The Middle Ages are known for being a time of great spiritual achievements and political struggles, but there is another side to this era that is just as fascinating: medieval inventions that were far ahead of their time. Do you think that our modern practices are unique to our era? Maybe you should think again, because some of the most “contemporary” things, like beach parties or vegetarian cuisine, have roots in the Middle Ages.
And not only that. There was also an unexpected trend of putting watches and mechanisms on clothes, proving that medieval culture was not at all lacking in innovation. In this article, we will explore nine medieval inventions that show us how far creativity came in an era that we often underestimate.
1. Little Stars: Stage Children
The idea of parents pushing their children onto the scene is anything but modern. In 1503, Konrad e Margarethe Peutinger, a humanist couple from Augusta, pushed their three-year-old daughter, juliana, to memorize an entire speech in Latin to impress the Holy Roman Emperor.
Juliana's performance, for the record, did not end with managers and contracts, but with an innocent request: a doll. This episode reminds us that social ambition and child education were already highly developed in the Middle Ages.
2. Medieval Steampunk: When Clothes Were Watches
Medieval fashion surprised even the experts: in the 15th century, people used to sport watches and gears as accessories. Beatrice d'Este, eg, asked for a dress that he not only had a clock, but that he also struck the hours during a dance.
If today “steampunk” is a genre, at the time it was a custom in certain social classes: people literally wore time.
3. Among medieval inventions, massive pollution
We are all used to considering pollution as an effect of the various industrial revolutions, but even in the Middle Ages they were dealing with smoking. In 1307, King Edward II of England banned the use of coal for domestic purposes because of its harmful effects on the environment and health.
Medieval cities, in fact, consumed enormous quantities of wood for heating and building, and when wood became scarce, coal was the alternative choice, with consequent health problems for the air.
4. Role-playing games, children and sacred rites
Medieval children were not only innocent playmates, but also aspiring priests. In Byzantine tales, children “played” in anticipation of religious rites, impersonating priests reciting mass or baptism.
A bit like today's impersonation of a doctor or a little scientist, these games were seen as a reflection of future religious life: and often attracted the attention of theologians, who interpreted them as signs of vocation. Even Athanasius of Alexandria, researchers say, played at being a theologian as a child (and then became one). Obviously there was no shortage of "classic" war games that anticipated future conflicts.
5. Medieval Meat Substitutes: Culinary Creativity
In the Middle Ages, veganism was not a trend, but almost the custom: especially during fasting periods such as Friday and Lent. The medieval people, however, were not satisfied with tasteless dishes, but created alternative recipes that imitated meat already at that time using chopped nuts, a sort of precursor of modern vegetable alternatives to the meat.
6. The Flip-Flop Fetish: Medieval Modesty and Fashion
In the 9th century, the jurist Yahya ibn 'Umar discussed the use of sandals and slippers, a theme also linked to female modesty. These noisy sandals (which emitted a dull sound) were a symbol of a discreet but at the same time highly visible female presence.
The resistance of medieval women to total invisibility was almost symbolized by this detail: femininity was marked by that sound, no less than shoes with 12 cm heels would be today.
7. Medieval Beach Parties: “Picnics” Before Picnics
Medieval beaches were not only the site of burials and legends, but also of real parties. On the coasts of Sicily and North Africa, Muslim communities met for convivial events, similar to our modern beach parties. A famous example comes from theeleventh century, when North African pirates stopped on the beach of Apulia to celebrate before returning to sea.
8. Snowmen: Ephemeral and Symbolic Art
In the Middle Ages, the snow it wasn't just fun for the kids, but also material for creating artistic forms. In 1510, during a particularly harsh winter, the citizens of Brussels organized a veritable snowman festival. Among the snow sculptures were mythological heroes and religious symbols, but there were also more profane representations, such as a man about to defecate. O tempora, o mores.
9. Lazy Students: The Medieval “Script”
In the Middle Ages, education was a serious business. But even then, students did not always live up to expectations. When a young student of the Twelfth century, who had just made the pilgrimage to Mecca, was asked about the Egyptian pyramids, he simply replied that he had no personal observations to make.
This episode was the occasion for a severe reprimand from his teacher, who sent him again to see the pyramids, with the task of reporting only what he had observed with his own eyes.
Medieval inventions, in short
The Middle Ages, with all its stereotypes, was actually a period rich in innovations that surprise us today (we have also seen this with regard to the Leonardo's wonders). From meat substitutes to fashion statements with watches, from children's religious games to the first forms of pollution, this period in history laid the foundation for many aspects of modern daily life.
It is not only an age of war and suffering, but also an age of creativity and inventiveness: the future, remember, always comes from afar.