Technology of the Medieval and Early Modern Worlds

Technology of the Medieval and Early Modern Worlds — page 3
8 Introduction The medieval era between the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century and the beginning of the 16th century in Europe is often considered to be an isolated or backward period technologically Yet nothing is further from the truth The invention of the horse col lar followed by the moldboard turning plow in the 11th century vastly improved agricultural output The use of watermills to mill grain aided food production Windmills became a major energy source Mechanical clocks and later watches were major improvements over earlier time-measuring devices Lumber mills flourished and with them the construction of ships The discovery of the magnetic compass the development of the deep ship’s keel and improved sail design opened the world to navi gation Military technology moved through several stages the age of cavalry gave way to the age of infantry which itself had began to tran sition into the age of gunpowder by the end of the period Arabic numerals replaced Roman numerals simplifying the keeping of records The spinning wheel brought to Europe prob ably from India in the 13th century made homespun clothing available to all The spread of Islam through much of Europe transmitted The 13th-century Chartres Cathedral in the French town of Chartres is noted for its architectural innovations many sculptures and stained glass