Category: Daily Life in the Past

By Tim Lambert Life Expectancy Before the Industrial Revolution We do not know exactly what average life expectancy at birth was in the past (before the 19th century we can only give rough estimates). However, historians think it was about 35 years in the Middle Ages or the 16th Century. However, that does not mean… Continue reading A History of Life Expectancy

By Tim Lambert Makeup in the Ancient World Women have always tried to enhance their beauty. Even in Prehistoric Times, people wore necklaces or bracelets made of things like shells. They also wore pendants of bone or ivory. Prehistoric people may have painted or tattooed themselves. Certainly, the ‘iceman’ who lived in Copper Age Italy… Continue reading A History of Makeup

By Tim Lambert Early Marriage Marriage occurred in all eras of history and all cultures. Polygamy (a man having more than one wife) was first mentioned in the Old Testament in Genesis. A man named Lamech married two women (Genesis 4:19). Later King David and King Solomon had many wives. Almost everybody in Ancient Israel… Continue reading A History of Marriage

By Tim Lambert Measurement of Distance and Weight People have always measured things. It was necessary to measure distances, and lengths and to weigh things. Today we take measurements for granted but for our ancestors making exact measurements was difficult. The earliest and most obvious way of measuring things was using parts of the human… Continue reading A History of Measurement

By Tim Lambert MEDICINE IN THE ANCIENT WORLD Medicine among Primitive Peoples The first evidence of surgery is skulls from the Stone Age. Some adults had holes cut in their skulls. At least sometimes people survived the ‘operation’ because the bone grew back. We do not know the purpose of the ‘operation’. Perhaps it was… Continue reading A History of Medicine

By Tim Lambert Menstruation in Pre-Industrial Societies The word menstruation comes from the Latin word for a month, mensis. For millennia women have found ways to deal with the process. In the Old Testament, a menstruating woman was regarded as ‘unclean’ for a period of 7 days. (Leviticus 15:19-30). The Bible also mentions a menstrual… Continue reading A History of Menstruation

By Tim Lambert Early Money At first, people simply bartered, that is they exchanged goods for goods. However, eventually, it became convenient to have one thing that could be exchanged for any goods. Before the Celts used coins they used iron bars as a form of currency. The Chinese used cowrie shells. However, finally, people… Continue reading A History of Money

By Tim Lambert Musical Instruments in the Ancient World The Egyptians played many instruments. They played castanets, drums, and bells. They also played stringed instruments like the harp, the lyre (a kind of vertical harp), and the lute. They also played wind instruments like flutes and trumpets. The Egyptians also played a rattle called a… Continue reading A History of Musical Instruments

By Tim Lambert Until the year 1752, in England, New Year’s Day was, legally on 25 March, which was the Feast of the Annunciation when an angel told Mary the mother of Jesus that she was pregnant and would have a son. (It was also called Lady Day). However long before the legal change, most… Continue reading A History of New Year’s Day

By Tim Lambert Early Newspapers Newspapers began circulating in the 17th century. The first real newspaper in England was printed in 1665. The first successful daily newspaper in Britain was printed in 1702. The first American newspaper was printed in 1690. It was called Publick Occurrences Both Forreign and Domestick. The first newspaper in Canada… Continue reading A History of Newspapers