Are You Medieval?
Medieval refers to the Middle Ages—the time
period from around A.D. 500 to 1450. When
people call something medieval, they often
mean “very old fashioned.” But some medieval
inventions are still used today. You might be
wearing one of them on your face!
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the Sun. — Ecclesiastes 1:9
By my troth!
According to World Atlas, you’re positively medieval if . . .
. . . you wear glasses.
Eyeglasses
were invented
in medieval
times around
the year 1268.
X
. . . you go to the library.
. . . you go to the library.
Once, only rich people used libraries, and these were collections of books in their own houses. The first public library was created in the Middle Ages in Italy: the Malatesta Novello Library. Now that’s a good invention!
Medieval library books were so valuable they were kept chained up! Hey, at least you won’t get a late fine.
. . . you have a dollar in your pocket.
Why carry around heavy silver and gold
when you could use paper bills instead?
Paper money was invented in China in 1023.
. . . you get your power
from a windmill.
People still use wind
turbines to harness the
power of wind. They turn it
into electricity. Of course,
indoor electric power
wasn’t invented yet in
the Middle Ages, when
windmills ground up
grain or moved water.
But the mechanical clock we know and
love was invented in medieval times.
. . . you check
the clock.
People have used
many methods of telling
time over the centuries.
(You can make some of the oldest timekeepers yourself: the water clock and the sundial.)