Introduction to Medieval Studies and Archaeology

How much were medieval monastic orders similar to modern corporations? What is the deal with monks wearing red pointy shoes? Why did King Andrew II invite the Teutonic order to settle in the Hungarian Kingdom? In the very first episode of Past Perfect! ever broadcast, Chris Mielke talks with professor József Laszlovszky, director of the Cultural Heritage Studies Program at CEU about studying the Middle Ages, archaeology, monastic culture, crusades and video games. The talk serves as an introduction to the study of archaeology and medieval studies, but also goes into more abstract questions about professor Laszlovszky’s research interests. The discussion also details how to present findings to the public - often the process one uses to arrive to a conclusion can be more interesting than the findings themselves. Past Perfect! is CEU Medieval Radio’s show on medieval and early modern history and culture, where Christopher Mielke casually discusses with his guests various issues from the crusades to archeo-zoology to medieval urine sampling. The discussions are made with the aim to popularize medieval and early modern studies with the help of experts such as early musicians, historians, philologists and archeologists.This episode was first recorded and broadcast in 2012.