History of Medieval Technology

La diversité du répertoire de céramiques à pâte siliceuse, datées des 11e-13e siècles, découvertes en Iran et en Asie centrale, surprend toujours un large public. L’œil est d'abord attiré par la finesse de leur parois puis par leurs
couleurs turquoise et bleu cobalt. Le visiteur ignore généralement que ces céramiques, représentent une innovation technique et stylistique sans précédent dans l’ensemble du monde médiéval autour de l’an 1000.
Les pièces complètes de la collection du musée national de Céramique à Sèvres permettent de questionner l’origine de cette technique et l’apport du monde islamique.
Ce corpus permet également de proposer, à partir de nos recherches de terrain récentes, un premier inventaire des ateliers ayant produit et commercialisé des pâtes siliceuses à l’Est de l’Orient médiéval.

The invention and spread of the mechanical clock is a complex and multifaceted historical phenomenon. Some of these facets, such as its social impact, have been widely studied, but their scientific dimensions have often been dismissed. The mechanical clock was probably born as a scientific instrument for driving a model of the universe, and not only natural philosophers but also kings, nobles and other members of the social elites showed an interest in clocks as scientific instruments. Public clocks later spread a new way of telling time based on equal hours, laying the foundations for changes in time consciousness that would accelerate scientific thinking.

Bruno Jané et Philippe Schiesser, Les outils monétaires du Musée de La Cour d’or - Metz Métropole et les techniques de fabrications du « Grand Est », actes du colloque coorganisé par la SENA et le Musée de La Cour d’Or – Metz Métropole « Le monnayage à Metz et en Pays lorrain de l'Antiquité à nos jours » du 27 au 30 septembre 2018, Recherches et travaux de la Société d’Études Numismatiques et Archéologiques 9, 2019, p. 195-222.

Η παρούσα μελέτη αποσκοπεί στη συγκριτική παρουσίαση και την εξαγωγή συμπερασμάτων σχετικά με την τυπολογία, τα τεχνολογικά χαρακτηριστικά και την οργάνωση του χώρου των εργαστηρίων κεραμικής που έχουν εντοπιστεί ανασκαφικά στον ελλαδικό χώρο και χρονολογούνται από τον 4ο έως τον 15ο αιώνα.

This paper aims at the comparative presentation and the inference of conclusions about the typology, the technological aspects and the spatial organization of the light industrial ceramic production workshops that have been excavated in Greece and have been dated from 4th to 15 th century.

The Fechtbuch (Fight-Book) from 1459 AD by Hans Talhoffer is truly an uncanny work. In this edition of his work, the fight-master opens a window for us to his world. He shares knowledge from his own field of expertise – the martial arts of Renaissance Europe. Yet he also presents works from masters of the same and other fields – Zwaintzig Ussrichtung (Twenty Directives) by fight-master Johann Liechtenauer; Bellifortis (Battle Force) by military engineer Conrad Kyeser; and Hie Lert (Here Teaches) by astrologer-physiologist Jud Ebreesch. By text and by pictures, numerous diverse and lively scenes are shown that are sometimes quite bizarre – vigorous fighting lessons, for judicial dueling and for battle; war-machines, strange inventions and secret formulas; and treatises upon cosmology and physiology.

In this rich personal edition of his work, Talhoffer deals with a wide variety of things, from the lofty to the earthy. He has something to offer everyone – whether fighter, artist, botanist, philologist, herbalist, chemist, metalsmith, carpenter, jurist, kinesiologist, astronomer, culinarian, theologian, costumer, physician or otherwise.

Although fighting-arts are the focus of Talhoffer’s book, it is really something of a kaleidoscopic view of the interests and pursuits of the Renaissance German warrior, inclusive of manifold things meaningful to his life. However atavistic or unreal his world may be deemed now, it did truly exist and held wonder and honour worthy of our admiration.

The diversity of this book stands witness to Hans Talhoffer as one of the dynamic personalities of his generation – one whom we must deem was a true Renaissance Man.

All imagery herein is from the 1459-Thott edition, courtesy of the original 15th Century manuscript held by sterwardship of Det Kongelige Bibliotek in Copenhagen Denmark. I made this PDF to present that work here for the free learning of all sincerely interested persons. It may be viewed via personal computer, saved onto CDR and/or printed into hard-copy, allowing complete archiving of the document in whatever quality format one may choose – with the understanding that it is meant for noncommercial and nonprofit educational usage. The imagery herein is colour-corrected; and where needed in four folios, the action of the artwork is conceptually restored. The original uncorrected DKB facsimile still exists online. DKB is found in the Web at this URL: http://www.kb.dk

So first is the facsimile of the original book itself, which lets you see the words and pictures for yourself. Next are my transcription of its German and my translation of that into English – the transcription gives you direct comprehensible reference to the original German wording, while the translation gives you the first and only rendering of that wording into English. Lastly is my interpretive commentary, which helps you better understand many aspects of the words and pictures.

Człowiek od wieków próbował ochronić swój dobytek przed kradzieżą lub zniszczeniem bądź dla zachowania prywatności. Z czasem, włączając współczesność, urządzenia służące pierwotnie do ochrony stały się trwałym elementem wystroju wnętrz i co za tym idzie przybierały różne formy - zdobiono je w wieloraki sposób. W literaturze przedmiotu zabytkom kultury materialnej jakimi są wyroby kowalsko – ślusarskie oraz innym funkcjonalnym i zdobniczym elementom związanym z zamykaniem pomieszczeń i skrzyń, nie poświęcono zbyt dużo uwagi. Odkrywane na stanowiskach późnośredniowiecznych i nie tylko, wspomniane typy zabytków poddawane są zaledwie opisowi, a nie szczegółowym analizom.
Niniejsza praca ma na celu przeprowadzenie dogłębnych obserwacji zebranego materiału ze względu na wygląd zewnętrzny i funkcjonowanie danego urządzenia lub jego elementu. Materiał zabytkowy pochodzi z 68 stanowisk średniowiecznych mieszczących się w granicach administracyjnych dzisiejszej Polski oraz ze zbiorów Muzeum Śląskiego Oddział Stary Ratusz we Wrocławiu. Omawiane znaleziska pozyskane były metodą wykopaliskową na stanowiskach miejskich, reliktach dworów obronno – mieszkalnych, zamków oraz badań podwodnych, których kontekst chronologiczny mieści się w okresie pomiędzy połową XIII a początkiem XVI wieku.
Rozprawa zakończona jest katalogiem złożonym z 331 pozycji, zilustrowanych na 40 tablicach. Analizę przeprowadzono na płaszczyźnie formy danego typu zabytków oraz ich funkcjonalności jako osobny mechanizm lub element składający się na większą całość. Zabytki poddano systematyce i gdzie jest to możliwe, dane zespoły zrekonstruowano pod względem działania. Rozważania zostały poparte analogicznymi znaleziskami spoza Polski np. z badań z terenu dzisiejszej Ukrainy, Rosji, Wielkiej Brytanii i Szwecji oraz Węgier, a także danymi etnograficznymi  z czasów współczesnych.

Over 2000 years the Catholic Church has slowly developed a posture towards technology which is predominantly techno-optimist and techno-progressive, and yet the Church does not have this reputation today. Concomitantly, Church institutions and individuals have made crucial contributions to the advance of science and technology, yet despite this practical effort to better human development, Christian theology has been remarkably uninterested in the subject of technology. This lack of interest is no longer tenable; scholars of religion and theologians should seriously engage technology because it is empowering humanity in ways that were previously reserved only for gods. This blind spot has not only hampered the Church's ability to understand itself and our world, but also impeded the ability of the Church to fulfill its mission. Pope Francis's 2015 encyclical Laudato Si has begun to address this neglect, but is best understood in the context of Christian history, not only as written, but more so as practiced.

The existence of time keeping instruments in the Toledo Cathedral is documented from the 13th century, when a clepsidra that migh date back to the islamic period is registered in the Archive. In the 14th century a turret clock was built in Toledo, probably the first one in Castile and even in the Iberian Peninsula. This forthcoming monograph, awarded with the Garcia-Diego Price by the Fundación Juanelo Turriano, studies this medieval clock from the point of view of the history of engineering and social history.

La presencia de instrumentos de medición del tiempo en la catedral de Toledo puede rastrearse desde mediados del siglo XIII, cuando se menciona una vieja clepsidra que podría datar de época islámica. En el siglo XIV se construye el que posiblemente sea el primer reloj mecánico de Castilla y quizá de todos los reinos hispánicos. En este trabajo, galardonado con el premio García-Diego 2017 por la Fundación 'Juanelo Turriano', se estudia con detalle la compleja historia del reloj toledano bajomedieval desde el prisma de la historia social de la técnica.

Sundials in Roman and Byzantine Mosaics (1st – 9th Century AD). A scientific monograph. The sundials on ancient mosaics have not been the subject of scientific studies so far. The author has gathered together  in this  publication  the sundials  already known (Torre Anunzaiata, Sarsina, Trier, Saint-Romain-en-Gal, Antiochia and Brading; Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9) and those which have  not  previously  been  identified.  Thanks  to  the author’s  new  identifcations,  the  catalogue  has  been enlarged  by  six  new  sundials (Grand,Tarsus, Antioch – interpreted by H. Pamir; Figs.  3, 6,  8, and 10. Tayibat al-Imam, Jerusalem and Umm al-Rasas (Sebastis); Figs. 10, 11, 12) and three monumental gnomes-columns with multiple functions that were used as monumental sundials [Madaba (Jerusalem), Umm al-Rasas (Kastron Mefaa) and Rome (Jerusalem); Figs. 13–15]. In addition, recognizing fully John H. Humphrey’s  interpretations,  the  author  enriches  the catalogue  by  eight  ancient  mosaic  representations  of obelisks in  circuses (Lyon, Barcelona, Volubilis, Piazza Armerina - two mosaics, Girona, Carthage and Gafsa; Figs.  16–23).  They  performed the roles of monumental sundials. In this way, the catalogue includes  twenty-three  mosaics with  the representations of sundials. They come from the Western and Eastern Provinces of the Roman Empire. The first mosaic is dated to the beginning of the 1st century AD and the last dates to the 9th century AD. The author, after  a  short  description  of each monument,  summarizes the issue discussing the role of sundials in Roman and Byzantine society, their complex signifcance and symbolic difficult linked with the progress of time on which nature and human life are dependent.

In this article we give an overview of watchmaking at the time of Peter Henlein in the  rst half of the sixteenth century. We present a stackfreed mechanism that is signi cantly older than previously known pieces and hence brings forward the possible development of  at watches to the  rst third of the sixteenth century. We investigate the pricing structure of clocks and watches from Nuremberg between 1521 and 1541 and present archival evidence to link a remarkable timepiece in the British Museum to the famous early watchmaker Peter Henlein of Nuremberg

El famoso tratado del presbítero Teófilo (s. XII), normalmente citado bajo el título Schedula diversarum artium, o De diversis artibus, dedica su tercer libro a las técnicas de la platería. En este trabajo, se analizan dos de las técnicas de cincelado y repujado que describe y se comparan con un ejemplo práctico de su aplicación, en el Arca Santa de la catedral de Oviedo (s. XI).

The chasing and repoussé techniques as described by Theophilus: a Spanish example

The third book of the well known handbook compiled by Theophilus Presbyter at the beginning of the 12th century is a unique source for the study of the medieval silversmithing techniques. In this paper we analyse two chasing and repoussé techniques described by Theophilus that have been found in a Spanish medieval silverwork, the Arca Santa from Oviedo’s cathedral.

Resumen: Más allá de la simple existencia, se sabía muy poco de la explotación medieval de los yacimientos férricos del Moncayo. El presente estudio demuestra que se remonta, de forma probada, al siglo XIII, aunque es muy posible que sus raíces se retrotraigan, como mínimo, al siglo anterior. Reproduciendo con notable fidelidad los grandes flujos de avance y retroceso de la minería europea e integrando las novedades tecnológicas en el ámbito de la forja que iban sucediéndose, la producción de hierro del Moncayo alcanza cotas interesantes a fines de la Edad Media. Estos resultados, aunque modestos en comparación con los de las grandes áreas férricas del Cantábrico, debieron tener un efecto visible en la economía regional.

Palabras clave: hierro, siderurgia, minería, Moncayo, Aragón.

Abstract: We have few information about working on iron beds in the area of mount Moncayo in the Middle Ages, except for its only existence. This  study shows that those works can be proved for XIIIth century and,  perhaps they have some roots, at least, in the previous century. The iron production in mount Moncayo reaches interesting levels at the end of Middle Ages. It reproduces accurately the movements of European mining, going ahead or going back, and it integrates technological advances that were made in industrial sector. These results, even though they seem not very big, -if we compare them with the rest of great mining areas in the Cantabric coast-, must have been quite profitable for the local economy.

Keywords: Iron, iron industry, mining, Moncayo, Aragon.

El reloj mecánico apareció en la Europa de hacia el año 1300 como reloj de torre y en menos de un siglo se extendió por todo el continente. Paralelamente se produjo un proceso de miniaturización que dió lugar a la relojería doméstica y portátil que sirvió de acicate para el avance de la técnica. Además de cambiar la forma de medir y concebir el tiempo de los europeos, en pocos siglos el reloj mecánico se convirtió en uno de los símbolos más evocadores del pensamiento occidental. En el presente capítulo se hace un repaso general por la historia de este fascinante invento así como por su impacto social y cultural.

The building of the Cistercian abbey of Tarouca was initiated in 1152 and the church was consecrated in 1169. In 1834 the monastery was secularised.
The inside quietude and the formal and semantic expression of the church corresponds to the monastic mentality of the first local Cistercians.
The investigations and the profuse recording of measures carried out in the church enable us to identify the use of an orthogonal modular structure as methodological principle for its architectural composition. The unit of linear measure adopted was the old king's foot (“pied du roi”). The fundamental module is 8 king's feet sideways.
As we can verify, the plan of the Tarouca temple yields to the usual proportionateness of the Cistercian churches following the Bernardin model.

In traditional writings about the Cistercians, the aspects relating to their hydrophilia are still little known. With this work, we intend to counteract this “hydraulic illiteracy” and show that the “white monks” also reached an indisputable competence in the area of survey and economic uses of water. Such competence was decisive for the scope, extended and fruitful, of their medieval communities. In order to work on proper health and hygiene conditions, the monasteries needed a solid and technically efficient hydrosystem, both in its shape and network, going from the water intake, transport and distribution within the cenobia, to the evacuation of household waste and rain water. This venture led to elaborated and strenuous works, some of them prior to the raising of community buildings. In the wide range of its tangible results, the history of medieval Cistercian monasteries is also a history of a long and close relationship between man and water. These are two topics of study as vast as meaningful in its religious, cultural and socio-economic context and relevance. The contents of these actions and objective reasons authorize, perhaps without exaggeration, the argument in favour of an intuitive “model” of Cistercian hydraulic architecture, which constitutes an open field of privileged study and discussion.

Reflexiones acerca de la forma de abordar los estudios sobre la explotación de recursos minerales y su transformación en la Edad Media. Se propone una investigación a
partir de las aportaciones de los textos escritos, la arqueología y la analítica aplicada a
los materiales arqueológicos, así como los datos procedentes de fuetes orales, iconografía y
estudios etnográfi cos. Se abordan las formas de explotación de minerales metálicos y no
metálicos, la sal y el agua como recurso mineral y como dichas explotaciones producen
transformaciones en el paisaje que pueden identifi carse y analizarse desde una perspectiva histórica.

This is the first detailed study of the role of the Church in the commercialization of milling in medieval England. Focusing on the period from the late eleventh to the mid-sixteenth centuries, it examines the estate management practices of more than thirty English religious houses founded by the Benedictines, Cistercians, Augustinians and minor orders, with an emphasis on the role played by mills and milling in the establishment and development of a range of different sized episcopal and conventual foundations.

Contrary to the views espoused by a number of prominent historians of technology since the 1930s, the book demonstrates that patterns of mill acquisition, innovation and exploitation were shaped not only by the size, value and distribution of a house’s estates, but also by environmental and demographic factors, changing cultural attitudes and legal conventions, prevailing and emergent technical traditions, the personal relations of a house with its patrons, tenants, servants and neighbours, and the entrepreneurial and administrative flair of bishops, abbots, priors and other ecclesiastical officials.

The book examines religious houses' contribution to the development of the various milling sectors first categorized by John Langdon in the mid-1990s, including the role of the Augustinians in the non-seigneurial sector. It also discusses the legal status of mills and milling in English law, and attempts to unravel the mysterious origins of suit of mill.

When I wrote my dissertation, published in 1984, Georges Duby was my idol. I wanted to show that something similar had happened in Scandinavia. Over the years, I have observed the discussion about Duby's hypotheses. What I wanted to do with this article (written 2014) was to challenge my earlier opinion. But I did not want to let the discussion participants appear under labels, or with short comments by me. Instead I wanted the discussion to be described through extensive references from every scholar – thus I could only refer to the main participants. In the end I retain criticism and opens to a different interpretation which partly returns to the origin: an attempt to a synthesis

"When talking about lighting a fire, especially for domestic use, modern man automatically thinks of matches and lighters, because collective memory actually ignores that, for thousands of years and at least up to the end of 19th century, this task had been invariably performed through strike-a-lights, flints and tinders (...)".