Today's Word Search: Where animals went to court and foreheads were special... welcome to the Middle Ages
We visit a strange time in Europe, where there was no progress in science, arts or society
It’s human nature to look back at older generations and find the customs and beliefs of the time a little peculiar. But there are few periods in history as bizarre as the Middle Ages.
Click start to play today’s Word Search and spot words related to that era.
The Middle Ages is considered to be the period in European history from the collapse of the Roman civilisation in the 5th century AD to the dawn of the Renaissance in the 14th century. The era is dismissed as a ‘middle’ or even ‘dark’ age because it was a time in which there were no scientific accomplishments made, no great art produced, and no great leaders born. Here are some things the Middle Ages are known for that give you an insight into the era:
1. Animal court
Justice was meted out to not just humans, but animals too. All kinds of animals, from livestock to insects, were put on trial if they were suspected of breaking the rules. In the 1906 book, The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals, authors describe how there have been records of at least 85 animal trials that took place in the era. Some were hilarious (unwanted rats received strongly worded letters) and others downright tragic (‘convicted’ animals were executed).
2. Divorce by combat
If couples wanted to end their marriage in medieval Germany, they didn’t take it to court – they took it to the ring. Trial by single combat was a popular way to solve disagreements and end relationships, but there were strange restrictions placed on the fight. For instance, according to US-based science news website Live Science, a husband would stand in a hole with a hand behind his back, while his wife would run around him with a sack filled with rocks.
3. Hairless faces
Every culture and generation has different norms for beauty and what is aesthetically appealing. In the Middle Ages, the forehead was seen as the central point of the face, and the most important. So, women would remove their eyelashes and eyebrows to draw attention to it. Some were so adamant to have the best and highest forehead, they would pluck their hairlines to attain a perfectly oval, hairless face.
Which aspect of the Middle Ages do you find most bizarre? Play today’s Word Search and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.