The secrets of defrauding your medieval lord
Imagine yourself working for a medieval lord, running his farm and taking care of his business. Would you be tempted to skim off some of his profits?
The genetic link between medieval and modern grapes
How similar are the grapes you eat to those consumed by people in the Middle Ages? A new study by international researchers has found genetic links between two modern varieties of red and white grapes and grape varieties cultivated over 1100 years ago.
The Medieval Agricultural Revolution: New Evidence
The Medieval Agricultural Revolution: New Evidence Lecture by Helena Hamerow Given at Gresham College on March 23, 2023 Abstract: During the medieval ‘agricultural…
The resilience and agency of rural communities, with Fotini Kondyli
A conversation with Fotini Kondyli about our changing picture of rural communities in late Byzantium. We talk about resilience in times of crisis — the fourteenth century was not an easy one! — and about how we can reimagine and restore the power and agency of these rural non-elites. We also talk about survey archaeology, one of our main tools for accessing these communities.
Horse vs Ox in Medieval Times (And Horse Power vs Horsepower Today)
Up until late medieval times, the ox is preferred to the horse on farms mostly because the animal is cheaper to own and maintain even though the horse is capable of performing and helping with a greater variety of tasks beyond helping to plow fields, and these other functions of the horse include hauling things such as produce and tools and possibly being used for traveling, herding, and hunting if necessary.
Islamic Gardens in the Middle Ages with D. Fairchild Ruggles
The Middle Ages was a time in which people were closely tied to plants and their environment, deeply aware of their potential as a source of food, healing and beauty. Islamic gardens were especially known for their creativity and innovation. This week, Danièle speaks with D. Fairchild Ruggles about their cultural significance and the ingenious ways they were cultivated.
Low water levels along French river help to reveal medieval fishery
The harsh drought across Europe this summer has led to water levels dropping heavily in lakes and rivers. This has led to finds being made along these waterways, which now includes the remains of a 12th-century fishery in France.
Bees in the Medieval Mediterranean: Economic, environmental and cultural perspectives
Bees and bee products were of tremendous cultural significance in the Later Middle Ages
Medieval Calendars and the Labours of the Months
How were medieval calendars and the labours of the months organized, and what do they tell us about visual representations of the peasantry?
Five How-To Guides for Medieval Peasants
A shortlist of agronomy treatises from China to England.
Nile Floods and Mamluk Farmers
Have you ever wondered what life was like for Mamluk farmers? In this episode, Lucie Laumonier talks with Omar Abdel-Ghaffar, a PhD candidate at Harvard University about Nile floods, landscapes and village communities in late medieval Egypt.
The grain supply of the Byzantine empire revisited: history, archaeology, palynology
We’re going to talk about in this paper the way the production of cereal, such as wheat, barley, millet and so forth, developed and was managed across the Byzantine period.
Summer in the Middle Ages
When air conditioning was not yet a thing – how people in the Middle Ages coped with the summer months.
Were medieval cities greener? Urban agriculture in the Middle Ages
This article looks at the urban farmers of medieval France and discusses the roles of the gardens that were found throughout medieval cities.
Medieval Sámi were using draught reindeer, researchers find
Archaeologists at the University of Oulu observed that draught reindeer were used in Finnish Lapland at least 700 years ago.
How to Grow Organic Food like Medieval Farmers
If nothing else works, you could bring the vermin to justice.
Sheep-Rearing in Medieval France
This article investigates the way in which medieval farmers practiced sheep-rearing and looks at the profits they made with their herds.
The Humble Medieval Pig, with Jamie Kreiner
One of the most influential animals of the medieval world, both in the barnyard and on the table, was also one of the most troublesome: the pig. This week, Danièle speaks with Jamie Kreiner about how the humble pig influenced everything from culture to theology.
Sustainable and Innovative: The Medieval Art of Fishing
How did people catch fish in the Middle Ages, and what efforts were made to keep this resource sustainable?
Medieval Eels with John Wyatt Greenlee
Medieval historians can sometimes study quirky things. For John Wyatt Greenlee it is researching eels in the Middle Ages. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Surprised Eel Historian about the impact of this fish on the medieval world – who was eating them, how they were eating them, and why they were sometimes a great way to pay the rent.
Treat… or Treat? How Did Medieval People Get Their Sugar Fix?
Have you ever wondered how medieval people sweetened their dishes?
Medieval Rabbit Farming
How rabbit farming was a lucrative business in the Middle Ages.
Medieval Silkworm Farming: A Global Perspective
How silkworms have influenced trade and agriculture throughout the world in a story spanning millennia.
Farming with Charms in the Middle Ages
By Kathryn Walton When medieval farmers were faced with a particularly difficult problem, they would turn to magic for a solution. Medieval farmers used…