The 10 Most Common Jobs in a Medieval City
Discover the five most common jobs in a medieval city, based on records from fifteenth-century Montpellier. Learn how farmers, carpenters, butchers, shoemakers, and clerics shaped urban life
More Than Makers of Swords: The Hidden Life of Medieval Blacksmiths
Discover the overlooked world of medieval blacksmiths. Far from being just weaponsmiths for knights, blacksmiths built vital industries, shaped local economies, and rose to civic prominence across medieval Europe.
Medieval City Had Sophisticated Sanitation System Unmatched for Centuries, Study Finds
Medieval Córdoba built a sewer system so advanced it stayed in use for centuries. A new study reveals how the city’s infrastructure, legal oversight, and community cooperation created one of the most sophisticated sanitation systems of the Middle Ages.
Spring in the Middle Ages
How did medieval people perceive the arrival of Spring? How was Spring depicted in medieval calendars and literary texts? And, was Spring the “mating season” for humans, as it is for many animal species?
Five Senses: Christian Lange on the diversity of Islam
Christian Lange examines the role of the five senses in Islam – through studying smell, sight, hearing, taste and touch he reveals the richness of a world religion.
20 Essential Tools of a Medieval Scribe
From ink-stained fingers to feline assistants, medieval scribes relied on an eclectic mix of tools to craft their manuscripts—some practical, some unexpected.
25 Things from Everyday Life in the Middle Ages
What everyday objects did people use in the Middle Ages? From clothing and household necessities to tools for work and warfare, these 25 medieval items were essential to daily life and shaped how people lived, ate, and survived.
How to Make Medieval Soap: A 14th-Century Recipe You Can Try
Discover how medieval artisans crafted their own soap with this detailed 14th-century recipe, straight from a rare medieval manuscript.
Medieval Fitness: How to Exercise Like a 15th-Century University Student
Looking for fitness tips? Here’s how people stayed in shape in the 15th century.
The Winter Blues in the Middle Ages
Winter got you feeling down? You’re not alone. The long, dark nights of winter have always been the cause for a little doom and gloom, especially before the age of electric lights and electric blankets.
The Struggles of Travel in the Middle Ages
Travel in the Middle Ages was anything but easy. From grueling journeys on foot to muddy, impassable roads and slow-moving carts, medieval travelers faced challenges that make modern road trips seem luxurious.
Surviving Winter in the Middle Ages
Winter was the most dangerous time of the medieval calendar year. So, how did medieval people cope?
Medieval Jobs That Disappeared
If you go back to the Middle Ages, you’ll find numerous professions—some requiring skill and learning, others chosen out of desperation—that have since vanished.
The Worst Jobs in the Middle Ages
What did medieval people think were the worst jobs you could have? The answers will surprise you.
New Medieval Books: The Book
What if the world reverted to the Middle Ages—or even earlier? How would you rebuild society from scratch? This book provides a fascinating and entertaining guide to rediscovering medieval skills, from baking bread and operating a loom to mastering the mechanics of a siege tower.
New Medieval Books: The Exile’s Cookbook
This translation of a 13th-century cookbook delves into the rich culinary traditions of Andalusian and North African cuisine. Featuring 480 recipes, it guides you through preparing meat and vegetarian dishes, crafting breads and pastries, and exploring the fascinating world of medieval food.
Medieval Daily Life on Birchbark
When Russian archaeologists uncovered a piece of birchbark in 1951, they stumbled upon a remarkable glimpse into the everyday lives of medieval people.
Inside Medieval Homes: Discovering the Secrets Through Manuscript Art
Curious about what medieval peasant homes really looked like?
Adventures of a Tenth-Century Explorer: Mapping the Medieval World
What was it like to travel the world over a thousand years ago? For one man, it was a journey filled with adventure, hardship, and discovery.
Medieval Life Hacks: Hygiene and Manners from the 12th Century
The Middle Ages are often depicted as a time when people were dirty and uncouth. But did they actually care about their appearance and behaviour?
Medieval Beards and Baldness with Joseph McAlhany
If we need proof of how wonderful both baldness and beards are, we need only to cast our eyes back to the Middle Ages, where people were writing rhetorical arguments, alliterative poetry, and even learned sermons on the virtues of masculine hair. This week, Danièle speaks with Joseph McAlhany about these hilarious medieval texts, why people wrote them, and how seriously we’re supposed to take them.
A Medieval Solution to a Modern Problem: Hair Loss
Discover a fascinating medieval solution to a problem that still plagues many today: hair loss. Explore how the 12th-century abbess Hildegard of Bingen’s unique remedy could hold the key to unlocking a natural cure for baldness.
10 Ancient Beauty Secrets from the Middle Ages: Timeless Tips from The Trotula
Curious about how women in the Middle Ages enhanced their beauty? The Trotula, a 12th-century medieval text from Italy, offers fascinating insights.
Medieval Tightrope Walking
Accounts of death-defying stunts for public entertainment can be found even in the Middle Ages.