Images of Medieval Technology

Steven Dutch, Professor Emeritus, Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
The most celebrated technological symbol of the Middle Ages is its cathedrals, like the Lorenzkirche in Nurnberg, Germany.
Originally brightly decorated, the Lorenzkirche has a plain interior today, a relic of the destruction of World War II.
Pillars in cathedrals flared out to support the roof. As builders got more sophisticated and learned to support structures more efficiently, the sizes of windows and aisles increased.
At any given time, much of Europe is encased in scaffolding like this medieval church in Dinkelsbuehl, Germany. Poorer countries frequently lack funds to protect their historical treasures.
One of the loveliest architectural innovations of the Middle Ages was fan vaulting, which allowed each pillar to support a large ceiling area in an esthetically appealing way. This is Bath Abbey, England
Then, as now, patrons liked to be acknowledged. The Pretzel Makers' Guild in Dinkelsbuehl sponsored this window and were commemorated in the stonework.
Real medieval buildings can be told easily from modern replicas - nothing is level or square. This was the home of the artist Albrecht Durer in Nurnberg, Germany. It miraculously escaped destruction during the bombing that destroyed much of the city in 1945.
"Hospital" in the Middle Ages usually meant a place to sleep out of the weather, and recover or die as best you could. This one in Nurnberg, Germany was run by a religious order.
Most medieval cities were surrounded by walls. Nurnberg still has its wall, but many other cities do not. Americans are often criticized for demolishing old buildings, but Europe had its binge of destruction in the 19th century. The city walls of Vienna, that twice kept the Turks from invading Europe, were torn down then. Most of Norway's celebrated ancient stave churches, which once numbered in the thousands, were demolished in the 19th century. The three dozen now left are valued as tourist attractions.
Life could be dangerous in the Middle Ages. This wealthy family dwelling, even though it was in the center of Nurnberg, was still also a fortress.
Dinkelsbuehl, Germany, is a well-preserved medieval town still with a moat and walls. Many historic towns owe their preservation, ironically, to the Thirty Years' War (1618-48), which so disrupted commerce that formerly prosperous towns became backwaters. By the 19th century, such places were recognized as historical sites and laws were passed to preserve them.
"Moat" conjures up Wizard of Id images of water-filled ditches with carnivorous creatures, but many moats are dry. With no concealment or easy ways to climb or penetrate the walls, they were effective defenses.
The purpose of a siege is to starve out the defenders. Food sources, like the local mill, are thus miltary targets, the more vulnerable since they have to be located along rivers, often at the edge of town. Dinkelsbuehl's solution was to fortify its mill.
The city gates of Dinkelsbuehl. Dinkelsbuehl changed hands seven times during the Thirty Years' War and once narrowly escaped total destruction. King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden was set to destroy the town but was dissuaded by the town's children; the event is commemorated in an annual children's festival. It declared itself an open city in 1945 and was spared war damage.
The courtyard of a medieval house in Dinkelsbuehl.
This model in the Dinkelsbuehl town museum shows how medieval houses were constructed.
A house in Dinkelsbuehl. It's very expensive to live here because all repairs and alterations must be done using traditional methods and materials. This somewhat dilapidated house gives us a view of the wall construction.
A closeup of wood joinery on a house in Dinkelsbuehl. Nails were too costly for such applications; beames were joined by notching and pegs.
A knight's armor glove in the Nurnberg Museum. Work like this is better termed craftsmanship than technology; it is accomplished by intense application of time and skill, as opposed to use of sophisticated production devices.
A gold and silver crucifix figure in the Nurnberg Museum, from about 1000 A.D.
Stained glass windows are in grave danger from air pollution and acid rain. Many ancient forms of glass were chemically unstable.
An ossuary, or casket for bones, in the Nurnberg Museum. The seams of the side doors are hard to see; an example of superb craftsmanship in metal.
Even in the depths of the Dark Ages, craftsmen were capable of fine work. A piece from about 700 A.D. in the Nurnberg Museum.
A Bible from the early Middle Ages in the Nurnberg Museum. At one time the it was set with precious stones, only a few of which remain.
The laundry in Dinkelsbuehl used a screw press to wring water out of clothes. This wooden gear arrangement is a crude gear shift. The vertical shaft was turned by a horse. By moving the small gear back and forth the press could be raised or lowered by turning the shaft in the same direction. Thus the horse did not need to turn around.
The oldest extant globe, the Martin Behaim Globe in the Nurnberg Museum, is a monument to bad timing. It was completed early in 1492. The opposing side shows only blank ocean.
A good place in America to see medieval art is the Cloisters Museum in Manhattan. This is a rosary bead - each of the fifty in the set would have opened up like this to display religious scenes. It's about the size of a walnut. To achieve this detail, the carver must have honed his blade every few strokes.

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Created 27 August 1998, Last Update 4 September 1998