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6 Medieval Era Inventions That Changed The World
These top inventions were developed during the middle ages and many of
them are still relevant in our world today
Yewande

Feb 15 · 4 min read

The medieval era witnessed significant advancement in science and
technology; Source: English heritage

The medieval era was a time of great discovery and just like any other
period, it had its own unique inventions. Some of these inventions
played critical roles in contributing to the emergence of subsequent
technological advancements. They also changed the world significantly.
Here are some of the most important innovations that brought about great
transformation.

1. The printing press

The printing press reached its full potential during the middle ages;
Source: Atlas Obscura
This was one of the most important inventions of the medieval era. Even
though the movable and paper machine first appeared in China during the
11th century, Europe was the first place where printing became mechanized.
The World Atlas reports that it was during the middle ages that the
printing press truly reached its full potential and began an era of mass
production of the printed word.
Johannes Gutenberg is largely credited as the one who invented a method
of printing from movable type. His printing press was known to be a
history-changing invention that made it easy for people to have access
to books.

2. The coffee house

The Restoration Coffee House (1668); Source: The Guardian
Coffee was initially introduced to Europe within the 16th and 17th
centuries and gradually gained more popularity across the continent.
Apart from its taste, another attraction that came with it was that more
coffee houses were built to serve coffee. Within a short time, coffee
houses became places where people could mix freely while engaging in
social activities. The ease of convenience was one thing that endeared
many people to them.
The coffee houses in England were often referred to as “penny
universities” because each person could pay a penny for a cup of coffee
and engage in any stimulating conversation that was of interest to them.

3. Wheelbarrows

The wheelbarrow in Europe was used in September 16 CE 1170; Source: Sutori
Although the one-wheeled carts existed in China during the second
century, the first wheelbarrows were made in Europe from 117 to 1220.
A major difference between the wheelbarrows invented in China and
subsequent European wheelbarrows was the placement of the wheel. Unlike
the former ones that had one wheel placed at the centre of the device,
the European ones had the semblance of modern wheelbarrows, with a wheel
in front or close to the front.

4. Eyeglasses

Over the years, eyeglasses have gone through many design phases; Source:
Listverse
Eyeglasses were used in Europe during the latter years of the 13th
century. It remains one of the most useful inventions due to its ability
to correct vision problems. Many people find it extremely useful to this
day.
The earliest eyeglasses had convex lenses to help with farsightedness,
while the concave lenses aided myopia or nearsightedness. They were
usually held in front of the eyes or balanced on the nose.

5. Paper money

The first government-printed paper money was done in China; Source:
World Atlas
Paper money was invented during the middle ages and it is still very
relevant till today. The usage of paper money originated in China and
was a replacement for the metal that people used as a means of exchange.
Many people were encouraged to use it so that they would be more
comfortable carrying something lighter.

6. Mechanical Clocks

A medieval clock in Prague: Source: My modern met
Until the medieval period, there was no accessible or accurate way of
measuring time. In those days, people relied on natural phenomena such
as hourglass, the movement of the sun or calibrated candles.
The first mechanical clocks were large devices made of iron. They were
built typically on church towers or on the communal towers of different
towns. These clocks didn’t have a dial, but used bells. They were
publicly available for everyone to see. People simply had to listen to
the chime and count.

Sources
Top 10 Inventions of the Middle Ages - Listverse
The middle ages (5th - 15th Centuries AD), often termed The Dark Ages,
were actually a time of great discovery and…
listverse.com

18 Inventions That Shaped Europe in the Middle Ages
After the fall of Rome in the West during the 5th Century AD, the power
vacuum it created forced its former conquests…
interestingengineering.com

Medieval Inventions List | Medieval Chronicles
A number of very important inventions were made in medieval times such
as the Spinning Wheel, Stirrups, Astrolabe…
www.medievalchronicles.com

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