the need for grinding through the sources in order to know them. There is no shortcut to this kind of work.
It is only through intensive source analysis that we are able to recognise patterns & - just as important - recognise what is not a pattern.
It is only through intensive source analysis that we are able to recognise patterns & - just as important - recognise what is not a pattern.
On the value organizing using your own brain:
🧵
For my PhD, I read a mountain of books and over 2,000 European printed and manuscript maps & atlases c.1450-1650 (and some older ones).
I identified 200-ish maps/atlases with distinctive imagery of peoples of the Americas (not just stick figures).
1/
🧵
For my PhD, I read a mountain of books and over 2,000 European printed and manuscript maps & atlases c.1450-1650 (and some older ones).
I identified 200-ish maps/atlases with distinctive imagery of peoples of the Americas (not just stick figures).
1/
The process of organization is one of the strongest metamemory strategies. Cut that out, and you've cut out learning. As a teacher and cognitive psychologist I find this all so sad and frustrating and kind of incomprehensible.
March 19, 2026 at 1:50 PM
This is an excellent thread on the need for grinding through the sources in order to know them. There is no shortcut to this kind of work.
It is only through intensive source analysis that we are able to recognise patterns & - just as important - recognise what is not a pattern.
It is only through intensive source analysis that we are able to recognise patterns & - just as important - recognise what is not a pattern.
Reposted by Alicia Smith
Next Friday 27th, I'll be speaking at the Birkbeck Medieval Seminar - a day thinking about medievalism and 'Whose Middle Ages?'.
Should be a great day, and it has been organised excellently by Daniel Sawyer (@danielsawyer.bsky.social) and Nick Evans. All welcome! www.bbk.ac.uk/events/event...
Should be a great day, and it has been organised excellently by Daniel Sawyer (@danielsawyer.bsky.social) and Nick Evans. All welcome! www.bbk.ac.uk/events/event...
Birkbeck Medieval Seminar 2026: Whose Middle Ages?
Join us for our annual interdisciplinary medieval research day. This year we will be discussing claims people make on the Middle Ages today.
www.bbk.ac.uk
March 17, 2026 at 10:41 AM
Next Friday 27th, I'll be speaking at the Birkbeck Medieval Seminar - a day thinking about medievalism and 'Whose Middle Ages?'.
Should be a great day, and it has been organised excellently by Daniel Sawyer (@danielsawyer.bsky.social) and Nick Evans. All welcome! www.bbk.ac.uk/events/event...
Should be a great day, and it has been organised excellently by Daniel Sawyer (@danielsawyer.bsky.social) and Nick Evans. All welcome! www.bbk.ac.uk/events/event...
Reposted by Alicia Smith
digital tools are going to change the world! btw that database you rely on no longer exists; that website you got a grant for will be gone in 3 years; have you considered doing an online edition instead?; we only do PDF review copies, For The Planet; would you like me to summarise that PDF for you?
March 11, 2026 at 5:25 PM
digital tools are going to change the world! btw that database you rely on no longer exists; that website you got a grant for will be gone in 3 years; have you considered doing an online edition instead?; we only do PDF review copies, For The Planet; would you like me to summarise that PDF for you?
Reposted by Alicia Smith
Do you know somebody who needs to learn Latin from scratch or improve their Latin to PhD standard? CMS Toronto's summer Latin program is now entirely online and a remarkable bargain for the intensity and quality of instruction. Details here: www.medieval.utoronto.ca/latin/summer...
#medievalsky
#medievalsky
Summer Latin Program | Centre for Medieval Studies
Find out about studying Latin at the Centre during the summer. Includes application information, fees, and available courses.
www.medieval.utoronto.ca
March 10, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Do you know somebody who needs to learn Latin from scratch or improve their Latin to PhD standard? CMS Toronto's summer Latin program is now entirely online and a remarkable bargain for the intensity and quality of instruction. Details here: www.medieval.utoronto.ca/latin/summer...
#medievalsky
#medievalsky