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No last names -

You may think that surnames have always existed, but not so! Last names were introduced in 1066 by the Norman conquest. Until then people went by one name or a nickname.

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Mandatory archery -

Archery was not just a hobby in the Middle Ages. In 1363, there was a mandate that all Englishmen had to practice with their longbow every Sunday!

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Murderous makeup -

Pale skin was seen as incredibly fashionable for women at the time, so many would use makeup to achieve the effect. However, much of that powder contained lead, and in fact caused premature death!

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Animal court -

Animals could be brought to court for a myriad of offenses. They suffered many of the same punishments as humans, including banishment, jail time, and even death.

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What's a peasant? -

Though we often generically refer to any historical low-class citizen as a peasant, the term didn’t even exist in the Middle Ages. They wouldn’t have had any idea what you were talking about.

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Barber pole -

The origin of the candy-cane-like barber pole is darker than one might think. Barbers actually used to be surgeons and dentists as well. A white pole was used when they were bloodletting, and the barber would use a cloth to stop the bleeding, then wrap it around the pole and stick it outside to dry. Hence the image we have now!

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More than a Hundred Years' War -

While this may be a catchy title, the war actually lasted around 125 years. Maybe they just rounded down?

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Witch hunts -

While we frequently associate witch hunts with the Middle Ages, the church was still teaching that witchcraft didn’t exist at this time. It was only during the Elizabethan era that witch hunts became the fad.

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St. Anthony’s fire -

A sickness with supposed divine origin at the time, St. Anthony’s fire was actually caused by a fungus similar to LSD that grew on their rye. It doesn’t sound like a fun trip!

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Foot fashion -

Status and appearance were very much linked in the Medieval era. One of the many fashion trends of the time, men were supposed to wear long shoes. The longer they were, the richer the wearer.

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A not-so-hairy situation -

Medieval women were very into their foreheads, as a domed forehead was an attractive trait at the time. In order to better pull focus, they would pluck their eyelashes, eyebrows, and even their hairline!

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Soccer was banned -

Soccer used to be an incredibly violent game, referred to commonly as “mob football.” It was banned by King Edward II as too violent, likely due to the fact that there were no rules, team limits, and injuries could be fatal. Yikes!

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An electric currency -

Eels were so common in England during the Middle Ages that there are records of eels being used as currency, even being used to pay rent!

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Wigging out -

Wigs were a popular accessory during the Middle Ages, but it might be for a reason you didn’t expect. Wigs were often worn because people had to shave their heads due to lice.

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Time travel -

Time worked differently in the Medieval era. Daytime was divided up into seven equal hours from sunrise until sunset. That means that an hour’s length varied wildly from winter to summer.

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Flat earthers didn’t start here -

Likely due to the term Dark Ages, many assume that people in the Middle Ages thought the Earth was flat. Wrong! It is an often used but regularly debunked myth.

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Literacy doesn’t equal writing -

Writing was considered a manual labor at the time, and you didn’t need to be very intelligent to do it. So scholars of the time would use scribes and merely dictate to them.

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Leper love -

Some female saints allegedly licked the wounds of lepers. They saw it as an act of humility...

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No forks given -

Forks existed during the Middle Ages, but they were not common in Europe overall, as they were often made from precious materials.

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Dolphin dish -

People in the Middle Ages actually ate porpoise. There are manuscripts still in existence that detail the recipe for porpoise haggis, using the blood of the porpoise in combination with various other ingredients.

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Piggy banks -

The original piggy banks originated in the Middle Ages! The coin holders were made from an orange clay called “pygg,” which later became associated with the animal!

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Jousting - Jousting was—and is—incredibly dangerous. In addition to getting hit with a lance while wearing heavy armor, the horses can also travel more than 30 mph (48 kmh)!

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All by yourself -

England during the Medieval period was basically empty. The population rose for a while, but after the Black Death hit and wiped out a majority of the population, many cities and villages were left abandoned due to the lack of people.

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Torture devices -

The Middle Ages were particularly creative when it came to forms of torture. They used numerous different devices, including the saw, the knee splitter, and the terrifying Judas Cradle.

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Shocking facts you problably don't know about the Middle Ages -

Cannibalism wasn’t necessarily taboo in the Medieval era. Starving Crusaders were also known to eat their dead enemies, and “mummy powder” was used to heal a variety of ailments.

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Fashion forward -

The Middle Ages represented the rise of the codpiece, a pouch that men wore in the groin area. They also dabbled in corsets and extremely short tunics.

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Brown bears -

It has been suggested that brown bears used to roam England freely, but they went extinct during the early Middle Ages.

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Poor hygiene -

While you may think of the Medieval period as particularly filthy, with much of that idea coming from popular culture references, people actually tried to take hygiene very seriously. They bathed when they could, and frequently used combs.

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