The concentration of human-created beauty might be no greater than in Florence, where works by the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance overflow. Across the centuries, travelers have made their way to immerse themselves in the visual spectacle that abounds. So overpowering was the sense of beauty to the French author Marie-Henri Beyle (d. 1842), […]
Marie-Henri Beyle and the Human-Created Beauty of Florence Read More »
This late 15th-c illustration shows a man preparing a mixture called “Theriac,” which for over a millennia was perhaps the most valued curative substance (or so it was advertised) across Eurasia. You can see the snakes unfurling under the man’s feet: they’re there representing the serpentine venom the ancient recipe demanded. Another crucial ingredient was
Mithridates and His Antidote Testing Read More »
One of the most important tools in the history of medical diagnosis has been urine. The examination of pee can legitimately be used to figure out whether a person is pregnant, or has diabetes, or kidney failure. For Medieval people, it was also thought to indicate widened “channels” into the kidney, which accidentally let blood
Medieval Urinalysis Read More »
This is the private library of American business tycoon Pierpoint Morgan (d. 1913), and it is a wonder to behold. Its three balconies of books are reached by hidden staircases behind bookshelves. Sumptuous Renaissance-inspired bookcases pack thousands of rare volumes. The ceilings and upper walls are covered with ornate paintings of allegorical figures representing various
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Sheet music written by Franz Schubert in 1826, called the “Rondo Brilliant.” It was designed to showcase the vituosity of a specific violinist Schubert worked with, and was the only piece he wrote for violin and piano published in the artist’s lifetime. Schubert, who had many loves but suffered from bouts of depression throughout his
Franz Schubert’s “Rondo Brilliant” Read More »
Five thousand years ago, ancient Middle Eastern Mesopotamian civilizations developed the written word, and this invention galvanized other areas of culture such as literature and the visual arts. And so we see seals — such as the one here made of shell from the Akkadian period (2334-2154 BCE) — which often showcased religious and political
Ancient Mesopotamian Seals Read More »
Medieval Europeans lived far more isolated lives than we, and consequently, existed knowing there were vast tracts of lands and cultures to which they had no access. Tales about places necessarily depended on word-of-mouth, supplemented with rare but extremely popular travelogues. And so came to pass stories and legends about an unusual living thing, half-plant
The Vegetable-Lamb of Tartary Read More »
The smallpox vaccination has been one of the greatest contributions science has made to better the human condition. Although Edward Jenner has justly earned credit for his development of the vaccine, an 18th-century British aristocratic woman named Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762) also deserves recognition. Montagu was a “Turkophile,” and published many writings critiquing the confining
Mary Wortley Montagu and the Treatment of Smallpox Read More »
This is one of fifty copies left of the Gutenberg Bible, printed over 650 years ago. The volume symbolises a revolution in information transfer, because its movable type enabled the quick printing of books. Despite the forward-looking aspects of the Gutenberg Bible, it also symbolizes the Medieval culture from which it came. For instance, about
The First Mass Printed Medieval Book – The Gutenberg Bible Read More »
The small village of Mesilla in New Mexico was the site of archtypical American Old West cultural traditions: developing railroads, silver mines and cattle ranches, wars against the American Indians, and showdowns among ineffective government officials were commonplace in the Arizona and New Mexico territories of the late 19th century. Billy the Kid, ne Henry
Billy the Kid and Old Western Traditions Read More »
Original printing of _Leviathan_, published in 1651 and written by the English political philosopher Thomas Hobbes (d. 1679). This classic pronouncement of human nature as basically selfish, competitive, and violent emerged during a period of civil war and corresponding endemic violence in Hobbes’ homeland. For him, humanity was doomed to a life that was “nasty,
Printing and Representation of The Leviathan Read More »
This photograph of American leader Harriet Tubman (1822-1913) was only recently uncovered – it was purchased by the Library of Congress at an auction in 2017. Tubman’s skills and accomplishments were truly astonishing – the backbone of the Underground Railroad, Tubman made thirteen missions into the South to liberate enslaved people. She was the first
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad Read More »
As the Middle Ages wore on, general attitudes about cats became increasingly negative. Although they continued to be kept as mousers and pets, they were associated with heresy, witchcraft, and the devil. Irina Metzler argues this was partly because even though they were domesticated, they wouldn’t obey their humans. In the early 15th century, Edward,
Negative Medieval Attitudes Towards Cats Read More »
The Musee Horta (1898) embodies the style of Art Nouveau of the late 19th century. Known for its attention to beauty and incorporation of nature, Victor Horta designed this building in Brussels originally as his home. You can see the pronounced use of glass and steel – typical elements of his construction. The fluctuating movement
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Across the millennia, one of our common traits is the desire to feel special: this has been played out in terms of aristocratic status, patriarchal markers, race, and middle-school politics. Finding a solid boundary between “human” and “non-human” is yet another instance of seeking specialness. However, both scientists and historians are making this boundary increasingly
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Leprosy, or Hansen’s Disease, was a scourge for many throughout the European Middle Ages. Although it spreads slowly throughout a population, it was pervasive enough in England between the 11th and 15th centuries that at least 320 caretaking facilities for lepers were established during this time. In its advanced expression, leprosy causes lesions, sores, and
Leprosy During the European Middle Ages Read More »
Malaria has been an extraordinary shaper of history. Dated as far back as 30 million years old, this protoza really took off after the agricultural revolution (not surprising, since it thrives in mosquitos, who love the standing waters that frequently accompany cleared out lands). Some scientists believe Malaria to be the single-biggest killer in human
Malaria and its Shaping of History Read More »
The Middle Ages were a lot bawdier than most people imagine. Although modern society finds a Christian-infused culture abrasively at odds with a robustly sexual one, such was not the case in Western Europe 500 years ago . . . Into this conversation, may I introduce the Welsh poetess Gwerful Mechain (c. 1460-1502) Centuries before
Gwerful Mechain’s “Poem to the Vagina” Read More »
A strange relationship between mathematics and the occult began early on in Western history, and some of the most advanced intellectual minds fostered the study of numbers primarily as a stepping stone for understanding hidden truths about the physical world. This tendancy goes as far back as Pythagoras, but flourished notably in Early Modern Europe.
John Napier and the Relationship of Math and Occults Read More »
Slippery reasoning that produces horrible results is unfortunately a regular occurrence in human history. While the 17th century witnessed the Scientific Revolution in Europe, sloppy logic (mixed with lack of information) led to some gruesome human experimentation. William Harvey had recently discovered (for Europeans) that blood circulates in our bodies, pumped by the heart, but
Arthur Coga and Sheep’s Blood Transfusions Read More »
