Renaissance Fitness: Exercise Rediscovery
In his book, On the Art of Exercise, the Italian physician Girolamo Mercuriale writes in a way that makes you think that, just like Botticelli and Michelangelo had 'rediscovered' the art of ancient Greece in Renaissance Italy, he too had rediscovered a lost art, the art of exercise. But, was that true? Did people stop exercising with the fall of
Eaglestones: Historical Amulets for Childbirth
Just like we might do today, throughout history, women have talked to each other about it, developed their rituals surrounding it, they have asked midwives and doctors questions, and they have prayed for protection.
Playtime in Tudor England: Toys, Games, and Childhood
Do you remember what your favourite toys were growing up? Or the games you loved playing with
What Were Early Modern Beds Like?
Fairy tales don't have to make sense to be meaningful. They follow their own logic and readers – or, traditionally, listeners – get so enraptured in the story that no one really questions their elements, be they fairy godmothers, magic roses, or talking frogs. Yet there is one story that always left me puzzled when I was growing up: The