Observing and Marvelling: Sun Dogs and Halos in the Margam Annals

Wednesday Jan 31^st 15.00-16.30 Giles Gasper and Brian Tanner, ‘Observing and Marvelling: Sun Dogs and Halos in the Margam Annals’ (Venetia Bridges)

Embark on a compelling exploration of the enigmatic diagrams found in the Cambridge and Dublin manuscripts of the Annals from Margam's Cistercian house. Dated to 1104 and 1233, these depictions, resembling the meteorological phenomenon Sun Dogs, raise intriguing questions. Professor Giles E. M. Gasper, an esteemed scholar educated at the University of Oxford and the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, is well-versed in the religious, intellectual, and cultural histories of the European Middle Ages. Currently serving as the Deputy Executive Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Durham University, he brings a wealth of expertise to contextualize and examine these unique phenomena.

Joining Professor Gasper is Emeritus Professor Brian K. Tanner, a distinguished physicist at Durham University and a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and the Royal Society of Arts. Awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion in 2012 and the Gabor Medal of the Institute of Physics in 2014, Professor Tanner adds an interdisciplinary perspective to the event. Together, they will guide us through a thought-provoking journey into medieval phenomena and the intricacies of monastic record-keeping. This event promises a fascinating intersection of history, science, and cultural exploration.