77 Cool And Bizarre Creatures Modern People Noticed In Medieval Art ~ CUSTOS MAG

In this day and age, when we have technology that previous generations couldn't have even dreamed of, it can be difficult to imagine what theMiddle Ageswere like. Life was much harder, and most people never had the opportunity to see much of the world.

But if you're interested in getting a peek into the minds of artists from way back when, you've come to the right place, pandas. We took a trip to theMedieval Creaturescommunityon Reddit and gathered some of their most amusing posts below. This group is dedicated to celebratingartfrom the Middle Ages that features fascinating (and sometimes bizarre) subjects. So enjoy scrolling through, and be sure to upvote the paintings that really speak to you!

TheMiddle Ageswere the time period between the 5th century and the Renaissance period (which began in the 13th, 14th, or 15th century, depending on the region). This era, which followed the fall of the Roman Empire, wascharacterized byChristianity dominating Europe, feudalism, chivalry, and the transition from isolated manorialism to centralized nation-states.

ABC News Australiaalso notes that life was not easy during medieval times. There were plagues that wiped out millions of people, and violence was just a normal part of life. With wars between England and Scotland, between Muslims and Christians, and the Crusades in the Holy Land, the conflicts of this period are quite famous.

Despite how long ago the Middle Ages were, you might find them surprisingly relatable. Michael Barbezat, a research fellow inmedievaland early modern studies at the Australian Catholic University, told ABC News that people struggled with many of the same issues back then that we have today. The lack of affordable housing was a huge problem, as well as inadequate access to food.

Apparently, people have been debating for over a thousand years whether or not food and housing are human rights. And at every point in human history, people have considered themselves to be modern, as they are compared to those who came before them. "It's humbling and fascinating to follow [these people] in their wanderings through these questions that we're still facing," Dr. Barbezat said.

Clearly, as you can see from this list, medieval art featured plenty of animals. And according to theMetropolitan Museum of Art, animals were very symbolic for many people, particularly Christians, during that time. For example, the lamb was seen as a sacrificial animal, while the griffin was viewed as a guardian for those who had passed. Plus, animals played an important role in many Bible stories, such as Noah's Ark and Jonah and the Big Fish.

The Met explained that animals also played key roles in religious allegories and morality tales in many cases. The Bestiary, which was developed in Europe during the 12th century, provided descriptions and interpretations of animals that were intended to be historic, as well as moral and religious, lessons. The tales told about these creatures then often found their way into medieval art. The basilisk was equated with the devil, so it shows up in many art pieces symbolizing him. Meanwhile, the manticore was used to represent "the siren song of temptation that surrounded the Christian soul" while living on Earth.

Exotic animals sometimes appear in medieval art as well, perhaps because they were given as gifts to leaders or taken as souvenirs from pilgrimages or the Crusades. Edgar of Scotland, for example, gave the king of Ireland a camel after visiting Muslim lands. And apparently, Charlemagne was gifted an elephant from Harun-al-Rashid, caliph of Baghdad, in 797. In those times, there was no way to know what an animal was like if you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, so it's only natural that people wanted to immortalize them in artwork.

While it was likely taken seriously at the time of its creation, medieval artwork hasgone viralon social media many times due to how it's perceived by modern audiences. Part of the reason for this may be that we actually know what all of those animals look like today. We have access to photos and videos of pretty much any animal you can think of. You might have even seen exotic animals with your own eyes while traveling or by visiting your local zoo. So seeing a depiction that is clearly nowhere near reality can be pretty hilarious.

There's also the fact that the internet loves two things: animals and turning everything into a meme. If there's humor to be found in something, netizens will find the punch line immediately. Plus, we can't get enough of silly and hilarious animal content. So even if it came from 600-1,000 years ago, it can still be entertaining!

Are you enjoying your journey through these pieces of medieval artwork, pandas? Keep upvoting the ones that you find most fascinating, and let us know in the comments below if there are any that you'd like to see hanging in your home. Then, if you're looking for another article from Bored Panda featuring hilarious creatures from medieval times, look no further thanright here!

CUSTOS MAG

77 Cool And Bizarre Creatures Modern People Noticed In Medieval Art

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