What Did Peasants Eat in Medieval Times?

[Mister D]

This may be of some interest. A study suggests that northern European men from the early Middle Ages were taller on average than their descendants hundreds of years later and almost as tall as modern men.

This is the actual piece.

https://muse.jhu.edu/article/169509/pdf

Here is an article discussing it.


https://news.osu.edu/men-from-early-...modern-people/

[Mister D]

The data appears to show that a slight decline occurred beginning around 1200 but a significant drop occurred by the 17th Century.

[Chris]

Perhaps economic liberalism and the liberal state in the pursuit of happiness is all it's cracked up to be.

[Mister D]

Perhaps economic liberalism and the liberal state in the pursuit of happiness is all it's cracked up to be.

Height began to increase again in the 18th Century. The Industrial Revolution and the social and economic dislocation it entailed was probably a factor in limiting the benefits industrialization brought but the author suggests the so called Medieval Warm Period made crop production easier and led to a major surplus. That seems likely to me. The population did in fact grow substantially from roughly 1000 to 1200. The climate later cooled. He mentions a number of factors but the climate seemed the most pertinent.

Edit: sorry on my phone. Noticed this was a choppy post.

[Mister D]

I love this stuff. Great thread.

[Hoosier8]

Absolutely fascinating. Thanks for the education.

[Dr. Who]

This may be of some interest. A study suggests that northern European men from the early Middle Ages were taller on average than their descendants hundreds of years later and almost as tall as modern men.

This is the actual piece.

https://muse.jhu.edu/article/169509/pdf

Here is an article discussing it.


https://news.osu.edu/men-from-early-...modern-people/

I wonder whether the semi-starvation of peasants during the period of serfdom contributed to the shrinkage? Serfs were particularly deprived of good sources of protein. From an observational point of view, people from Hong Kong tend to be very small, however their children born in North America or Europe are much taller than their parents. People from mainland China are less uniform in size, with those coming from the North where the diet is higher in meat, tending to be taller.

[Ethereal]

The "barbarian" Germans were reputed to be taller and hardier than the Romans. Not sure if that's true, but it wouldn't surprise me.

[Dr. Who]

The "barbarian" Germans were reputed to be taller and hardier than the Romans. Not sure if that's true, but it wouldn't surprise me.

It's certainly possible - they were eating a higher protein diet. The barbarian hoards ate mostly meat and fish. Like athletes all know, a high protein diet provides better muscle regeneration and more metered energy levels.

[Mister D]

The "barbarian" Germans were reputed to be taller and hardier than the Romans. Not sure if that's true, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Germans are generally taller than Italians today. Northern Europeans in general are taller on average than southern Europeans. This is likely genetic but could well have something to do with diet in the distant past.