1000-Year-Old Health Hacks: Science-Backed Wellness Secrets
Beyond the Gloom: Medieval Medicine’s Surprising Sophistication and TikTok-Worthy Remedies
the popular image of the Middle Ages often conjures a period of intellectual stagnation, a “Dark Age” where superstition reigned supreme. Though, groundbreaking new research is shattering this misconception, revealing a surprisingly sophisticated approach to medicine during this era. Far from being “cooped up in castles,wallowing in superstition,” medieval individuals were actively developing health practices based on the best knowledge available,with some of their ancient remedies now experiencing a curious resurgence on platforms like TikTok.
An extensive international research project, featuring faculty from Binghamton University, State University of New York, has unearthed a wealth of evidence demonstrating a far broader engagement with medicine than previously understood. “People were engaging with medicine on a much broader scale than had previously been thought,” explains Meg Leja, an associate professor of history at binghamton University specializing in late antique and medieval Europe. “They were concerned about cures, they wanted to observe the natural world and jot down bits of information wherever they could in this period known as the ‘Dark Ages.'”
The cornerstone of this revelation is the Corpus of Early Medieval Latin Medicine (CEMLM), a project funded by the British Academy. this initiative has meticulously collected hundreds of medieval manuscripts containing medical material predating the 11th century. Crucially, the CEMLM has incorporated countless manuscripts previously omitted from existing catalogs, effectively doubling the known number of medical texts from this period.
What makes this research particularly compelling is the striking parallels between some of these ancient remedies and modern wellness trends. From topical ointments to detox cleanses, the wisdom of the past is echoing in contemporary health hacks. For instance, a medieval prescription for headaches involved crushing a peach stone, mixing it with rose oil, and applying it to the forehead. While seemingly rudimentary,this practice aligns with modern findings; a 2017 study indicated that rose oil may indeed offer relief from migraine pain.Another intriguing example is “lizard shampoo,” a remedy that utilized pieces of lizard to promote luscious, flowing hair – or, in a more modern parallel to waxing, to remove unwanted hair. “A lot of things that you see in these manuscripts are actually being promoted online currently as option medicine, but they have been around for thousands of years,” notes Leja.
Leja, who spent two years contributing to the newly released online catalog and previously explored medieval medicine in her book Embodying the Soul: Medicine and Religion in Carolingian Europe, highlights the pervasive nature of medical knowledge. Many of these writings were discovered tucked away in the margins of manuscripts on seemingly unrelated subjects like grammar,theology,and poetry. This suggests a deep-seated preoccupation with the body’s health and a persistent effort to understand and control it.
While acknowledging the scarcity of sources for the period, which contributes to it’s “dark” moniker, leja firmly refutes any notion of “anti-science” attitudes. “It’s true that we do lack a lot of sources for the period. In that sense, it is ‘dark.’ But not in terms of any kind of ‘anti-science’ attitudes — people in the early Middle Ages were quite into science, into observation, into figuring out the utility of different natural substances, and trying to identify patterns and make predictions.”
The CEMLM project is ongoing, with the research team committed to updating the catalog with new manuscripts and developing new editions and translations of medical texts for educational purposes. By moving beyond a sole focus on established authorities like Hippocrates, this comprehensive catalog promises to offer a more complete and nuanced understanding of medieval medicine, reflecting the actual priorities and practices of the people of the time. The Corpus of Early Medieval Latin Medicine is now accessible online, a testament to the collaborative efforts of scholars from Binghamton, Fordham, St. Andrews, Utrecht, and Oslo.