16 Medieval Technology

Introduction

During the Medieval Period, several key inventions were created to help everyday life in different social classes. These inventions were just the beginning of many more developments to occur later in the future. Ground breaking inventions during this time include bridges, mechanical clock, printing press, and windmills.

Connection to STS

During the medieval time period new advanced technology were created that changed the world forever. The benefits the new technology had on society included more efficient travel, more widespread knowledge, and different form of power. In order to advance society further new technology had to be created.

Bridges

The system of bridges altered the way people could travel; decreasing travel time and risk. The construction and engineering of bridges in medieval times were remarkable achievements, comparable to the great cathedrals of the period, reflecting the sophistication and importance of road transport and the medieval economy Harrison (2007).   Additionally, medieval bridges were crucial for overcoming natural obstacles such as rivers, enabling terrestrial movement and trade in various regions (Murrieta-Flores & Williams, 2017).  The benefits of medieval bridges extended beyond transportation and trade. They also served as vital infrastructure for the development and organization of medieval cities. Moreover, the presence of these bridges contributed to the establishment and growth of settlements, as they provided essential links across rivers and facilitated movement within and between urban areas (Pydyn & Popek, 2020).b

Mechanical Clocks

The development of clocks in medieval times marked a significant technological advancement that revolutionized timekeeping and had far-reaching societal implications. Mechanical clocks, driven by weights and springs, were introduced during this period, offering greater time accuracy due to improved design and materials (Wagner & Knaub, n.d.).  These innovations in timekeeping benefited medieval societies, enabling the accurate determination and registration of religious festivals and working time (Sinha, 2013).  Monks were the main users of the clock to keep up with prayer times. The mechanical clocks always helped the working class with both employees and employers; creating a more fair and balance work hours The first mechanical clocks could only kept up with the hours not minutes in the 14th century, but by the 15th century both hours and minutes were accounted for on the clocks.

Printing Press

The printing press, developed by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century, transformed the dissemination of information, making knowledge more accessible and revolutionizing education and communication. Gerard Leeu and his contemporaries introduced the use of printed books for religious instruction, paving the way for developments in the sixteenth century (Dlabacova, 2020). One of the firs major projects of the Gutenberg printing press was the 42-line bible. The printing press would eventually be one of the main reasons why the Europe renaissance could occur.

Windmills

The use of windmills for grinding grain, pumping water, and generating power increased productivity and efficiency in agricultural and industrial processes, contributing to improvements in everyday life for people living during this time . The development and use of windmills in medieval times represented a significant technological advancement in harnessing wind energy. The historical significance of windmills is further emphasized by the examination of the wind energy revolution, providing a comprehensive review of the long history of wind energy utilization Hammond & Waldron (2008). Many industrial milling innovations, including windmills, were transmitted to medieval Europe from Asia and the Islamic world, highlighting the interconnectedness of technological advancements during that period (Hammond & Stapleton, 2001). The historical context of wind energy usage is also relevant in the contemporary debate over alternative energy strategies, as it underscores the reliance on renewable energy sources derived from solar energy in the pre-industrial period (Pytel et al., 2019).

compass

The compass was a revolutionary device that was believed to be invented by the Chinese between 2 BC and 1 AD, but there is debate whether a variant of the compass we know today existed before this date (History of Compass, 2024). Although this is an item we don’t think of as much today since it is so incorporated into daily use, the invention of the compass allowed exploration on land and, especially, at sea to a level that would have been near impossible without it. Compasses originally were created by hanging lodestone to allow for the magnetic attractions to show directions on land and astronomy purposes. They later became more advanced by incorporating magnetized iron and a fixed base of water or sand to allow for wet and dry compasses that allowed ships to navigate open waters more effectively and safely (History of Compass, 2024). Compasses also could be crafted with wood or metal to create some beautiful craftmanship that could allow the owner to display status or wealth through their design choice. There are different versions and uses of compasses that have been used during historical times, but this invention truly changed the world and its ability to explore the seas, as well as the stars, with both nautical and astronomy uses.

Gunpowder

Gunpowder was developed during the medieval period and created a global impact that has constantly been developed, even into modern times. The invention of gunpowder in China is explored in Chapter 26 and is credited as the first documented usage. In the early 9th century, a combination of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur was combined and found to create an explosion that would further be harnessed into the use of many different varieties (Guilmartin, 2024). This was used in military tactics like artillery and espionage where it was used to create smokescreens and as enjoyment uses like fireworks shows and assistance with some methods of cooking and daily life. This development was continually refined through the medieval period into more advanced artillery tactics and weaponry, like guns, that are still used today. Cannons became a major use of gunpowder both on land and at sea, which created a plethora of new dynamics to war settings and military tactics involved. Firearms were also developed over time to utilize gunpowder in versatile ways that allowed for long and close range weaponry use such as muskets for longer ranges and pistols for shorter range combat. This was the beginning of the incredibly advanced military ballistic systems that the world has access to currently and is only improving over time as research and development continues.

Conclusion

These inventions played a crucial role in shaping the daily lives of people during the Medieval Period and laid the foundation for further technological advancements in the centuries that followed.

Ai Use Disclosure

I used scite.ai to help me find information about Medieval technology that fits the goals of this textbook chapter. It gave me a more variety of sources to use. I then used the other sources I had gathered to apply other elements to the chapter.

scite.ai.  (2023). scite.ai (beta version) [Large Language Model].  https://scite.ai/assistant

References

Dlabacova, A. (2020). Printed pages, perfect souls? ideals and instructions for the devout home in the first books printed in dutch. Religions, 11(1), 45. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11010045

Hammond, G. and Waldron, R. (2008). Risk assessment of uk electricity supply in a rapidly evolving energy sector. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part a Journal of Power and Energy, 222(7), 623-642. https://doi.org/10.1243/09576509jpe543

Harrison, D. (2007). The bridges of medieval england.. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199226856.001.0001

Printing press *Johannes Gutenberg. Medieval Chronicles. (2022b, December 1). https://www.medievalchronicles.com/medieval-history/medieval-inventions-list/printing-press/

Pydyn, A. and Popek, M. (2020). A third medieval bridge on lake lednica, greater poland. Archeologické Rozhledy, 72(3), 450-469. https://doi.org/10.35686/ar.2020.16

Pytel, K., Gumuła, S., Dudek, P., Bielik, S., Szpin, S., Hudy, W., … & Kowalski, M. (2019). Testing the performance characteristics of specific profiles for applications in wind turbines. E3s Web of Conferences, 108, 01015. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/201910801015

Mechanical clock. Medieval Chronicles. (2022, December 1). https://www.medievalchronicles.com/medieval-history/medieval-inventions-list/mechanical-clock/

Murrieta-Flores, P. and Williams, H. (2017). Placing the pillar of eliseg: movement, visibility and memory in the early medieval landscape. Medieval Archaeology, 61(1), 69-103. https://doi.org/10.1080/00766097.2017.1295926

Sinha, C. (2013). Niche construction, too, unifies praxis and symbolization. Language and Cognition, 5(2-3), 261-271. https://doi.org/10.1515/langcog-2013-0019

Wagner, J. and Knaub, K. Time keeping experiments for a mechanical engineering education laboratory sequence.. https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2–4758

History of Compass – Who Invented Compass? (2024). Historyofcompass.com.

              https://www.historyofcompass.com/#google_vignette

Guilmartin, J.F. (2024, October 22). military technology. Encyclopedia Britannica.

              https://www.britannica.com/technology/military-technology/The-gunpowder-revolution-c-1300-1650

Images Cited

“Medieval bridge, St. Ives” by Rob Noble is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

“Middle Ages” is in the Public Domain