Science and Technology in Medieval European Life

(Hardback)

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Despite the popular view of medieval Europe as a Dark Age of intellectual stagnation, scientific and technological achievement thrived during this time. As any vacationer to Europe knows, churches and castles remain lasting testaments to the ingenuity of that period in history. Through carefully chosen examples which are presented in easily accessible thematic chapters, Science and Technology in Medieval European Life demonstrates how these two aspects of human achievement, far from being ivory-tower enterprises, impacted the daily life of people in medieval Europe. These topics will also resonate with modern readers in their own daily lives. This reference work begins with an historical introduction that situates medieval science and technology into its social, intellectual and religious context. Among the varied topics found in the chapters are: armor making, waterwheels and waterpower, chimneys, stained glass, communication technology, ship building, medicine both academic and village, mechanical clocks, calendar creation, and astrology. For those interested in pursuing further research into this area of history, the book concludes with a chronology of events, a suggested list of further reading and a glossary.

Reviews

This resource will stimulate the curiosity of beginning students and nicely complements undergraduate books such as C. Warren Hollister's classic Medieval Europe (1964). Recommended. General readers; lower-division undergraduates through faculty. * Choice *
Aimed at college students and interested general readers, this reference presents a wealth of examples illustrating the impact of science and technology on daily life in medieval Europe. Wigelsworth begins with an overview of the era, followed by a chronology. The main part of the volume is organized into nine chapters dealing with general themes (agriculture, transportation, medicine, etc.). Each of these is further divided into concise entries on individual topics (the crop system, road construction, and childbirth, for example). The volume concludes with a glossary and some suggestions for further reading. * SciTech Book News/Art Book News Annual *

Author Bio

Jeffrey R. Wigelsworth is Scholar in Residence at the Calgary Institute for the Humanities. Dr. Wigelsworth has taught European history and history of science at the University of Saskatchewan, University of Calgary, and Mount Royal College, Calgary. His articles have appeared in Isis, Canadian Journal of History, Journal of the Printing Historical Society, and other venues.