Bing tracking

Phil Adamo shares origins of Halloween on KARE 11

Phil Adamo on set with Diana Pierce at KARE 11Phil Adamo, associate professor of history and director of Medieval Studies at Augsburg College, was a guest on KARE 11 on Halloween to talk about the origins of the holiday. Adamo shared with Diana Pierce and viewers how Halloween started as a Celtic festival that celebrated the final harvest and eventually was incorporated into Christian traditions to lure non-Christians into the Church. He also discussed the origins of the bonfire, jack-o-lanterns, and Halloween candy.

Getting Medieval at Augsburg

medieval_mn This summer students from around the United States and Canada came to Augsburg College to immerse themselves fully in the Middle Ages during the third annual Medieval Minnesota camp Aug. 10-16. Students learned about different aspects of medieval life through activities like fencing, Renaissance dance, troubadour singing, storytelling, and costume making.

There have been some unique and fun additions to the camp’s program this year, explains Phil Adamo, associate professor of History and director of Medieval Studies at Augsburg College. Recently acquired wax replicas of medieval seals were studied by the group. A King Arthur film festival was a big hit. Even a moonlit trip to the new labyrinth on campus, created by Augsburg students this summer, was a wonderful capstone experience for the campers. Continue reading “Getting Medieval at Augsburg”

Goliards gain seals of approval

wax_sealsThe Goliard Society of Medievalists is a unique group at Augsburg, and not simply because of its passion for all things Medieval. This year, the group purchased and donated 27 wax replicas of Medieval seals to the Lindell Library.

The group first thought of donating money they raised last year after learning that unspent student organization funds disappear from one year to the next. Instead of losing the money or spending it frivolously, they decided to make a donation to the college.

The goliards talked to members of the library staff about making a donation to a restricted fund that could be used to buy items that would “get people interested in medieval stuff” Adamo said. Continue reading “Goliards gain seals of approval”