A blacksmith uses an anvil as he works on a helmet, from this 14th-century manuscript
Bibliothèque nationale de France MS Français 24364 fol. 61r
If you lived during the Middle Ages, what kind of things would you have? Here is a guide to some of the everyday items that a medieval person would have used or had.
Anvils – one of the instruments typically used by blacksmiths, anvils are heavy blocks of metal. When working with iron or types of metal, the blacksmith would put those pieces on an anvil and use a hammer to hit the piece into shape, creating things like armour, weapons or tools.
Beds – medieval beds would not be as soft as those we use today. It would have a wooden frame, and then a few layers of mattresses – the one on the bottom would be stuffed with straw, the next one filled with wool, and then others with slightly better material like goose feathers. You could also find feather-filled pillows and blankets made of linen or wool.
Books – Most medieval people would not have had books. Those that did would include priests and monks, the nobility, and other wealthy people. In the Middle East and China (where printing was invented) books would be more widely used. Within medieval Europe, books were typically created using animal skins that could be turned into vellum, which was then sewn together into leather bindings.
Brooches – Before the days of zippers (and even buttons, as they only started to be used in the 13th century), people would use brooches to fasten clothing together. Often made of metal, brooches were often elegantly designed and decorated, looking very much like jewellery. We have many examples of medieval brooches, including those made in Viking Scandinavia to Renaissance Italy.
