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Online Catalog Nearly Doubles Dark Ages Medical Manuscripts and Reveals Sophisticated Remedies
WESTERN EUROPE, JUL 16 – Researchers cataloged hundreds of early medieval Latin medical manuscripts revealing a wide use of exotic ingredients and scientific approaches in remedies, challenging the notion of a medical Dark Age.
- Researchers compiled a catalog that nearly doubled the known medieval medical manuscripts, revealing sophisticated remedies used in the early Middle Ages.
- This effort responds to the background of the so-called Dark Ages, a period marked by political fragmentation and loss of centralized Roman institutions after 476 AD.
- The new catalog highlights that people then actively engaged in science, observation, and experimentation with natural substances despite many remedies blending effective and pseudoscientific practices.
- Medieval historian Meg Leja explained that during the early Middle Ages, individuals were actively engaged in scientific inquiry, carefully observing natural elements and experimenting to understand their effects, with many traditional remedies from that era still appearing in modern alternative medicine today.
- This research suggests a more complex medical tradition during the early medieval period and supports broader understanding of the era's intellectual activity amid societal upheaval.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Medieval Medicine Was Surprisingly Smart – And Trending Again
Medieval medicine is turning heads for all the right reasons. Far from being a primitive or superstitious practice, new research shows that early medieval Europeans engaged deeply with natural remedies, observation, and experimentation—some of which mirror today’s alternative health trends. A sweeping catalog of forgotten manuscripts reveals cures involving rose oil, detox regimens, and even [...]
Medieval remedies show surprising parallels to modern wellness trends
It turns out the Dark Ages weren't all that dark! According to new research, medieval medicine was way more sophisticated than previously thought, and some of its remedies are trending today on TikTok.
Eurek Alert
Binghamton University - Binghamton UniversityMedieval medicine was smarter than you think – and weirdly similar to TikTok trends
A new international research project featuring faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York reveals that people in the Middle Ages weren’t cooped up in castles, wallowing in superstition. They were developing health practices based on the best knowledge they had at the time – some of which mirror modern wellness trends.
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