What Courtship Was Like in the Middle Ages | Boring History For Sleep

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Well, welcome on. 
In my tired, little bunch of 

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sleepy heads, get snuggled up in
your favorite blanket. 

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And let me tell you a story here
tonight, where medieval Europe 

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stretched across roughly 1,000 
years from the crumbling of 

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Roman Authority in the 5th 
Century to the printing presses 

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and ocean Voyages of the 15th. 
During all that time, the 

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question of who a person married
was, never simply A Private 

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Matter, between two people. 
It was a negotiation between 

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families, a transaction 
involving land and honor and the

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careful arithmetic of social 
standing. 

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And tonight, you are stepping 
gently into that world settling 

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in at the hour when the fire 
burns, low and the thinking go 

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soft. so, before we begin, If 
this kind of calm storytelling 

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helps you relax and fall asleep 
more easily. 

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Feel free to follow along. 
If you haven't already, leave a 

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comment about how your day was 
and let me know what time it is 

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and where you're listening from 
tonight. 

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Dim the light and let's get this
started. 

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Everything you're hearing on 
this topic. 

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Tonight is from historical 
sources all brought together, 

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including the canonical writings
of Thomas Aquinas and Augustine 

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of Hippo. 
Troubadour Works attributed to 

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the Countess of D the treaty, 
Amor by Andreas capellanus. 

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Passed on letters collection, 
the writings of Christine De 

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pizan and the canonical marriage
law, traditions codified in the 

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12th century. 
Decree of gracian place yourself

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for a moment in a small Market 
town. 

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Somewhere in the English, 
Midlands the years around 12:40 

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The streets and narrow and smell
of wood smoke. 

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And damp. 
Hey. 

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Church at the center of town is 
the largest building by far it 

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Stone Tower visible from the 
surrounding fields on clear 

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Autumn days. 
The baker's house sits just down

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the lane from the Tanner's house
and the Tanner's house smells 

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exactly as you would expect pigs
wander into doorways, children 

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run passed without shoes 
somewhere nearby. 

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A woman is beating a rug against
a Timber post with the rhythmic 

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dedication of someone who has 
done this every Thursday for 30 

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years and intense to do it every
Thursday for 30 more. 

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Life here is organized around 
rhythms you can feel without 

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being told what they are. 
There is the rhythm of the 

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church bells, marking the 
canonical hours morning, midday 

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evening and the nighttime 
prayers that most sensible 

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people here. 
Only distantly from their beds. 

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There is the rhythm of the 
farming calendar turning through

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plowing and planting and harvest
and the long dormant sea of 

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winter. there is the rhythm of 
Market Days and feast days and 

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the steady social commerce of a 
community that has lived in 

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close quarters for generations 
and knows everything about 

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everyone whether or not everyone
wants it to Threading through 

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all of it shaping, the texture 
of daily life, in ways, both 

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Grand and quietly mundane is the
institution of marriage. 

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You're not in this world, 
primarily an individual, making 

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your own choices, you're a 
member of a household that 

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household is itself. 
A member of a village, The 

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Village owes obligations to a 
lord. 

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The Lord O's obligations upward 
to a King. 

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The King in theory, at least 
owes obligations to God and to 

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the pope and both God and the 
pope will have opinions about 

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how he is managing things. 
Every layer of that structure is

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tied together by land by labor, 
by loyalty Swan allowed in 

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public, and most reliably of all
by marriage. 

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A good match. 
Could lift a struggling family 

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for a generation. 
A poor one or scandalous. 

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One, could drag it down just as 
efficiently. no one in this 

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world treated courtship as a 
casual Amusement, even though 

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those who desperately wanted to,
The age at which people married 

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varied considerably, depending 
on where they sat in the social 

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order. 
Among ordinary farming families,

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and tradespeople Men. 
Tended to wait until their 

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mid-to-late 20s before marrying.
They needed time to accumulate 

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enough land tools, savings or 
craft skills to support a 

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household of Their Own. a young 
man who had nothing to offer was

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simply not a viable candidate 
for marriage and the young women

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around him were under no 
obligation to pretend otherwise 

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women in these communities 
usually married in their late 

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teens or early twenties. 
Though the church maintained 

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that the legal minimum age for 
betrothal was 12 for girls and 

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14 for boys. 
These numbers came from 

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canonical law, rather than from 
any expectation that people 

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would routinely use them. most 
people waited longer simply 

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because practicality demanded it
and because setting up a 

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household from nothing took more
time than youth, typically 

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imagined Among the nobility 
timing abeid a different logic 

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entirely Noble daughter might be
formerly betrothed. 

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While still a young girl, the 
agreement sealed between her 

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father and another family while 
she had only a dim understanding

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of what it meant, or what it 
would have eventually require of

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her. 
The wedding ceremony itself 

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would wait until she was older, 
but the contract was real and 

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legally binding from the moment 
it was signed. 

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This was not cruelty by the 
standards of medieval thinking. 

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It was strategic planning 
conducted with the seriousness 

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that the management of land and 
bloodline required. 

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The daughter represented an 
alliance waiting to be formed a 

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son represented, a name that 
needed to continue and an estate

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that needed an air. 
The sooner you locked down a 

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favorable Arrangement the less 
chance someone else had to 

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snatch up the best of available 
options. 

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You might find this ruthlessly 
on romantic In the clearest 

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possible terms, you would be 
correct. 

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But here is the thing about the 
medieval understanding of love, 

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that tends to genuinely 
surprised modern readers. 

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Most people living in this world
did not expect a fall in love 

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before they married. 
They expected if they were 

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fortunate in the match was 
reasonable to grow fond of each 

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other. 
After Love was not the starting 

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point. 
It was a destination. 

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You might have eventually reach 
of the two of you were 

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compatible. 
And treated each other with 

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reasonable kindness, over the 
course of years. 

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The church actively encouraged 
spouses to cultivate tenderness 

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and Care within marriage. 
Theologians wrote at 

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considerable length, about the 
mutual obligations of warmth 

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between husband and wife. 
The idea that a married couple 

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should come to love each other 
over time was widely and 

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genuinely held. 
The idea that they needed to be 

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in love first was not, this does
not mean that feelings played no

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role at all. 
It means they played a different

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role understood within a set of 
expectations that were 

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genuinely, unlike anything, most
of us grew up with The 

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vocabulary of medieval emotional
life was also richer and more 

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precise than it might first 
appear, the Latin word, Emma and

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the French word and more covered
a wide range of feeling from 

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spiritual Devotion to erotic 
longing. the English word love, 

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did similar work across multiple
registers, without 

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distinguishing clearly between 
them But medieval people also 

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had character us, meaning deep 
and selfless care. 

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The love. 
You owe your neighbor and your 

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God. 
They had to let you know a woman

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chose an affection that implied 
deliberate cultivation. 

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And they had concupiscent tier, 
which referred to bodily desire.

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And which the church viewed with
considerable theological 

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suspicion, unless properly 
channeled into marriage and the 

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production of legitimate 
children, the church is 

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attitude. 
Toward the body was genuinely 

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complicated and this complexity 
shaped courtship in ways that 

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are worth pausing on. 
Marriage was a Sacrament, a 

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wholly estate ordained by God, 
and physical relations within. 

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It were not only permitted, but 
considered a marital Duty that 

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both spouses owed each other. 
Theological writers were quite 

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clear about this and yet a 
strong current in church 

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thinking drawing heavily on the 
writings of Saint Augustine of 

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Hippo. 
And later, elaborated with 

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great, thoroughness by Thomas 
Aquinas Feud passionate self 

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with profound unease. 
Pleasure for its own sake was 

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morally, suspect Desire was a 
constant reminder of the fall 

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and the Corrupted State of human
nature. 

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The ideal Christian marriage in 
the most austere theological 

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vision would involve two people 
who treated each other with warm

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companionate respect. 
Produced children with admirable

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self-discipline and did not 
enjoy the process to thoroughly 

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medieval people being human 
beings behaved accordingly in 

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the sense that they largely did 
not follow this advice. 

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The experience of courtship also
depended enormously on where you

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were in the social order. 
A cobbler's daughter in a 

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Flemish wall Town, had almost 
nothing in common with the 

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daughter of an English Baron. 
When it came to how her marriage

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would be arranged, what was 
expected of her and what 

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freedoms she might plausibly 
claim. 

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The grand poetry of courtly love
that filled aristocratic Halls 

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had limited practical relevance 
to a village girl. 

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Whose main concern was whether 
her prospective husband was a 

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steady worker and a decent man, 
who did not drink his wages away

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before the week was out. 
And who would still be 

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reasonably Pleasant company when
he was 50? 

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Both of these women were 
navigating caught ship. 

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But they were doing it in 
entirely different languages, 

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under entirely different 
pressures within entirely 

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different resources of available
to them tonight, you're going to

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spend time in both of those 
worlds. 

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You're going to sit in the 
candlelit, Great Hall, where 

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Troubadours performed their 
elaborately constructed songs of

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longing and you're going to read
the careful letters that 

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traveled between Noble 
households wrapped in wax and 

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Hope. 
And then you are going to step 

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outside these whole doors and 
the mud and noise of a village 

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on a warm summer evening, where 
young men were attempting their 

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luck with considerably less 
poetry and considerably more 

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nervous. 
Energy. 

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Both of these worlds, were real,
both were Medieval and in both 

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of them people were doing their 
best. 

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To answer a question that has 
never once been simple, which is

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how you find the person. 
You're going to build a life 

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alongside and how you recognize 
them when you do. 

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Fire has burned low. 
The candles are steady against 

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the dark. 
We are just beginning. 

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Before any courting could 
properly begin. 

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There was generally a great deal
of talking that had no visible 

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romance in it at all. 
The parents talked, the father's

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talked often at length in the 
careful, measured sentences of 

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men who understood that the 
wrong word at the wrong moment. 

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Could collapse and agreement. 
They had spent months assembling

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Uncles and Elder brothers were 
consulted, the village priest 

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sometimes weighed in with an 
opinion that may or may not be 

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invited. 
A respected neighbor, might be 

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asked his view over a cup of 
veil on a cold evening, which he

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would give very thoroughly, 
whether or not anyone truly 

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wanted it and then revisit at 
the next available opportunity, 

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in case, anyone had missed a 
nuanced. 

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The first time, the young man, 
and the young woman at the 

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center of all this discussion, 
the frequently, the last people 

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in the room to be formally 
informed that their Futures were

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being arranged. 
This was in essence the system 

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of arranged marriage as it 
functioned across, most of 

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medieval Europe from The 
humblest Peasant household to 

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the most powerful Royal Court. 
The degree of parental control 

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varied depending on social 
class, Regional custom and the 

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personalities involved in any 
given situation. 

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But the underlying principle was
broadly consistent. 

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Married was too important to 
matter, to be left, entirely to 

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the feelings of the people 
actually getting married. 

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The reasoning was not entirely 
without logic, even if it tends 

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to irritate. 
Modern sensibilities, when 

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stated plainly Young people. 
It was generally believed lack 

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the wisdom to evaluate a 
prospective partner's true 

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character and real prospects 
with appropriate Clarity. 

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They were too easily moved by 
appearances by fleeting 

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attraction by the kinds of 
feelings that dissolved quickly.

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Once you had to share a roof 
with someone through a hard 

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winter, a sick child, a failed 
Harvest and the ordinary 

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grinding pressures of a life 
that was genuinely difficult. 

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Even when things were going 
reasonably well, Parents, who 

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had lived longer and suffered 
more were better, placed to make

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sound judgments. 
They knew the other family's 

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reputation across years rather 
than a cross weeks, they 

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understood what land was truly 
worth and what a pattern of debt

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looked like before it became 
impossible to ignore. 

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They could read a man's 
character in his handshake and 

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the condition of his fields in a
way that a girl of 17, however, 

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intelligent had not yet, had the
opportunity to learn There was 

232
00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:07,500
also the matter of what a match 
needed to accomplish beyond the 

233
00:13:07,508 --> 00:13:09,000
feelings of the two people 
involved. 

234
00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:13,400
For a noble family. 
Married was diplomacy conducted 

235
00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:17,200
by other means. 
Sealed alliance's resolved 

236
00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,700
long-running disputes between 
rival houses absorbed 

237
00:13:20,700 --> 00:13:23,900
potentially hostile neighbors 
into kinship networks where they

238
00:13:23,908 --> 00:13:27,000
became more useful than 
threatening and secured the 

239
00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,900
passage of land between 
Generations in ways that kept 

240
00:13:29,900 --> 00:13:33,100
everything Consolidated rather 
than fragmented. 

241
00:13:34,100 --> 00:13:36,000
A strategically. 
Excellent marriage. 

242
00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,200
Could shift a family's power in 
a region as effectively as a 

243
00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:44,400
successful military campaign. 
Considerably less cost and with 

244
00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:47,100
a much lower likelihood of 
everyone ending up dead in a 

245
00:13:47,108 --> 00:13:49,800
field. 
For an ordinary farming family, 

246
00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:53,500
the calculations were smaller in
scale but no less genuine. 

247
00:13:54,300 --> 00:13:57,100
You wanted your daughter to go 
to a household that was solvent 

248
00:13:57,100 --> 00:14:00,000
and would remain. 
So you wanted your son to marry 

249
00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:03,200
a young woman whose family had a
good name in The District and 

250
00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:05,700
enough resources to help the 
young couples establish 

251
00:14:05,700 --> 00:14:08,300
themselves, without beginning 
their life, together in 

252
00:14:08,300 --> 00:14:11,600
immediate financial distress. 
You were looking in the most 

253
00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:14,300
fundamental sense for Solid 
Ground to stand on. 

254
00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,600
The Dowry was the financial 
heart of most medieval marriage 

255
00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,500
negotiations. 
And the conversations around it 

256
00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:24,400
were typically the most delicate
part of the entire process. 

257
00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:29,000
When a bride move from her birth
family to her husband's 

258
00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:32,400
household, she brought with her 
a formal transfer of wealth. 

259
00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:37,100
Among the nobility, this might 
mean land a castle or share of 

260
00:14:37,100 --> 00:14:42,100
one annual income from a state's
livestock and substantial sum of

261
00:14:42,100 --> 00:14:44,700
coin. 
Among Ordinary People, it might 

262
00:14:44,700 --> 00:14:47,200
mean household goods carefully 
assembled over years. 

263
00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:52,300
Cow with a documented bloodline,
a piece of cultivated land with 

264
00:14:52,300 --> 00:14:56,000
a clear legal title or an agreed
sum of money, paid to the 

265
00:14:56,008 --> 00:14:58,700
husband's family and installment
spread over several years. 

266
00:14:59,700 --> 00:15:03,100
The Dowry served several 
purposes simultaneously it 

267
00:15:03,100 --> 00:15:06,100
compensated the groom's family 
for taking on the financial 

268
00:15:06,100 --> 00:15:09,100
responsibility of a new 
household member who would need 

269
00:15:09,100 --> 00:15:12,200
housing, feeding and clothing 
for the rest of her natural 

270
00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,800
life. 
It provided the bride with some 

271
00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:18,900
degree of economic grounding in 
her new home recognizable stake 

272
00:15:18,900 --> 00:15:22,300
in the household. 
She joined And it represented in

273
00:15:22,300 --> 00:15:26,100
a legally recognized and 
materially documented way the 

274
00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:28,500
transaction of alliance between 
two families. 

275
00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,700
The negotiations over Dowry were
approached with a gravity that 

276
00:15:32,700 --> 00:15:36,100
would not have been out of place
in a diplomatic Summit and they 

277
00:15:36,108 --> 00:15:39,700
generated the same combination 
of carefully worded, proposals, 

278
00:15:39,700 --> 00:15:44,300
tactical, silences and quietly. 
Furious second guessing on the 

279
00:15:44,300 --> 00:15:47,100
walk home that significantly 
negotiations always do. 

280
00:15:47,900 --> 00:15:51,100
Alongside the Dowry came a 
counter gift from the groom, or 

281
00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:54,700
his family known in English 
legal tradition as dowra. 

282
00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:58,900
This was a specified portion of 
the husband's estate, set aside 

283
00:15:58,900 --> 00:16:01,700
for the wife's use in the event 
that she was widowed before him.

284
00:16:01,700 --> 00:16:05,000
The church, increasingly 
insisted on this provision as 

285
00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,900
the medieval period progressed 
recognizing that a widow without

286
00:16:08,900 --> 00:16:12,100
independent resources was 
genuinely an immediately 

287
00:16:12,100 --> 00:16:15,500
vulnerable in a world that 
offered limited alternatives to 

288
00:16:15,508 --> 00:16:19,100
female dependents. 
The size of the dowel was also 

289
00:16:19,100 --> 00:16:23,500
negotiated all so formally 
documented and also subject to 

290
00:16:23,500 --> 00:16:26,900
considerable quiet argument 
between families, which believed

291
00:16:26,900 --> 00:16:29,400
their own side, was offering the
more generous terms. 

292
00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:33,500
While simultaneously, being 
short Changed by the other, None

293
00:16:33,500 --> 00:16:35,900
of this means that the feelings 
of the young people were 

294
00:16:35,900 --> 00:16:38,500
entirely invisible or 
systematically suppressed. 

295
00:16:38,500 --> 00:16:42,900
In every case, most medieval 
sources suggest that a truly 

296
00:16:42,900 --> 00:16:46,000
vehement and clearly stated 
objection from either party 

297
00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,600
would give a sensible family. 
Real pause. 

298
00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:51,600
At least among common people 
where the Practical consequence 

299
00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,600
is of forceing and utterly 
unwilling child into a marriage 

300
00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:58,500
with visible and immediate A 
daughter who refused with 

301
00:16:58,500 --> 00:17:00,700
genuine force. 
Was a problem to be managed 

302
00:17:00,700 --> 00:17:03,300
carefully. 
A son who absolutely could not 

303
00:17:03,300 --> 00:17:05,000
be brought to agreement was an 
obstacle. 

304
00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:09,500
It was simpler smoothie and 
considerably less likely to end 

305
00:17:09,500 --> 00:17:12,700
in open disaster of both parties
were at least tolerably willing.

306
00:17:14,099 --> 00:17:16,800
The church, which we will spend 
more time within the next 

307
00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,800
chapter maintained. 
Its own firm position on this 

308
00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:23,200
question. 
Canonical law, held that a valid

309
00:17:23,208 --> 00:17:26,300
marriage required, the free 
consent of both parties. 

310
00:17:26,900 --> 00:17:30,900
This was not a minor theological
technicality, it was considered 

311
00:17:30,900 --> 00:17:33,300
foundational to the entire 
Institution. 

312
00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,100
A marriage contracted by 
undisguised force was not truly 

313
00:17:38,100 --> 00:17:41,100
a marriage at all in the eyes of
church law and could be 

314
00:17:41,100 --> 00:17:43,700
challenged in the ecclesiastical
courts on those grounds. 

315
00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:48,800
Church was in this specific 
respect more protective of 

316
00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,600
individual consent than many of 
the noble families whose 

317
00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:55,000
daughters were being betrothed 
in early childhood Arrangements 

318
00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,700
that left the girl herself with 
little practical ability to 

319
00:17:58,700 --> 00:18:02,400
object to anything in practice, 
of course, the distance between 

320
00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:06,300
consent given freely and consent
given because every availability

321
00:18:06,300 --> 00:18:09,300
pressure made refusal, seemed 
both impossible and ungrateful 

322
00:18:09,300 --> 00:18:12,600
was a wide and sometimes very 
murky space. 

323
00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:16,500
A daughter who had been taught 
all her life that obedience to 

324
00:18:16,500 --> 00:18:20,900
her father was a sacred and 
god-given Duty understood that 

325
00:18:20,900 --> 00:18:23,400
the family's honor and her 
younger sister's future. 

326
00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:28,300
Marriage prospects rested partly
on her Cooperative behavior and 

327
00:18:28,300 --> 00:18:31,200
who had no Clear Vision of what.
Her alternative life might look 

328
00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,600
like. 
Did not always experienced her 

329
00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:36,600
agreement as something freely 
give in any meaningful sense. 

330
00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,200
Medieval people knew this 
tension existed. 

331
00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:44,900
It was disgusting Church courts,
in theological writing and 

332
00:18:44,900 --> 00:18:47,600
occasionally in letters and 
petitions that have survived 

333
00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:49,700
from women. 
Describing their situations in 

334
00:18:49,700 --> 00:18:53,400
terms that leave absolutely no 
ambiguity about how they felt. 

335
00:18:54,300 --> 00:18:57,900
And yet, within all of this, 
there were families who were 

336
00:18:57,900 --> 00:19:00,800
genuinely careful. 
There were fathers who walked 

337
00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,700
with their daughters in the 
garden in the evenings and asked

338
00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:05,700
quietly, what she thought of the
young man. 

339
00:19:05,700 --> 00:19:08,900
They had met at the Mickle, Miss
Feast, listening with real 

340
00:19:08,900 --> 00:19:12,500
attention to the answer. 
There were mothers who served as

341
00:19:12,500 --> 00:19:15,100
intermediaries. 
Carrying honest, information 

342
00:19:15,100 --> 00:19:18,700
between a daughter's private 
feelings and a father's formal 

343
00:19:18,700 --> 00:19:21,400
planes. 
There were brothers, who went to

344
00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:25,300
their sisters, privately before 
anything was fined and asked the

345
00:19:25,300 --> 00:19:28,300
real question. 
The system was imperfect 

346
00:19:28,300 --> 00:19:32,800
sometimes badly so The people 
operating within it were not. 

347
00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:36,200
It is also worth saying 
something about the rare, young 

348
00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:39,900
people who manage to exercise 
more agency than the system 

349
00:19:39,900 --> 00:19:43,600
officially allowed. 
Because they existed and the 

350
00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,300
historical record has preserved 
some of their stories. 

351
00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,000
There were young men who went to
their fathers and argued 

352
00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:51,700
seriously for a particular 
choice. 

353
00:19:52,500 --> 00:19:55,400
Presenting their case with the 
same careful logic. 

354
00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:58,400
They would use in any other 
negotiation and occasionally 

355
00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:00,700
prevailing. 
There were young women who found

356
00:20:00,700 --> 00:20:03,200
ways to communicate their 
preferences, through the women, 

357
00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,100
in their household, who had 
access to the men making 

358
00:20:06,100 --> 00:20:10,100
decisions, working through the 
informal channels of female 

359
00:20:10,100 --> 00:20:14,000
domestic Authority, that existed
alongside and sometimes under 

360
00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:15,900
the official male power 
structure. 

361
00:20:15,900 --> 00:20:19,100
And there were young people who 
simply ran away together. 

362
00:20:19,900 --> 00:20:23,000
Church courts and civil records 
from the medieval period. 

363
00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:27,000
Container counts of couples who 
exchanged present tense, vowels 

364
00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,800
privately, and then presented 
their families. 

365
00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,800
With situation that was legally 
a marriage regardless of 

366
00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:36,400
anyone's feelings about it. 
Families, were not always 

367
00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:40,000
pleased, the consequences of 
varying widely depending on the 

368
00:20:40,008 --> 00:20:43,100
social standing involved in the 
temperament of the parents. 

369
00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:46,600
A canonical. 
Positioned that consent made the

370
00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,400
marriage sometimes functioned as
a, genuine back door for people 

371
00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:52,100
determined to make their own 
choices. 

372
00:20:52,100 --> 00:20:56,200
Despite the considerable weight 
of Parental and social pressure 

373
00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,100
arranged against them. 
Medieval literature is full of 

374
00:20:59,108 --> 00:21:02,700
these stories which suggests 
they reflected something real in

375
00:21:02,700 --> 00:21:05,400
the emotional landscape of 
people who were living within 

376
00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:09,400
tight constraints and knew it 
The lovers who defied their 

377
00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:11,800
families. 
The marriages Made For Love 

378
00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:15,600
against all practical advice 
appear in the romances and the 

379
00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:19,500
fablo and the stories told by 
preachers as cautionary examples

380
00:21:19,500 --> 00:21:23,100
that had a way of sounding in 
spite of themselves, a little 

381
00:21:23,108 --> 00:21:26,400
admiring. 
Walk with me now into the 

382
00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:30,200
doorway of a Stone Church on a 
mild spring afternoon in 13th 

383
00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:30,800
century. 
France. 

384
00:21:32,100 --> 00:21:36,800
Smell inside is Cold, Stone old 
incense and the faint drifting 

385
00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,800
sweetness of beeswax. 
Candles burning somewhere near 

386
00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:43,600
the altar. 
Outside in the porch where the 

387
00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:46,800
light comes through a narrow 
window and spread softly across 

388
00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:50,400
the warns Stone floor. 
Two families of gathered. 

389
00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:54,600
There is a priest, his vestments
slightly worn at the Hem where 

390
00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:58,100
they catch on the flagstone. 
There are witnesses, neighbors 

391
00:21:58,100 --> 00:22:00,400
and Kinsmen who have agreed to 
stand in testimony. 

392
00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,900
There are parents who have spent
weeks and considerable nervous 

393
00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:07,300
energy getting to this moment 
and a holding themselves very 

394
00:22:07,300 --> 00:22:11,400
still so as not to let on how 
relieved they feel, now that it 

395
00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,700
is finally arrived. 
Two young people stand near the 

396
00:22:14,700 --> 00:22:16,700
church door and they are about 
to be betrothed. 

397
00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,900
The betrothal was not the 
wedding, it is important to 

398
00:22:20,900 --> 00:22:24,600
understand this clearly because 
the medieval betrothal occupied 

399
00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:28,000
illegal and spiritual space that
has no clean modern equivalent. 

400
00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:33,300
It was a formal spoken promise 
of future marriage made publicly

401
00:22:33,300 --> 00:22:34,900
and in the presence of 
witnesses. 

402
00:22:34,900 --> 00:22:38,600
And it was binding in ways that 
went considerably further than 

403
00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:40,200
what we would today called an 
engagement. 

404
00:22:41,100 --> 00:22:43,100
A betrothed couple was not yet, 
married. 

405
00:22:43,900 --> 00:22:47,200
But they were not simply dating 
or stepping cautiously towards 

406
00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,000
something. 
They could withdraw from at any 

407
00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:51,800
point without consequence. 
They had entered a contractual 

408
00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,300
relationship recognized by both 
Church, law and civil Authority 

409
00:22:55,300 --> 00:22:59,300
and dissolving it required. 
Genuine justification and 

410
00:22:59,300 --> 00:23:02,500
typically resulted in legal 
proceedings that nobody on 

411
00:23:02,500 --> 00:23:06,600
either side, wanted to endure. 
The ceremony itself was 

412
00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:10,900
conducted in the church porch 
rather than inside the Nave a 

413
00:23:10,900 --> 00:23:14,600
distinction that carried real 
symbolic weight. the porch was 

414
00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:18,000
the threshold, the in between 
space, where the world outside 

415
00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:23,100
the Sanctified interior, Troll 
was a threshold state. 

416
00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:27,100
You were not yet fully married, 
which you had formerly crossed 

417
00:23:27,100 --> 00:23:30,300
out of the unmarried life and 
was standing in the passageway 

418
00:23:30,300 --> 00:23:34,900
between one condition and 
another The words spoken at a 

419
00:23:34,900 --> 00:23:38,500
betrothal were called of verba 
De futuro which is Latin for 

420
00:23:38,500 --> 00:23:41,600
words of the future. 
They were spoken in the future 

421
00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:44,900
tense, a grammatical choice that
was also illegal won. 

422
00:23:44,900 --> 00:23:49,000
The man would say in whatever 
vernacular the ceremony used 

423
00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,400
something. 
Meaning, I will take you as my 

424
00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:56,300
wife, the woman would respond in
kind these words spoken in the 

425
00:23:56,300 --> 00:24:00,000
correct form before qualified 
Witnesses, created The Binding 

426
00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,400
agreement. 
There was also a form of 

427
00:24:02,408 --> 00:24:06,300
betrothal conducted using 
verbal, depreciates in the 

428
00:24:06,300 --> 00:24:10,000
present tense, and this form was
considerably more serious in its

429
00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:14,400
legal consequences. 
Take you as my wife, spoke in 

430
00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:18,500
the present tense before 
Witnesses, constituted a valid 

431
00:24:18,500 --> 00:24:20,300
marriage in the eyes of canon 
law. 

432
00:24:20,300 --> 00:24:24,400
Even without a formal Church 
sermon to follow even without a 

433
00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,900
priest, even without any of the 
other ceremonial trappings that 

434
00:24:27,900 --> 00:24:31,200
we associate with a wedding. 
This caused significant 

435
00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:34,300
complications for families. 
Who had a match. 

436
00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:38,600
And later discovered that their 
son or daughter had quietly 

437
00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:42,400
spoke in present tense vows to 
someone entirely different in a 

438
00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:46,200
garden, a barn or a quiet corner
of the parish churchyard. 

439
00:24:47,100 --> 00:24:50,600
The church courts heard. 
These cases with regularity, the

440
00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,600
judges were rarely amused. 
The ring played a role in 

441
00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:56,100
betrothal throughout the 
medieval period that it has 

442
00:24:56,100 --> 00:24:58,100
never entirely stopped playing 
in the centuries. 

443
00:24:58,100 --> 00:25:02,700
Since Gold rings were given up 
betrothal ceremonies worn on the

444
00:25:02,700 --> 00:25:05,600
right hand until the wedding 
when custom moved them to the 

445
00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:08,200
left. 
The church eventually attached 

446
00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:11,200
theological significance to this
left hand placement. 

447
00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:16,100
Connecting it to a vein believed
by ancient medical tradition to 

448
00:25:16,100 --> 00:25:18,400
run directly from the ring 
finger to the heart. 

449
00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:23,300
This idea came from classical 
Greek and Roman sources and was 

450
00:25:23,300 --> 00:25:25,900
given a new Christian meaning in
the medieval period. 

451
00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:31,000
Binding sentiment to anatomy in 
a way that felt both poetic and 

452
00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:35,200
medically accurate, which it was
not, but which is beside the 

453
00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,400
point. 
Ring's betrothal gifts were 

454
00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:41,300
often engraved on the inside 
surface with short phrases 

455
00:25:41,300 --> 00:25:44,700
called, Posey's from the French 
word, who is he? 

456
00:25:45,700 --> 00:25:48,400
These inscriptions were 
sometimes scriptural, sometimes 

457
00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:51,300
devotional and sometimes simply 
and plainly tender. 

458
00:25:51,300 --> 00:25:54,300
The surviving. 
Examples are remarkable in their

459
00:25:54,300 --> 00:25:57,700
variety of tone. 
Some invoke God's blessing on 

460
00:25:57,700 --> 00:26:01,300
the union with formal solemnity.
Others are expressed in the 

461
00:26:01,308 --> 00:26:05,400
plain language of two specific 
people who knew each other and 

462
00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:07,300
wanted something private to 
last. 

463
00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,800
One ring from the medieval 
period Bears, the inscription in

464
00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:14,400
middle French, meaning my heart 
and yours of one. 

465
00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:18,900
Another reads as I am gold. 
So, true, as I am round Without 

466
00:26:18,900 --> 00:26:20,600
End. 
So, my love will be for you. 

467
00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:22,900
These were not written for 
audiences. 

468
00:26:22,900 --> 00:26:26,700
They were written for two people
and were meant to be read only 

469
00:26:26,700 --> 00:26:29,200
when the ring was slipped off 
until tilted carefully toward 

470
00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:32,100
the light. 
The wedding ceremony itself when

471
00:26:32,100 --> 00:26:35,200
it came was conducted at the 
church door in the early 

472
00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:37,100
medieval period and gradually 
moved. 

473
00:26:37,100 --> 00:26:39,800
Inside the building as the 
later, centuries progressed. 

474
00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,800
The priest asked both parties 
publicly, whether they consented

475
00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,200
freely to the marriage. 
This question was not a 

476
00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:50,100
formality included. 
For the sake of tradition, it 

477
00:26:50,100 --> 00:26:53,100
was the canonical hinge on which
the entire validity of the 

478
00:26:53,100 --> 00:26:56,700
preceding rested. 
Clearly coerced or compelled 

479
00:26:56,700 --> 00:26:59,600
answer could invalidate the 
ceremony in the eyes of church 

480
00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:02,900
law. 
The church was genuinely serious

481
00:27:02,900 --> 00:27:06,700
about this even in context where
the family surrounding the 

482
00:27:06,700 --> 00:27:10,200
couple were significantly, less 
attentive to the distinction 

483
00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,900
between willing agreement and 
resigned compliance. 

484
00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:17,900
After the exchange of vows, the 
couple received the nuptial 

485
00:27:17,900 --> 00:27:21,600
blessing at the altar. 
The bride was giving away by her

486
00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:25,000
father or a male relative, a 
gesture acknowledging. 

487
00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,700
The formal transfer of 
guardianship from her birth 

488
00:27:27,700 --> 00:27:32,700
family in her husband's care. 
She often wore her hair loose 

489
00:27:32,700 --> 00:27:36,500
and uncovered for the ceremony. 
A public Declaration of her 

490
00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:38,400
status. 
That carried, social weight 

491
00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:42,200
beyond the merely symbolic, 
Since a woman's reputation, for 

492
00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:46,500
Chastity, was directly connected
to questions of legitimacy that 

493
00:27:46,500 --> 00:27:49,600
would eventually matter to any 
children, she bore the wedding 

494
00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,800
Feast that followed could last 
for several days among families,

495
00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:56,700
with the means to sustain it or 
for a single festive afternoon 

496
00:27:56,700 --> 00:27:58,600
among those with more modest 
resources. 

497
00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:03,900
There was food proportionate to 
the occasion, ale or wine, 

498
00:28:03,900 --> 00:28:07,400
depending on the region and the 
season music that ranged from 

499
00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:10,100
the genuinely accomplished to 
the enthusiastically 

500
00:28:10,100 --> 00:28:13,600
well-intentioned dance dancing. 
That continued, until the older 

501
00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,800
guests quietly disappeared and 
the younger ones had forgotten 

502
00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:20,100
entirely that they had started 
the day with formal religious 

503
00:28:20,100 --> 00:28:23,000
obligations. 
What was Universal across? 

504
00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,800
All these variations was the 
public nature of the event. 

505
00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:30,300
A marriage needed to be 
witnessed it needed to exist in 

506
00:28:30,300 --> 00:28:31,900
the living memory of the 
community. 

507
00:28:31,900 --> 00:28:35,700
In a form that could be recalled
and testified to questions ever 

508
00:28:35,700 --> 00:28:40,400
arose later about legitimacy 
inheritance, while the true 

509
00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:44,800
marital status of either party, 
The guests were not simply 

510
00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:48,400
invited to enjoy themselves. 
They were serving a legal and 

511
00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:52,300
social function by being present
and paying attention, which is a

512
00:28:52,300 --> 00:28:54,700
responsibility most of them 
appear to have taken on with 

513
00:28:54,700 --> 00:28:58,200
good natured, thoroughness. 
There is a great hall somewhere 

514
00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:02,100
in the south of France in the 
region called occitania on a 

515
00:29:02,100 --> 00:29:03,800
warm evening in the late 12th 
century. 

516
00:29:04,700 --> 00:29:08,000
Torches burn in Iron, brackets 
along the stone walls. 

517
00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:11,200
The rushes on the floor. 
Have been freshened with dried 

518
00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:14,700
lavender and something 
resilience and the air carries 

519
00:29:14,700 --> 00:29:17,000
something sweet. 
Underneath the smell of roasting

520
00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:21,100
meat and Tallow smoke at the 
high table sits, the lady of the

521
00:29:21,108 --> 00:29:25,500
castle dressed with deliberate 
Splendor her hair braided with 

522
00:29:25,500 --> 00:29:29,200
silk ribbons of a particular 
shade of Deep Blue that cost 

523
00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:31,600
more than most people in the 
surrounding Countryside would 

524
00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:35,500
earn in a year around her at the
lower tables sit nights 

525
00:29:35,500 --> 00:29:39,400
clergyman and visiting nobleman 
in various states of attention 

526
00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:43,500
and a few men who are clearly 
neither Knights nor clergyman 

527
00:29:43,500 --> 00:29:46,700
but who hold themselves with a 
particular quality of alert 

528
00:29:46,700 --> 00:29:50,200
watchfulness the attentiveness 
of people who are memorizing, 

529
00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:53,800
everything around them. 
These are the true adores and 

530
00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:56,900
they are about to reshape the 
way educated Europeans thought 

531
00:29:56,900 --> 00:29:58,900
about love for the next 200 
years. 

532
00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:03,300
Troubadour tradition emerged in 
southern France around the end 

533
00:30:03,300 --> 00:30:06,600
of the 11th century and spread 
outward through Catalonia. 

534
00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:10,500
Northern Italy, northern France,
and eventually into 

535
00:30:10,500 --> 00:30:13,900
german-speaking lands where the 
equivalent poet was called a 

536
00:30:13,900 --> 00:30:17,200
minis anger. 
Singer of mini which was the 

537
00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:21,100
middle high German word for 
refined and elevated love the 

538
00:30:21,100 --> 00:30:22,800
Troubadours composed and 
performed. 

539
00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:26,800
Lyric poetry in the vernacular 
languages of their regions which

540
00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:29,200
was itself. 
A significant departure from the

541
00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:32,700
Latin that dominated serious 
writing in the medieval period. 

542
00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:37,300
They sang about love but love of
a very particular and carefully 

543
00:30:37,300 --> 00:30:40,900
constructed kind. 
The system they developed is 

544
00:30:40,900 --> 00:30:45,900
usually called Fina Moore in its
original form, meaning refined 

545
00:30:45,900 --> 00:30:49,800
or perfected love. 
The term courtly love was coined

546
00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:52,500
by a 19th century. 
French scholar named Gaston 

547
00:30:52,500 --> 00:30:55,900
Paris and would have meant 
nothing to the Troubadours 

548
00:30:55,900 --> 00:30:59,900
themselves, but it is attached 
itself to their tradition with 

549
00:30:59,900 --> 00:31:02,700
the permanents of something that
was always going to stick. 

550
00:31:03,500 --> 00:31:07,000
Fina Moore was built around a 
specific and elaborate set of 

551
00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:08,800
relationships and emotional 
states. 

552
00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:14,000
There was a lady, always of high
social standing almost always 

553
00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:17,600
presented as married to someone 
else who was elevated by the 

554
00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:20,200
poet to something. 
Approaching a quasi Divine 

555
00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:24,300
status, she was described in 
terms of radiant, physical, and 

556
00:31:24,300 --> 00:31:26,600
moral beauty, though. 
It must be said that. 

557
00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,200
After reading a certain number 
of these descriptions, they 

558
00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:31,100
begin to blur together. 
Considerably. 

559
00:31:31,900 --> 00:31:35,300
Since every Troubadours beloved 
apparently had golden hair. 

560
00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:40,200
Skin of remarkable fairness 
Bright Eyes of compelling, 

561
00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:42,600
intensity. 
And a bearing of such 

562
00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:45,800
extraordinary Grace that simply 
being in the same room with her.

563
00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:49,400
Was an experience that required 
several stands as to process. 

564
00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:53,900
There was the lover who adored 
her from a distance and suffered

565
00:31:53,900 --> 00:31:57,300
with extraordinary thoroughness 
his suffering was not 

566
00:31:57,300 --> 00:32:00,000
incidental. 
It was Central to the entire 

567
00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:04,200
project, the unrequited nature 
of his love was what refined and

568
00:32:04,208 --> 00:32:06,700
Noble to him, over time, burning
away. 

569
00:32:06,700 --> 00:32:09,700
What ever was unworthy in his 
character and leaving behind 

570
00:32:09,700 --> 00:32:13,400
something puree? 
Suffering in this tradition was 

571
00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:18,200
a form of moral progress, 
Andreas capellanus a chaplain 

572
00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:21,800
writing in late 12th century, 
France, composed A Treatise 

573
00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:26,200
called De Amor, meaning on love,
which attempted to codify the 

574
00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:30,200
rules of courtly, love with the 
systematic, thoroughness of a 

575
00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:33,500
man who had spent considerable 
time in the company of logicians

576
00:32:33,500 --> 00:32:35,800
and found the approach, useful 
for everything. 

577
00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:40,200
He described love as a suffering
arising from the beauty of 

578
00:32:40,208 --> 00:32:44,000
another person and producing an 
overwhelming desire. 

579
00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:48,000
He explained length that true 
love could not exist between 

580
00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:51,500
married people since marriage 
transformed, affection into 

581
00:32:51,500 --> 00:32:55,100
obligation and true love 
required the tension of freedom 

582
00:32:55,100 --> 00:32:57,600
and longing to maintain its 
essential character. 

583
00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:01,200
He laid out rules for how a 
proper lover, should conduct 

584
00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:04,600
himself, what posture of devoted
attentiveness. 

585
00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:08,100
He should maintain in his lady's
presence and how a lady of 

586
00:33:08,100 --> 00:33:10,400
quality should respond to 
sincere devotion. 

587
00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:14,300
It is worth noting that Andreas,
then spent the entire third 

588
00:33:14,300 --> 00:33:17,400
section of his Treatise 
vigorously recanting. 

589
00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:21,600
Everything he had argued in the 
first two parts and Advising men

590
00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:25,200
to avoid love entirely as a 
distraction from the serious 

591
00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:28,500
business of salvation. 
Scholars have been debating 

592
00:33:28,500 --> 00:33:32,000
whether this recantation was 
sincere or satirical for several

593
00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,500
hundred years and the debate 
shows no sign of resolving. 

594
00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:39,800
The Troubadour tradition gave 
the medieval aristocratic World.

595
00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:43,100
A sophisticated language for 
discussing interior. 

596
00:33:43,100 --> 00:33:48,200
Emotional experience in public. 
It validated the idea that love 

597
00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:52,200
was complex and transformative 
that it changed the person who 

598
00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:56,100
felt it and that the experience 
of longing was not merely 

599
00:33:56,100 --> 00:33:59,900
painful but morally and 
aesthetically significant in 

600
00:33:59,900 --> 00:34:02,600
ways that warranted careful 
artistic attention. 

601
00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:08,000
The lady was not simply an 
object of Desire, she was in the

602
00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:11,900
Troubadour framework, the kind 
of moral Authority, whose 

603
00:34:11,900 --> 00:34:14,300
imagined judgment pressed. 
The lover toward becoming, 

604
00:34:14,300 --> 00:34:18,600
genuinely, better more 
courteous, more controlled, more

605
00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:22,199
capable of the virtues that an 
aristocratic Community valued 

606
00:34:22,199 --> 00:34:25,500
and rewarded. 
This had a connection to actual 

607
00:34:25,500 --> 00:34:27,500
practice that was less 
theoretical than it. 

608
00:34:27,500 --> 00:34:30,800
Might sound. 
In the world of the aristocracy 

609
00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:35,000
where marriages were arranged 
and where proximity to a lady of

610
00:34:35,007 --> 00:34:38,300
standing, brought real social 
benefits to the men in her 

611
00:34:38,300 --> 00:34:41,000
household. 
The ability to express yourself 

612
00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:44,500
with eloquence in the recognized
language of refined love was a 

613
00:34:44,500 --> 00:34:48,300
genuine social asset. 
A young Knight who could compose

614
00:34:48,300 --> 00:34:51,900
a possible lyrics, who could 
speak gracefully of admiration 

615
00:34:51,900 --> 00:34:54,500
without embarrassing himself or 
the object of it. 

616
00:34:55,199 --> 00:34:57,600
Who understood the unwritten 
codes of conduct? 

617
00:34:57,600 --> 00:34:59,000
Governing? 
Mixed sex. 

618
00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:03,900
Gatherings in a great hall, was 
a more valuable companion and a 

619
00:35:03,900 --> 00:35:06,800
more credible aspirant to 
preferment the one who could not

620
00:35:07,700 --> 00:35:12,000
Courtlyn was not only poetry, it
was performance and performance 

621
00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:15,900
had real Stakes. 
The Practical reality of how 

622
00:35:15,900 --> 00:35:19,300
Noble courtship actually worked 
was that young men and women 

623
00:35:19,300 --> 00:35:21,800
encountered each other and 
controlled social settings. 

624
00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:25,400
Great Hall, Gatherings feast 
days, hunting parties. 

625
00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:29,800
Organized along careful lines of
propriety visits between 

626
00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:32,800
neighboring states with suitable
chaperone throughout. 

627
00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:36,800
The period of acquaintances 
before a formal match was 

628
00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:39,600
negotiated between families was 
often quite brief. 

629
00:35:40,300 --> 00:35:42,600
And the young people at the 
center of, it had limited 

630
00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:44,100
freedom to shape, what was 
happening? 

631
00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,900
But within those narrow 
boundaries a great deal of 

632
00:35:47,900 --> 00:35:52,000
careful signaling went on a 
woman who accepted a token from 

633
00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:55,900
a man was indicating something a
woman who wore a particular 

634
00:35:55,900 --> 00:35:59,100
flower associated with a 
specific admirer indicated, 

635
00:35:59,100 --> 00:36:02,200
something else. 
A woman who danced with one man 

636
00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:05,900
and then declined to dance with 
another was making a statement 

637
00:36:05,900 --> 00:36:09,800
that everyone in the room read 
and then discussed for the rest 

638
00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:12,500
of the evening. 
A man who composed a poem 

639
00:36:12,500 --> 00:36:15,900
addressed to a lady even one 
that would never be read aloud 

640
00:36:15,900 --> 00:36:19,100
in her presence, was 
participating in a recognized 

641
00:36:19,100 --> 00:36:22,500
public performance of devotion 
that positioned him within the 

642
00:36:22,500 --> 00:36:26,700
social landscape of the hall in 
ways, he clearly understood and 

643
00:36:26,700 --> 00:36:30,800
was managing carefully. 
The Countess of d, one of the 

644
00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:33,200
rare female Troubadours whose 
work has survived. 

645
00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:36,800
In recoverable form wrote poems 
from the woman's perspective 

646
00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:40,000
that have a directness and 
warmth that cuts through the 

647
00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:42,800
conventions of the tradition 
with notable clarity. 

648
00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:47,200
Her verses describe longing, and
desire, and the specific 

649
00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:50,300
frustration of wanting someone 
who is present but unreachable 

650
00:36:50,300 --> 00:36:54,100
and they have a quality that 
makes them feel less like the 

651
00:36:54,100 --> 00:36:57,700
careful execution of a literary 
convention and more like the 

652
00:36:57,700 --> 00:36:59,800
actual record of a feeling 
someone had. 

653
00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:03,900
She was working within a system.
She was also writing from 

654
00:37:03,900 --> 00:37:07,500
somewhere genuinely her own the 
truth or tradition eventually 

655
00:37:07,500 --> 00:37:10,200
faded. 
Its momentum partly broken by 

656
00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:13,600
the Albert gentian crusade in 
the early 13th century, which 

657
00:37:13,600 --> 00:37:16,300
devastated, the octet and 
culture, in which it had most 

658
00:37:16,300 --> 00:37:20,000
fully flourished. but its 
influence was already embedded 

659
00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:23,300
in the literary imagination of 
Europe by their Shape the 

660
00:37:23,300 --> 00:37:27,100
literature of northern France, 
filtered into Italy where Dante 

661
00:37:27,100 --> 00:37:31,300
and petroc, transformed, it into
something new and Lasting cross 

662
00:37:31,300 --> 00:37:35,100
the channel in to England where 
it informed Geoffrey Chaucer and

663
00:37:35,100 --> 00:37:37,300
the tradition of courtly poetry 
that followed him. 

664
00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:40,600
The language of courtly love 
became a shared European 

665
00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:43,100
vocabulary for discussing 
romantic feelings. 

666
00:37:43,100 --> 00:37:46,100
That persisted long. 
After the truble themselves were

667
00:37:46,100 --> 00:37:48,600
gone. 
What tends to get lost in the 

668
00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:51,000
academic? 
Treatment of the tradition, is 

669
00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:53,300
how it actually felt to be in a 
room when it was being 

670
00:37:53,300 --> 00:37:56,800
performed. 
The Troubadour was not simply a 

671
00:37:56,800 --> 00:38:00,700
poet, reciting written lines, he
was a musician, a performer. 

672
00:38:00,700 --> 00:38:05,000
A figure who combined words and 
Melody and physical presence in 

673
00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:08,200
a way that was designed to 
produce a specific emotional 

674
00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:12,500
response in a specific audience.
The Melodies that survived from 

675
00:38:12,500 --> 00:38:16,100
the period notated in ways that 
musicologists have worked for 

676
00:38:16,100 --> 00:38:20,200
generations to interpret have a 
quality that is both formal and 

677
00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:23,000
intimate. 
They were composed for voices, 

678
00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:26,500
not instruments and the words 
and the music were written 

679
00:38:26,500 --> 00:38:28,200
together, rather than 
separately. 

680
00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:31,700
So that the emotional Arc of the
lyric and the movement of the 

681
00:38:31,700 --> 00:38:34,300
melody, supported each other at 
each turn. 

682
00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:38,300
The lady being addressed in the 
song was frequently present in 

683
00:38:38,300 --> 00:38:41,700
the room where it was performed.
The rest of the audience knew 

684
00:38:41,700 --> 00:38:45,300
perfectly, well, who she was. 
Performance was among other 

685
00:38:45,300 --> 00:38:48,500
things, a piece of social 
theater in which the poet 

686
00:38:48,500 --> 00:38:52,100
declared his devotion, publicly 
and the lady was observed, in 

687
00:38:52,100 --> 00:38:56,000
her response to it a response 
that needed to be calibrated 

688
00:38:56,000 --> 00:39:00,500
with considerable care two, 
warmer reception invited gossip,

689
00:39:00,500 --> 00:39:03,800
two cold. 
One might seem unkind or suggest

690
00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:05,500
that the poet was not worth 
acknowledging. 

691
00:39:06,700 --> 00:39:08,700
The correct register was 
somewhere in the middle. 

692
00:39:09,500 --> 00:39:12,500
Poised appreciation that honored
the performance without 

693
00:39:12,500 --> 00:39:15,800
committing to anything and a 
woman who could hold that 

694
00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:19,100
register in a room full of 
people watching her face was, 

695
00:39:19,100 --> 00:39:23,000
demonstrating a social skill 
that the courtly World valued, 

696
00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:26,400
very highly. 
Step away from the great hall. 

697
00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:29,800
Now, leave the Torches and the 
silk ribbons and the elaborate 

698
00:39:29,800 --> 00:39:34,400
architecture of longing behind 
come outside into the cool 

699
00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:37,400
evening air, you're standing at 
the edge of a Village Green 

700
00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:39,800
somewhere in central England, on
the first of May. 

701
00:39:40,700 --> 00:39:44,500
The Years Around 1280, 
approximately and the day has 

702
00:39:44,500 --> 00:39:47,300
that quality of early summer, 
that makes everything feel 

703
00:39:47,300 --> 00:39:50,400
slightly heightened. 
As if the light itself, cannot 

704
00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:52,500
quite believe how long it has 
been allowed to last. 

705
00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:55,100
Flowers have been tucked into 
people's hair. 

706
00:39:55,100 --> 00:39:58,400
Someone has dragged a barrel out
from the Ale House with the air 

707
00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:01,200
of a man who has been waiting 
for an adequate occasion since 

708
00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:05,000
approximately October. 
A fiddler is playing with the 

709
00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:08,100
cheerful ferocity of someone who
has been cooped up through a 

710
00:40:08,100 --> 00:40:12,100
long English winter, and is not 
wasting a single note of good 

711
00:40:12,100 --> 00:40:15,600
weather. 
This is made day, and it is one 

712
00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:18,100
of the most significant 
occasions in The Peasant 

713
00:40:18,100 --> 00:40:21,300
courtship calendar. 
Medieval peasant courtship 

714
00:40:21,300 --> 00:40:24,900
operated in a world with far 
fewer of the elaborate rituals 

715
00:40:24,900 --> 00:40:27,900
and written conventions that 
govern the aristocratic version.

716
00:40:28,900 --> 00:40:32,100
There were no treaties on how to
conduct yourself toward a lady, 

717
00:40:32,100 --> 00:40:33,900
whose attention you were hoping 
to attract. 

718
00:40:34,700 --> 00:40:37,200
There were no great halls with 
ladies at the high table 

719
00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:40,000
setting, the tone of refined 
behavior for everyone below 

720
00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:41,900
them. 
There was, however, something 

721
00:40:41,900 --> 00:40:45,400
that the aristocratic world did 
not have in quite the same form,

722
00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:48,600
which was the Titan attentive 
community of a village where 

723
00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:52,000
everyone knew everything and 
everyone had been watching you. 

724
00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:55,700
Since you were born which served
as both a constraint and a kind 

725
00:40:55,708 --> 00:40:58,800
of collective supervision that 
kept the whole system running 

726
00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:02,200
may day was the most visible of 
the seasonal courtship 

727
00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:05,400
occasions. 
A festival with roots older than

728
00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:07,900
the Christianity that had 
partially absorbed it. 

729
00:41:08,700 --> 00:41:12,000
The church had never quite 
managed to fully incorporate May

730
00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:15,100
Day into its calendar in a way 
that made it primarily about 

731
00:41:15,100 --> 00:41:18,800
anything, except Springtime. 
And the observable fact that 

732
00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:22,300
young people found each other 
attractive, young men, and women

733
00:41:22,300 --> 00:41:25,200
went out into the surrounding 
Woods Before Dawn, to cut 

734
00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:28,500
Greenery and flowers for the 
maypole and for the seasonal 

735
00:41:28,500 --> 00:41:32,100
decoration of houses and 
doorways, they came back several

736
00:41:32,100 --> 00:41:35,600
hours later in a state of 
sociable relaxation that the 

737
00:41:35,600 --> 00:41:38,500
older villagers noted with a 
combination of indulgences and 

738
00:41:38,500 --> 00:41:41,100
performed to prove. 
All that had been calibrated 

739
00:41:41,100 --> 00:41:43,700
across many generations of this 
same occasion. 

740
00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:48,700
The church issued periodic 
formal commentary about this 

741
00:41:48,700 --> 00:41:51,400
particular aspect of May Day 
celebrations. 

742
00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:55,300
The commentary was Earnest 
carefully worded and had 

743
00:41:55,300 --> 00:41:59,200
approximately the effect on 
community behavior that Stern, 

744
00:41:59,200 --> 00:42:01,900
official commentary on seasonal 
festivities involving young 

745
00:42:01,900 --> 00:42:05,700
adults has always had, which is 
to say very little, the harvest 

746
00:42:05,700 --> 00:42:08,400
season in late summer and Early 
Autumn was another opportunity 

747
00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:11,700
of real importance. 
Harvest work brought the whole 

748
00:42:11,700 --> 00:42:15,100
Community into sustained close 
contact over a period of weeks 

749
00:42:15,100 --> 00:42:18,700
laboring together in the same 
fields from early morning until 

750
00:42:18,700 --> 00:42:22,400
the light failed, sharing the 
communal meals and evening 

751
00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:26,000
relaxation, that followed along 
day of physical work, young men,

752
00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:30,200
and women worked side by side 
and the informal conversations 

753
00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:34,300
and developing familiarity of 
weeks of shared labor for a form

754
00:42:34,300 --> 00:42:37,200
of courtship that operated below
the level of anything. 

755
00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:41,800
Requiring parental negotiation A
young man who worked hard and 

756
00:42:41,800 --> 00:42:44,400
steadily who was good humored 
when he was tired. 

757
00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:47,600
He was honest in his dealings 
with the other laborers, and 

758
00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:50,900
reliable in the small practical 
ways that daily life depended 

759
00:42:50,900 --> 00:42:53,300
on. 
Was displaying exactly the 

760
00:42:53,300 --> 00:42:55,000
qualities. 
A young woman's family was 

761
00:42:55,000 --> 00:42:58,000
quietly. 
Assessing The young woman who 

762
00:42:58,000 --> 00:43:01,300
was capable and resourceful, who
was known for her good sense. 

763
00:43:01,300 --> 00:43:04,600
And pleasant manner, who was 
spoken of well, by the people 

764
00:43:04,600 --> 00:43:08,100
who worked alongside her was 
presenting the most persuasive 

765
00:43:08,100 --> 00:43:11,800
possible case to any family that
might be considering whether she

766
00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:13,400
was a worthy match for their 
son. 

767
00:43:14,300 --> 00:43:17,300
Village fairs and Saints days, 
provided similar. 

768
00:43:17,300 --> 00:43:19,500
Occasions with a more festive 
quality. 

769
00:43:20,200 --> 00:43:23,300
These were not private events, 
requiring any kind of special 

770
00:43:23,300 --> 00:43:26,000
permission to attend. 
They were public communal, 

771
00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:28,100
Gatherings that brought 
together, everyone from the 

772
00:43:28,100 --> 00:43:31,000
surrounding parishes and they 
functioned as a kind of 

773
00:43:31,000 --> 00:43:34,200
supervised social mixing that 
allowed young people to meet and

774
00:43:34,200 --> 00:43:35,700
spend time in each other's 
company. 

775
00:43:35,700 --> 00:43:39,600
While surrounded by the full 
social oversight of everyone who

776
00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:42,600
knew them. 
A young couple who spent time 

777
00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:46,100
together at the michaelmas fair 
was doing so in Plainview of 

778
00:43:46,100 --> 00:43:50,400
their parents, their neighbors, 
the local priest, several arms, 

779
00:43:50,400 --> 00:43:54,300
and at least one person, they 
had not previously recognized to

780
00:43:54,300 --> 00:43:57,800
turned out to be a second cousin
on their mother's side who had 

781
00:43:57,800 --> 00:44:00,200
opinions about everything and 
shared them freely. 

782
00:44:01,700 --> 00:44:04,800
This was not a bad thing from 
the perspective of a family 

783
00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:07,700
trying to manage its daughter's 
courtship with appropriate care.

784
00:44:08,600 --> 00:44:10,800
Public visibility was a form of 
protection. 

785
00:44:10,800 --> 00:44:15,000
What was seen and known could be
assessed and discussed and 

786
00:44:15,000 --> 00:44:18,000
managed what happened in private
was beyond the reach of the 

787
00:44:18,008 --> 00:44:21,800
community's supervisory function
and therefore considerably more 

788
00:44:21,800 --> 00:44:24,900
alarming. 
The concept of reputation was 

789
00:44:24,900 --> 00:44:29,000
absolutely Central to Village 
courtship in a way that requires

790
00:44:29,000 --> 00:44:32,800
genuine thought to appreciate 
fully from a modern distance. 

791
00:44:33,700 --> 00:44:37,000
A young woman's marriage ability
rested, very substantially on 

792
00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:40,200
her publicly recognized 
reputation for Chastity and good

793
00:44:40,200 --> 00:44:43,200
character. 
This was not merely a matter of 

794
00:44:43,200 --> 00:44:46,100
moral judgment passed by 
neighbors, with nothing better 

795
00:44:46,100 --> 00:44:51,200
to think about it, had Direct 
practical consequences, a bride,

796
00:44:51,200 --> 00:44:54,200
whose Chastity was in. 
Question was a liability to her 

797
00:44:54,200 --> 00:44:57,400
husband's family, because any 
children, she bore might not 

798
00:44:57,400 --> 00:45:00,600
carry her husband's blood, which
meant, that his property, in his

799
00:45:00,600 --> 00:45:03,800
name, could pass to people with 
no legitimate claim to either 

800
00:45:03,800 --> 00:45:07,900
the community enforcement of 
female reputation through gossip

801
00:45:07,900 --> 00:45:10,700
through the surveillance of 
young women, women's movements, 

802
00:45:10,700 --> 00:45:14,200
and associations, and through 
the real social penalties 

803
00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:17,900
attached to any behavior. 
That invited suspicion was 

804
00:45:17,900 --> 00:45:21,300
structural rather than 
incidental to the way Village 

805
00:45:21,300 --> 00:45:23,800
Life. 
Organized itself for young men 

806
00:45:23,800 --> 00:45:27,400
reputation operated along 
different lines, but was no less

807
00:45:27,400 --> 00:45:30,700
significant. 
A man standing rested on his 

808
00:45:30,700 --> 00:45:34,500
reliability. 
His competence at his work, is 

809
00:45:34,500 --> 00:45:38,100
honesty and transactions. 
His capacity to manage a 

810
00:45:38,100 --> 00:45:40,500
household and meet obligations 
consistently. 

811
00:45:42,000 --> 00:45:45,000
A man known to be a steady 
worker, whose word could be 

812
00:45:45,008 --> 00:45:48,300
trusted, who was not given to 
violence, or drink, or running 

813
00:45:48,300 --> 00:45:50,600
up debts. 
He had no visible means of 

814
00:45:50,600 --> 00:45:54,200
paying was a man whose interest 
in the young woman would be 

815
00:45:54,200 --> 00:45:56,600
taken seriously and welcomed by 
her family. 

816
00:45:57,900 --> 00:46:00,800
A man without these qualities 
found the doors of suitable 

817
00:46:00,800 --> 00:46:04,700
households closed to him in ways
that no amount of attractive 

818
00:46:04,700 --> 00:46:08,200
personal qualities could fully 
compensate for tokens. 

819
00:46:08,200 --> 00:46:12,200
Played a significant role in 
Village, courtship simple gifts,

820
00:46:12,200 --> 00:46:15,600
that communicated, genuine 
interest and affection within 

821
00:46:15,600 --> 00:46:18,300
the acceptable channel of 
recognized gesture. 

822
00:46:19,600 --> 00:46:21,700
Young man might give a girl a 
wooden comb. 

823
00:46:21,700 --> 00:46:24,900
He had carved himself during the
winter, evening's went outdoor. 

824
00:46:24,900 --> 00:46:27,700
Work was impossible. 
He might bring her a particular 

825
00:46:27,700 --> 00:46:31,100
flower on a feast day one that 
they both understood was not 

826
00:46:31,100 --> 00:46:34,000
entirely casual. 
He might offer her a piece of 

827
00:46:34,008 --> 00:46:36,500
simple jewelry. 
Purchased at the Market, Fair, 

828
00:46:36,500 --> 00:46:39,900
with money, he had saved 
specifically for this purpose. 

829
00:46:41,000 --> 00:46:44,000
These were small things in 
material terms, but they were 

830
00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:47,900
not casual in meaning. 
They were a vocabulary. the 

831
00:46:47,900 --> 00:46:51,500
giving and receiving of a token 
was a meaningful Exchange in a 

832
00:46:51,500 --> 00:46:53,700
world where people were careful 
about what they communicated 

833
00:46:53,700 --> 00:46:57,500
publicly and understood that 
small gestures, carried weight, 

834
00:46:58,400 --> 00:47:02,200
Accepting a token indicated 
something wearing it in a 

835
00:47:02,200 --> 00:47:06,000
visible place, indicated 
something, further returning, it

836
00:47:06,000 --> 00:47:08,200
indicated. 
Something that the young man in 

837
00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:10,300
question would not forget for 
quite some time. 

838
00:47:11,200 --> 00:47:13,400
There was all. 
So in the informal economy of 

839
00:47:13,400 --> 00:47:17,200
Village, courtship a figure who 
does not appear in the grander, 

840
00:47:17,200 --> 00:47:20,700
historical narrative, but who 
was present and in most 

841
00:47:20,700 --> 00:47:23,800
communities, and that was the 
informal Matchmaker. 

842
00:47:24,600 --> 00:47:28,400
Not a professional, not a paid 
into media but simply the woman 

843
00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:31,100
in the village, who knew 
everyone, who had an instinct 

844
00:47:31,100 --> 00:47:32,800
for which young, people might 
suit each other. 

845
00:47:32,800 --> 00:47:36,600
And who quietly arranged for the
right people to be standing near

846
00:47:36,600 --> 00:47:40,100
each other at the right moment. 
She was often an older woman 

847
00:47:40,100 --> 00:47:44,700
respected in the community known
for her good judgment in human 

848
00:47:44,700 --> 00:47:47,400
matters. 
She operated entirely through 

849
00:47:47,400 --> 00:47:50,300
conversation and Casual social 
arrangement. 

850
00:47:51,300 --> 00:47:54,400
She mentioned to one mother that
her son had been asking about a 

851
00:47:54,400 --> 00:47:57,200
certain young woman. 
She suggested to a father that 

852
00:47:57,200 --> 00:48:00,000
his daughter in the Miller's son
had been seen talking pleasantly

853
00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:03,300
at the last Market day and that 
this might be worth encouraging.

854
00:48:04,200 --> 00:48:09,400
She was unofficial unrecorded 
and everywhere, the Ale House, 

855
00:48:09,400 --> 00:48:12,800
which existed, in some form, in 
almost every medieval English 

856
00:48:12,800 --> 00:48:16,700
Village, Served a similar 
function of informal social 

857
00:48:16,700 --> 00:48:19,700
mixing that the formal records 
do not always capture. 

858
00:48:20,600 --> 00:48:23,400
It was one of the few spaces 
where men and women of the same 

859
00:48:23,400 --> 00:48:26,700
Community could be in each 
other's company in a semi-public

860
00:48:26,700 --> 00:48:29,300
setting, without the full weight
of family supervision. 

861
00:48:30,300 --> 00:48:33,000
The L wife, who ran the 
establishment was generally a 

862
00:48:33,000 --> 00:48:36,300
woman of some Independence and 
considerable social awareness 

863
00:48:36,300 --> 00:48:39,900
and the establishment, she ran 
was a place where information 

864
00:48:39,900 --> 00:48:44,000
moved freely and where people's 
Association became known for 

865
00:48:44,000 --> 00:48:48,500
better or worse to everyone in 
the parish, the bundling Customs

866
00:48:48,500 --> 00:48:52,200
that existed in some parts of 
medieval northern Europe where a

867
00:48:52,200 --> 00:48:54,500
courting couple might be a 
permitted to spend the night in 

868
00:48:54,500 --> 00:48:57,900
the same bed, while fully 
clothed and sometimes separated 

869
00:48:57,900 --> 00:49:00,800
by a physical board. 
Placed between them have a 

870
00:49:00,800 --> 00:49:04,100
tracted, considerable amused, 
historical attention The 

871
00:49:04,100 --> 00:49:07,400
practice reflects a practical 
reality of medieval domestic 

872
00:49:07,400 --> 00:49:09,800
life. 
Which is that there was often 

873
00:49:09,800 --> 00:49:13,500
very limited private space and 
very limited warmth. 

874
00:49:14,100 --> 00:49:16,800
And that a courtship conducted 
entirely and daylight. 

875
00:49:16,800 --> 00:49:20,400
And in full public view, had 
obvious constraints on the kind 

876
00:49:20,400 --> 00:49:23,600
of quiet conversation that 
genuine acquaintance requires 

877
00:49:24,400 --> 00:49:26,900
The board and the clothing and 
the family members sleeping 

878
00:49:26,900 --> 00:49:30,300
nearby with the supervision and 
whether that's supervision was 

879
00:49:30,300 --> 00:49:32,500
consistently. 
Effective is a question, the 

880
00:49:32,500 --> 00:49:36,100
historical record declines to 
answer with complete Clarity, 

881
00:49:36,100 --> 00:49:39,600
perhaps wisely. 
There is a different kind of 

882
00:49:39,600 --> 00:49:42,200
intimacy available in the 
medieval world that tends to get

883
00:49:42,200 --> 00:49:45,300
overlooked in the grand. 
Sweep of arranged marriages and 

884
00:49:45,300 --> 00:49:49,300
betrayal ceremonies and the 
elaborate performance of courtly

885
00:49:49,300 --> 00:49:51,900
devotion. 
And that is the intimacy of 

886
00:49:51,908 --> 00:49:55,000
objects. 
The Medieval World communicated 

887
00:49:55,000 --> 00:49:59,100
emotion partly through things a 
ring given up betrothal was 

888
00:49:59,100 --> 00:50:02,500
simultaneously, illegal 
document, a spiritual commitment

889
00:50:02,500 --> 00:50:05,800
and an emotional statement 
carried on the body every day. 

890
00:50:06,600 --> 00:50:10,100
A glove sent by a lady to a 
night before, a tournament was a

891
00:50:10,100 --> 00:50:13,500
public statement of Alliance and
personal endorsement that 

892
00:50:13,500 --> 00:50:15,000
everyone watching would read 
correctly. 

893
00:50:16,400 --> 00:50:19,100
A lock of hair enclosed in a 
small leather case. 

894
00:50:19,100 --> 00:50:22,100
And carried next to the body was
Private devotion. 

895
00:50:22,100 --> 00:50:25,800
Made portable in a world without
any technology for communicating

896
00:50:25,800 --> 00:50:28,800
across distance, except the 
written word and the physical 

897
00:50:28,800 --> 00:50:32,000
messenger who carried it. 
The objects that passed between 

898
00:50:32,000 --> 00:50:35,300
people in relationships. 
Carried a weight of feeling that

899
00:50:35,300 --> 00:50:38,600
is genuinely difficult to convey
to people who live in a world 

900
00:50:38,600 --> 00:50:41,800
where you can send a message to 
anyone on Earth in a few seconds

901
00:50:41,800 --> 00:50:45,100
and receive an answer before you
have put down your phone. 

902
00:50:45,900 --> 00:50:48,800
Love tokens among ordinary 
people were modest in their 

903
00:50:48,800 --> 00:50:51,100
material value and precise in 
their personal. 

904
00:50:51,100 --> 00:50:54,500
Meaning Carved. 
Wooden comb made during the 

905
00:50:54,500 --> 00:50:58,200
winter, evening's, a small glass
bead threaded on a cord. 

906
00:50:59,200 --> 00:51:02,600
Pouch sewn from good cloth. 
In a particular color, a knife 

907
00:51:02,600 --> 00:51:05,800
with a carved handle, the 
carving elaborate enough to have

908
00:51:05,800 --> 00:51:07,700
required real patients and real 
time. 

909
00:51:08,600 --> 00:51:10,900
Among wealthier. 
People tokens were more 

910
00:51:10,900 --> 00:51:14,500
elaborate in their craft. 
Brochures in the shape of clasp 

911
00:51:14,500 --> 00:51:18,500
hands called fed brooches from 
the Italian word for faith. 

912
00:51:19,200 --> 00:51:21,800
Were common courtship gifts 
throughout the medieval period, 

913
00:51:21,800 --> 00:51:25,700
they appear in inventory, is in 
Wills in manuscript 

914
00:51:25,700 --> 00:51:28,800
illustrations, and in the 
archaeological record with 

915
00:51:28,800 --> 00:51:31,500
enough frequency to make clear 
that they were widely understood

916
00:51:31,500 --> 00:51:33,500
as symbols of fidelity and 
attachment. 

917
00:51:34,700 --> 00:51:38,000
Some surviving examples are 
small and plain enough to have 

918
00:51:38,000 --> 00:51:40,100
been made by hand for a specific
person. 

919
00:51:40,900 --> 00:51:44,300
Others are finally worked in 
Gold set with colored stones 

920
00:51:44,300 --> 00:51:47,600
engraved with inscriptions that 
suggests they were presented 

921
00:51:47,600 --> 00:51:51,300
with real ceremony. the Posey 
ring we touched on in the 

922
00:51:51,300 --> 00:51:54,500
context of betrothal deserves 
more attention than it often 

923
00:51:54,500 --> 00:51:58,600
receives posi inscriptions were 
not mass produced sentiments. 

924
00:51:58,600 --> 00:52:02,700
Each was composed for a specific
ring given to a specific person 

925
00:52:02,700 --> 00:52:06,500
and the variety of tone in the 
surviving examples is striking 

926
00:52:07,500 --> 00:52:10,900
Some formerly theological 
invoke, the blessing of God on 

927
00:52:10,900 --> 00:52:14,500
the union with proper solemnity,
some are simply and quietly 

928
00:52:14,500 --> 00:52:17,400
affectionate expressing Fidelity
and language. 

929
00:52:17,400 --> 00:52:20,700
So played, it has retained. 
Its warmth across 7th centuries 

930
00:52:20,700 --> 00:52:24,800
without needing any translation 
a fewer gently humorous, which 

931
00:52:24,800 --> 00:52:28,100
tells you something particular 
about the couple involved or at 

932
00:52:28,100 --> 00:52:31,000
least about the one who 
commissioned the inscription and

933
00:52:31,000 --> 00:52:34,100
which serves as a reminder that 
medieval people had a genuine 

934
00:52:34,100 --> 00:52:37,700
sense of humor about love that 
the grander literary Traditions 

935
00:52:37,700 --> 00:52:42,900
tend to accidentally concealed 
letters occupied A peculiar and 

936
00:52:42,900 --> 00:52:47,200
sometimes vulnerable position in
medieval courtship because 

937
00:52:47,200 --> 00:52:49,700
literacy was not evenly 
distributed across the 

938
00:52:49,700 --> 00:52:53,400
population. 
In the early medieval centuries 

939
00:52:53,400 --> 00:52:57,000
reading and writing were largely
the province of the clergy and a

940
00:52:57,000 --> 00:53:00,900
small educated layer Elite. 
As literacy gradually expanded 

941
00:53:00,900 --> 00:53:02,600
through the later, medieval 
period. 

942
00:53:03,500 --> 00:53:07,400
Particularly among Merchants 
Urban Artisans and portions of 

943
00:53:07,408 --> 00:53:11,500
the minor nobility and gentry 
letters became an increasingly 

944
00:53:11,500 --> 00:53:15,000
significant medium through which
people in relationships, could 

945
00:53:15,000 --> 00:53:19,400
communicate across the distances
that work travel and family. 

946
00:53:19,400 --> 00:53:23,600
Obligation regularly created a 
letter sent between a betrothed 

947
00:53:23,600 --> 00:53:27,300
couple separated by geography. 
Carried, emotional weight, that 

948
00:53:27,300 --> 00:53:29,700
was compounded by the difficulty
of producing it. 

949
00:53:30,600 --> 00:53:33,800
It had to be written which 
required either the writers own 

950
00:53:33,800 --> 00:53:38,100
skill or the assistance of a 
literate intermediary, a 

951
00:53:38,100 --> 00:53:41,800
professional scribe or helpful 
clergyman, which added a layer 

952
00:53:41,800 --> 00:53:45,400
of semi-public exposure to, even
the most private sentiment. 

953
00:53:46,500 --> 00:53:50,000
A letter dictated to ascribe was
a letter to the Scribe at heard,

954
00:53:50,000 --> 00:53:54,500
and scribes were human beings 
who talked to other people, the 

955
00:53:54,500 --> 00:53:58,100
letter then had to be entrusted 
to a messenger paid in advance, 

956
00:53:58,100 --> 00:54:01,200
whose reliability? 
And discretion could not always 

957
00:54:01,200 --> 00:54:04,600
be guaranteed and whose Journey 
could take days or weeks 

958
00:54:04,600 --> 00:54:06,400
depending on the distance 
involved. 

959
00:54:07,100 --> 00:54:10,900
It had to arrive be opened and 
be read by someone who's 

960
00:54:10,900 --> 00:54:13,600
response. 
The sender could not observe and

961
00:54:13,600 --> 00:54:15,900
would not learn of for another 
long interval after that. 

962
00:54:16,900 --> 00:54:19,600
It's done letters a remarkable 
collection of correspondence, 

963
00:54:19,600 --> 00:54:22,600
from a 15th century. 
English family in Norfolk. 

964
00:54:22,600 --> 00:54:27,500
Illuminate, this world with 
unusual clarity, Pistons were 

965
00:54:27,500 --> 00:54:31,600
ambitious calculating and fully 
embedded in the system of 

966
00:54:31,600 --> 00:54:34,300
arranged marriage as an 
instrument of social 

967
00:54:34,300 --> 00:54:36,500
advancement. 
The kind of family that 

968
00:54:36,500 --> 00:54:39,700
negotiated their children's 
Futures with the Strategic 

969
00:54:39,700 --> 00:54:42,700
seriousness of people who had 
worked hard to get where they 

970
00:54:42,708 --> 00:54:45,800
were and had no intention of 
losing ground through 

971
00:54:45,800 --> 00:54:49,300
sentimentality. 
And yet within that framework 

972
00:54:49,300 --> 00:54:53,400
individual voices emerge from 
the letters with distinctive 

973
00:54:53,400 --> 00:54:57,900
warmth and anxiety and 
occasional dry humor, a daughter

974
00:54:57,900 --> 00:54:59,800
writing her. 
Future husband in the weeks 

975
00:54:59,800 --> 00:55:03,700
before their wedding managers to
be both formally proper and 

976
00:55:03,700 --> 00:55:07,300
quietly personal in a way that 
suggests the two of them had 

977
00:55:07,300 --> 00:55:09,600
established. 
Some genuine Mutual regard 

978
00:55:09,600 --> 00:55:12,300
within the constraints. 
They were navigating that they 

979
00:55:12,300 --> 00:55:15,300
were not simply fulfilling a 
contract, but were all so 

980
00:55:15,300 --> 00:55:18,600
tentatively and within the 
available space, becoming 

981
00:55:18,600 --> 00:55:23,000
acquainted. reputation as a 
governing force in courtship 

982
00:55:23,000 --> 00:55:25,900
extended Beyond The Village into
the documented record of 

983
00:55:25,900 --> 00:55:30,400
families with resources, worth 
tracking, Among the nobility and

984
00:55:30,400 --> 00:55:34,200
the wealthier merchant classes, 
a family standing was partly a 

985
00:55:34,200 --> 00:55:35,700
matter of written and remembered
history. 

986
00:55:35,700 --> 00:55:41,300
Lineage property records legal 
histories of how obligations had

987
00:55:41,300 --> 00:55:44,700
been honored or avoided the 
known characters of sons and 

988
00:55:44,700 --> 00:55:47,900
daughters reported across the 
network of family and Regional 

989
00:55:47,900 --> 00:55:51,200
connection. 
A family with a consistent 

990
00:55:51,200 --> 00:55:53,800
record of honoring its 
agreements was a desirable 

991
00:55:53,800 --> 00:55:56,800
partner. 
In any marriage negotiation, a 

992
00:55:56,800 --> 00:55:59,800
family known for producing sons 
of unreliable character, or 

993
00:55:59,800 --> 00:56:02,800
daughter's whose Behavior had 
been the subject of gossip, but 

994
00:56:02,800 --> 00:56:05,700
find the most desirable 
potential matches, directing 

995
00:56:05,700 --> 00:56:09,700
their attention elsewhere. 
For women, the management of 

996
00:56:09,700 --> 00:56:12,900
reputation was a continuous 
occupation that required real 

997
00:56:12,900 --> 00:56:16,600
skill and real attention. 
The appearance of propriety 

998
00:56:16,600 --> 00:56:20,000
matted alongside propriety 
itself because Community 

999
00:56:20,000 --> 00:56:23,600
judgment operated on visible 
Behavior and the stories that 

1000
00:56:23,600 --> 00:56:28,000
circulated about it, A woman who
was seen too often in the 

1001
00:56:28,000 --> 00:56:32,300
company of a man who was not her
betrothed or her Kinsmen was 

1002
00:56:32,300 --> 00:56:35,700
generating a story about herself
that she would then have to work

1003
00:56:35,700 --> 00:56:39,500
against for some time. 
A woman who conducted herself 

1004
00:56:39,500 --> 00:56:42,700
with visible modesty and was 
known for her domestic 

1005
00:56:42,700 --> 00:56:45,800
capability. 
And her good sense was a woman 

1006
00:56:45,800 --> 00:56:50,200
whose family occupied a stronger
position in any negotiation 

1007
00:56:50,200 --> 00:56:53,600
about her future than they, 
otherwise might none of this was

1008
00:56:53,600 --> 00:56:57,200
entirely comfortable and 
Medieval women knew it was not 

1009
00:56:57,208 --> 00:57:00,000
comfortable. 
Pressure to perform a version of

1010
00:57:00,000 --> 00:57:02,900
yourself that was legible and 
unthreatening to the community 

1011
00:57:02,900 --> 00:57:06,200
depended on was real and largely
inescapable. 

1012
00:57:07,100 --> 00:57:10,700
But within that performance, 
Medieval women found genuine 

1013
00:57:10,700 --> 00:57:14,000
spaces for real feelings. 
Real preference. 

1014
00:57:14,000 --> 00:57:16,900
And real communication with the 
people, they were becoming 

1015
00:57:16,900 --> 00:57:21,500
attached to Herbal and flower 
symbolism provided one quiet 

1016
00:57:21,500 --> 00:57:24,300
language. 
Particularly accessible to women

1017
00:57:24,300 --> 00:57:27,900
who spent time in Guardians and 
who understood the association's

1018
00:57:27,900 --> 00:57:32,500
attached to different plants? 
A gift of Rosemary associated 

1019
00:57:32,500 --> 00:57:35,600
with remembrance and Fidelity, 
said something specific. 

1020
00:57:36,600 --> 00:57:39,900
So did lavender associated with 
devotion and calm. 

1021
00:57:40,600 --> 00:57:43,900
These were not secret codes, 
requiring a cipher to interpret.

1022
00:57:44,700 --> 00:57:47,700
They were a widely understood 
register for expressing feeling 

1023
00:57:47,700 --> 00:57:49,200
in terms that were both 
personal. 

1024
00:57:49,200 --> 00:57:53,300
And if necessary deniable, which
in a world governed by public 

1025
00:57:53,300 --> 00:57:56,500
reputation, was sometimes 
precisely the right register. 

1026
00:57:56,500 --> 00:57:59,600
There is a question that runs 
underneath everything, we have 

1027
00:57:59,600 --> 00:58:04,500
explored tonight, quiet, but 
persistent, and it is worth it 

1028
00:58:04,500 --> 00:58:07,200
with it directly now at the 
close of these chapters. 

1029
00:58:08,100 --> 00:58:10,800
Did people in the Medieval World
actually fall in love? 

1030
00:58:11,600 --> 00:58:15,000
Of course they did. 
This historical record when you 

1031
00:58:15,000 --> 00:58:17,500
read it carefully, and with 
genuine attention to what the 

1032
00:58:17,500 --> 00:58:20,100
people in it were actually 
describing rather than what the 

1033
00:58:20,100 --> 00:58:23,700
system around them required. 
Them to say, is full of evidence

1034
00:58:23,700 --> 00:58:27,200
for genuine, human attachment 
forming within and around. 

1035
00:58:27,200 --> 00:58:31,100
And sometimes in spite of the 
elaborate social structures that

1036
00:58:31,100 --> 00:58:35,500
governed who married whom and 
under what terms, The evidence 

1037
00:58:35,500 --> 00:58:38,100
appears in letters that are 
technically formal in their 

1038
00:58:38,100 --> 00:58:41,900
address but unmistakably warm in
their attention to detail. 

1039
00:58:41,900 --> 00:58:45,700
It appears in Wills that leave 
particular objects to particular

1040
00:58:45,700 --> 00:58:49,300
people with phrases, that carry 
tenderness beyond anything 

1041
00:58:49,300 --> 00:58:52,500
legally required. 
It appears in the marginal of 

1042
00:58:52,500 --> 00:58:56,000
manuscripts, those small 
drawings and comments left in 

1043
00:58:56,000 --> 00:58:58,900
the boarders of serious 
documents by readers who are 

1044
00:58:58,900 --> 00:59:02,700
momentarily, distracted by their
own private thoughts and whose 

1045
00:59:02,700 --> 00:59:05,400
private thoughts, occasionally 
turned out to be about a 

1046
00:59:05,400 --> 00:59:09,000
specific person they missed? 
The shape of how affection 

1047
00:59:09,000 --> 00:59:10,800
developed was genuinely 
different. 

1048
00:59:10,800 --> 00:59:14,000
From what most modern people 
experience and this is worth 

1049
00:59:14,000 --> 00:59:16,200
sitting with rather than rushing
past. 

1050
00:59:17,000 --> 00:59:20,200
The beginning of most medieval 
marriages was not romantic. 

1051
00:59:20,900 --> 00:59:24,300
It was practical two people were
introduced because their 

1052
00:59:24,300 --> 00:59:26,300
families had reached an 
agreement about their futures. 

1053
00:59:27,100 --> 00:59:30,200
They stood in a church porch and
made formal promises in front of

1054
00:59:30,208 --> 00:59:33,000
witnesses, who were there to 
testify rather than to 

1055
00:59:33,000 --> 00:59:35,600
celebrate. 
They went to live under the same

1056
00:59:35,600 --> 00:59:38,500
roof and began the long Mutual 
project of figuring out. 

1057
00:59:38,508 --> 00:59:42,400
What kind of people each other 
actually was a project that 

1058
00:59:42,400 --> 00:59:45,600
unfolded entirely without the 
benefit of having chosen each 

1059
00:59:45,600 --> 00:59:49,600
other first this process, which 
sounds Bleak when described with

1060
00:59:49,608 --> 00:59:53,300
clinical Detachment was 
sometimes exactly as Bleak as it

1061
00:59:53,300 --> 00:59:56,200
sounds. 
Marriages in the Medieval World 

1062
00:59:56,200 --> 00:59:59,600
could be genuinely miserable a 
woman trapped in a bad. 

1063
00:59:59,600 --> 01:00:02,800
One had limited records in a 
world that offered few practical

1064
01:00:02,800 --> 01:00:06,200
Alternatives and a church that 
had not permit divorce in any 

1065
01:00:06,200 --> 01:00:07,800
form that most people could 
access. 

1066
01:00:09,100 --> 01:00:12,600
The ecclesiastical courts that 
adjudicated annulment heard from

1067
01:00:12,600 --> 01:00:16,100
women in genuinely desperate 
situations for some regularity. 

1068
01:00:16,100 --> 01:00:19,700
And the fact that these cases 
exist in the record is a 

1069
01:00:19,700 --> 01:00:22,800
reminder that the gap between 
the ideal of companionate 

1070
01:00:22,800 --> 01:00:26,500
marriage and the reality of some
people's daily lives was real 

1071
01:00:26,500 --> 01:00:30,000
and sometimes very wide, but 
many marriages were not 

1072
01:00:30,008 --> 01:00:33,700
miserable many were ordinary in 
the most human possible sense. 

1073
01:00:33,700 --> 01:00:37,300
Meaning two people who had not 
chosen each other in the modern 

1074
01:00:37,300 --> 01:00:40,900
fashion finding over the course 
of years that they had built 

1075
01:00:40,900 --> 01:00:43,800
something together that they 
valued and depended on and did 

1076
01:00:43,800 --> 01:00:47,400
not want to lose the affection 
that grew in these marriages was

1077
01:00:47,400 --> 01:00:51,400
not the rushing to feeling that 
romantic literature describes. 

1078
01:00:52,200 --> 01:00:55,300
It was something slower and 
probably considerably more 

1079
01:00:55,300 --> 01:00:57,700
durable. 
It was the knowledge of another 

1080
01:00:57,700 --> 01:01:01,900
person accumulated through daily
proximity through shared meals 

1081
01:01:01,900 --> 01:01:04,600
and shared work, and shared 
worry about the Children's 

1082
01:01:04,600 --> 01:01:08,300
Health and the Harvest, and the 
rent coming to you all at once. 

1083
01:01:09,300 --> 01:01:12,900
It was the specific comfort of 
waking in the same house with 

1084
01:01:12,900 --> 01:01:17,100
someone whose habits, you know. 
So thoroughly whose moods are as

1085
01:01:17,100 --> 01:01:20,100
familiar as the weather. 
That their absence when it comes

1086
01:01:20,100 --> 01:01:24,600
has a specific shape that 
nothing else fills medieval 

1087
01:01:24,600 --> 01:01:28,500
writers describe this kind of 
companionate marriage with real 

1088
01:01:28,500 --> 01:01:32,000
respect and with warmth that 
seems genuinely felled. 

1089
01:01:32,900 --> 01:01:37,000
Christine De pizan the 14th and 
15th century, French writer, who

1090
01:01:37,000 --> 01:01:39,800
was one of the most significant 
and moving voices available to 

1091
01:01:39,800 --> 01:01:42,900
us from this period wrote about 
her own marriage with the 

1092
01:01:42,900 --> 01:01:45,400
tenderness that is completely 
uncontrived. 

1093
01:01:45,400 --> 01:01:48,800
She was married young in an 
arrangement made between 

1094
01:01:48,800 --> 01:01:53,400
families to a royal secretary 
named Etienne du Castel, and she

1095
01:01:53,400 --> 01:01:56,500
loved him. 
When he died of plague, after 

1096
01:01:56,500 --> 01:02:00,100
only nine years together leaving
her a widow in her mid-20s with 

1097
01:02:00,100 --> 01:02:02,700
three children and very limited 
resources. 

1098
01:02:02,700 --> 01:02:07,000
Her grief was not a literary 
performance, it was the central 

1099
01:02:07,000 --> 01:02:10,400
fact of a subsequent life, 
Permanent loss. 

1100
01:02:10,400 --> 01:02:13,400
That shaped everything she wrote
in the decades that followed 

1101
01:02:14,500 --> 01:02:18,100
Absence that she kept returning 
to in her work with the Fidelity

1102
01:02:18,100 --> 01:02:20,900
of someone who never stopped, 
finding it surprisingly that he 

1103
01:02:20,908 --> 01:02:24,000
was gone. 
The true adore tradition gave 

1104
01:02:24,000 --> 01:02:26,900
the Medieval World a language 
for love, that struck suddenly. 

1105
01:02:27,800 --> 01:02:32,600
Consumed everything in its path.
The theological tradition gave a

1106
01:02:32,600 --> 01:02:35,100
language for love, a sacred 
Duty, and Covenant of 

1107
01:02:35,100 --> 01:02:38,000
obligation, but ordinary life 
gave medieval people. 

1108
01:02:38,000 --> 01:02:41,000
Something else. 
A language of small gestures and

1109
01:02:41,000 --> 01:02:44,100
accumulated, shared history, 
that was less dramatic than 

1110
01:02:44,100 --> 01:02:47,000
either of those two and 
considerably more survivable 

1111
01:02:47,000 --> 01:02:49,500
across the long ordinary span of
a life. 

1112
01:02:50,100 --> 01:02:52,800
The husband who remembered 
without being reminded that his 

1113
01:02:52,800 --> 01:02:55,200
wife had mentioned. 
Once that she liked the smell of

1114
01:02:55,208 --> 01:02:58,200
a particular herb and brought 
some home from the market. 

1115
01:02:58,200 --> 01:03:01,900
When he passed a stalling, it 
the wife who noticed that her 

1116
01:03:01,900 --> 01:03:05,200
husband was tired in a 
particular way and arrange the 

1117
01:03:05,200 --> 01:03:08,300
evening accordingly. 
The couple who sat together in 

1118
01:03:08,300 --> 01:03:11,800
the quiet after supper, When the
Children had gone to bed and the

1119
01:03:11,808 --> 01:03:15,800
work of the day was finally 
finished, not talking much. 

1120
01:03:15,800 --> 01:03:18,600
Because after enough years 
together, there is less that 

1121
01:03:18,600 --> 01:03:21,500
needs to be said aloud present 
to each other in the 

1122
01:03:21,508 --> 01:03:24,000
uncomplicated way of people who 
have nowhere else. 

1123
01:03:24,000 --> 01:03:27,800
They would rather be This does 
not make good lyric poetry in 

1124
01:03:27,800 --> 01:03:30,900
the true tradition. 
It does not produce the dramatic

1125
01:03:30,900 --> 01:03:34,200
suffering and exquisite longing 
that Finns are more celebrated. 

1126
01:03:34,200 --> 01:03:37,700
It does not fit into the 
ecclesiastical framework of 

1127
01:03:37,700 --> 01:03:40,300
marriage as a remedy for conky 
Pistons. 

1128
01:03:41,400 --> 01:03:45,000
It is simply two people who 
started as strangers were placed

1129
01:03:45,000 --> 01:03:48,000
together by Arrangements. 
They did not fully choose. 

1130
01:03:48,700 --> 01:03:51,600
And found over time that the 
person standing next to the had 

1131
01:03:51,600 --> 01:03:53,600
become the person they relied on
most deeply. 

1132
01:03:54,700 --> 01:03:57,400
Dismissing that as something 
less than love because it 

1133
01:03:57,400 --> 01:04:01,100
arrived through the back door of
daily familiarity rather than 

1134
01:04:01,100 --> 01:04:04,400
overwhelming. 
Both parties simultaneously from

1135
01:04:04,400 --> 01:04:06,500
the front seems to do it and 
Injustice. 

1136
01:04:07,600 --> 01:04:10,300
There is one more thing worth 
noting about the medieval 

1137
01:04:10,300 --> 01:04:13,100
world's understanding of 
affection, which is that it 

1138
01:04:13,108 --> 01:04:17,100
recognized far more clearly than
many modern Frameworks do that 

1139
01:04:17,100 --> 01:04:19,000
love is partly. 
Something you build through 

1140
01:04:19,000 --> 01:04:22,600
consistent effort, rather than 
something you simply find 

1141
01:04:22,600 --> 01:04:25,600
waiting for you. 
The expectation that a married 

1142
01:04:25,600 --> 01:04:28,600
couple should actively work at 
cultivating tenderness toward 

1143
01:04:28,600 --> 01:04:30,800
each other. 
That affection was something 

1144
01:04:30,800 --> 01:04:34,300
produced through sustained, 
attention and real kindness over

1145
01:04:34,300 --> 01:04:38,900
time was not a consolation prize
offered to people who are fail 

1146
01:04:38,900 --> 01:04:43,500
to experience the real thing. 
It was considered a genuine and 

1147
01:04:43,500 --> 01:04:47,100
honorable form of love. 
For most of available to most 

1148
01:04:47,100 --> 01:04:50,300
people and the four most likely 
to endure through the 

1149
01:04:50,300 --> 01:04:53,200
difficulties that every life of 
eventually produced. 

1150
01:04:54,700 --> 01:04:58,000
You find this idea articulated 
in the Practical guidance, given

1151
01:04:58,000 --> 01:05:01,200
to newly, married couple's by 
medieval preachers and advice 

1152
01:05:01,200 --> 01:05:04,500
writers. 
You find it in marriage sermons.

1153
01:05:04,500 --> 01:05:08,600
That spend considerable time on 
the specific behaviors that 

1154
01:05:08,600 --> 01:05:12,500
create warmth, and trust between
two, people sharing a life, you 

1155
01:05:12,500 --> 01:05:15,600
find it in the churches 
insistence that a husband owed. 

1156
01:05:15,600 --> 01:05:18,600
His wife, not only financial 
provision, but genuine affection

1157
01:05:18,600 --> 01:05:21,900
and consideration a position, 
that was more protective of 

1158
01:05:21,900 --> 01:05:23,700
women's emotional lives, within 
marriage. 

1159
01:05:23,700 --> 01:05:27,900
And it sometimes gets credit for
being you find it too, in a body

1160
01:05:27,900 --> 01:05:31,200
of practical household 
literature, most of it by men. 

1161
01:05:31,200 --> 01:05:34,600
But occasionally by women that 
take the interior life of 

1162
01:05:34,600 --> 01:05:37,000
marriage seriously as something 
worth tending. 

1163
01:05:38,400 --> 01:05:41,400
If French texts from the late 
14th century, sometimes called 

1164
01:05:41,400 --> 01:05:44,400
the Menagerie De Paris written 
by an older husband. 

1165
01:05:44,400 --> 01:05:48,200
For his much, younger wife is 
often read as a document of 

1166
01:05:48,200 --> 01:05:52,400
patriarchal instruction, which 
it partly is but it is all. 

1167
01:05:52,400 --> 01:05:56,700
So at intervals, a document of 
genuine attentiveness, a husband

1168
01:05:56,700 --> 01:05:59,600
trying to share with the young 
woman, the accumulated knowledge

1169
01:05:59,600 --> 01:06:03,100
of how to build a household and 
a life in ways that will sustain

1170
01:06:03,100 --> 01:06:05,700
her after. 
He is gone written with a warmth

1171
01:06:05,700 --> 01:06:08,900
that is not required by the 
genre and is therefore all the 

1172
01:06:08,900 --> 01:06:13,000
more striking for being present.
And you find it, very movingly 

1173
01:06:13,000 --> 01:06:17,400
in the material evidence that 
survives in the Rings, worn on 

1174
01:06:17,400 --> 01:06:19,900
fingers until they could no 
longer be removed without 

1175
01:06:19,900 --> 01:06:23,700
difficulty. 
In the graves that show married 

1176
01:06:23,700 --> 01:06:27,200
couples buried side by side with
their bodies oriented toward 

1177
01:06:27,200 --> 01:06:31,000
each other and Arrangement that 
required deliberate intention 

1178
01:06:31,000 --> 01:06:35,700
from whoever placed them there. 
In the wills that use language 

1179
01:06:35,700 --> 01:06:39,100
of deep personal attachment to 
describe someone, the writer had

1180
01:06:39,100 --> 01:06:42,800
been legally required to marry. 
And had all so somewhere, along 

1181
01:06:42,800 --> 01:06:47,800
the way, come genuinely to love.
The graves are perhaps the 

1182
01:06:47,800 --> 01:06:51,300
quietest evidence of all 
archaeologists working on 

1183
01:06:51,300 --> 01:06:54,700
medieval burial sites of noted. 
The frequency with which married

1184
01:06:54,700 --> 01:06:56,400
couples were interred facing 
each other. 

1185
01:06:57,400 --> 01:07:00,100
Turned toward each other across 
the narrow distance of the 

1186
01:07:00,100 --> 01:07:04,000
Grave, an orientation that 
required specific, instruction 

1187
01:07:04,000 --> 01:07:06,200
at a time. 
When people were thinking about 

1188
01:07:06,200 --> 01:07:09,800
many things at once, someone 
asked for that, someone thought 

1189
01:07:09,800 --> 01:07:13,100
that the end that What mattered 
most was to be turned toward the

1190
01:07:13,100 --> 01:07:15,800
right person. 
That is not an arrangement made 

1191
01:07:15,800 --> 01:07:18,100
out of obligation. 
That is something else. 

1192
01:07:19,100 --> 01:07:22,000
The rules governing medieval 
courtship was strict and were 

1193
01:07:22,000 --> 01:07:24,100
felt from the inside like walls,
which they were. 

1194
01:07:25,100 --> 01:07:28,500
The walls have textures and gaps
and patches of warm sun on the 

1195
01:07:28,508 --> 01:07:30,700
southern side. 
And the people living within 

1196
01:07:30,700 --> 01:07:33,600
them were not diminished as 
human beings by the structures. 

1197
01:07:33,600 --> 01:07:37,400
They inhabited, they were whole 
people with full interior lives.

1198
01:07:37,400 --> 01:07:40,800
Navigating the distance between 
what they were permitted and 

1199
01:07:40,800 --> 01:07:43,500
what they felt with the same 
combination of creativity, 

1200
01:07:43,500 --> 01:07:49,000
resignation occasional humor and
small repeated acts of 

1201
01:07:49,008 --> 01:07:52,200
tenderness that human beings 
have always used to make the 

1202
01:07:52,200 --> 01:07:56,500
best of circumstances. 
They did not entirely choose If 

1203
01:07:56,500 --> 01:07:59,800
you have found your way towards 
sleep by now, let that thought 

1204
01:07:59,800 --> 01:08:02,700
carry you there. 
That people in a world of a 

1205
01:08:02,700 --> 01:08:06,100
range marriages and formal 
betrothals and very limited 

1206
01:08:06,100 --> 01:08:08,800
personal freedom found genuine 
ways to love each other. 

1207
01:08:09,700 --> 01:08:11,700
That affection is remarkably 
stubborn. 

1208
01:08:11,700 --> 01:08:16,000
That the heart has always been 
good at finding gaps in walls. 

1209
01:08:16,000 --> 01:08:19,500
The fire is down to its last 
Cold's. 

1210
01:08:19,500 --> 01:08:24,700
The candles of burned low 
outside in whatever season you 

1211
01:08:24,700 --> 01:08:26,600
are currently occupying. 
The world has gone quiet. 

1212
01:08:26,600 --> 01:08:29,500
The Medieval World. 
We visited tonight was 

1213
01:08:29,500 --> 01:08:33,700
complicated and often hard and 
the people in it navigated their

1214
01:08:33,700 --> 01:08:37,100
lives with the tools they had 
and with the full range of human

1215
01:08:37,100 --> 01:08:39,600
emotion. 
That no historical system has 

1216
01:08:39,600 --> 01:08:41,700
ever successfully regulated 
away. 

1217
01:08:42,899 --> 01:08:46,399
They wanted what you want. 
They about the same things in 

1218
01:08:46,399 --> 01:08:49,100
different languages with 
different vocabularies under 

1219
01:08:49,100 --> 01:08:52,600
different Skies, they were doing
their best sleep. 

1220
01:08:52,600 --> 01:08:57,800
Well a tired community. 
If this quiet corner of History,

1221
01:08:57,800 --> 01:09:01,700
gave you something soft to drift
on tonight A likeness 

1222
01:09:01,700 --> 01:09:05,300
subscription, keep this channel 
alive and let me keep bringing 

1223
01:09:05,300 --> 01:09:08,800
you these gentle stories from 
the parts of the past that do 

1224
01:09:08,800 --> 01:09:10,899
not usually make it into the 
textbooks. 

1225
01:09:12,000 --> 01:09:14,600
Until next time, sleep gently 
and well. 

1226
01:09:23,399 --> 01:09:26,700
Close your eyes and imagine the 
night sky over ancient China, 

1227
01:09:26,700 --> 01:09:31,100
sometime around the 7th century.
There are no streetlights, no 

1228
01:09:31,100 --> 01:09:35,100
neon signs and no glow from 
smartphones or television 

1229
01:09:35,100 --> 01:09:37,100
screens filtering through 
curtains. 

1230
01:09:38,000 --> 01:09:41,200
The darkness here is complete in
a way that most of us have never

1231
01:09:41,200 --> 01:09:45,000
experienced broken. 
Only by oil lamps flickering in 

1232
01:09:45,000 --> 01:09:49,600
Windows and the vast sweep of 
stars overhead, So many stars 

1233
01:09:49,600 --> 01:09:53,300
that the Milky Way looks like 
spilled rice across black silk. 

1234
01:09:54,600 --> 01:09:57,600
In this world night meant 
something different than it does

1235
01:09:57,600 --> 01:10:01,200
for you now. 
When the sun set over the tiled 

1236
01:10:01,200 --> 01:10:04,600
roofs and winding Rivers, most 
people simply stopped their 

1237
01:10:04,600 --> 01:10:07,000
work. 
Farmers returned to their homes,

1238
01:10:07,000 --> 01:10:11,500
markets closed, the Rhythm of 
Life, followed the sun because 

1239
01:10:11,500 --> 01:10:15,900
working after dark was difficult
expensive, and frankly 

1240
01:10:15,900 --> 01:10:19,000
exhausting when you're only 
light source required constant 

1241
01:10:19,000 --> 01:10:23,500
feeding with oil or tallow But 
in certain workshops scattered 

1242
01:10:23,500 --> 01:10:26,600
throughout the Empire like still
burned long after sunset. 

1243
01:10:27,700 --> 01:10:31,000
These were the spaces of 
Alchemists, not the magical 

1244
01:10:31,000 --> 01:10:32,400
Wizards. 
You might pick picture from 

1245
01:10:32,400 --> 01:10:35,500
fantasy novels but something 
close to the chemists and 

1246
01:10:35,500 --> 01:10:38,100
pharmacists of their time 
though, they would have been 

1247
01:10:38,100 --> 01:10:41,900
puzzled by those modern terms. 
These practitioners mixed 

1248
01:10:41,900 --> 01:10:46,600
substance is heated materials 
ground minerals into powders and

1249
01:10:46,600 --> 01:10:49,500
recorded their observations, 
with the kind of meticulous care

1250
01:10:49,500 --> 01:10:52,100
that would make a modern 
scientists not in approval. 

1251
01:10:53,500 --> 01:10:56,400
The Alchemist worked by 
Lamplight, their face is 

1252
01:10:56,400 --> 01:11:00,300
illuminated by small Flames that
cast Dancing Shadows on walls 

1253
01:11:00,300 --> 01:11:04,600
covered with shells. 
These shells held ceramic jars 

1254
01:11:04,600 --> 01:11:07,800
and bamboo containers. 
Each carefully labeled in 

1255
01:11:07,800 --> 01:11:10,200
characters that described their 
contents. 

1256
01:11:11,000 --> 01:11:15,300
Sulfur from volcanic regions 
salt, peter gathered from cave 

1257
01:11:15,300 --> 01:11:18,900
walls and charcoal ground from 
specific types of wood. 

1258
01:11:19,800 --> 01:11:22,400
The air in these workshops 
carried a distinctive smell 

1259
01:11:22,400 --> 01:11:26,200
earthy. 
Mineral slightly accurate with 

1260
01:11:26,200 --> 01:11:30,100
occasional sweet notes from 
various plant materials, You 

1261
01:11:30,100 --> 01:11:32,400
need to understand that these 
people weren't trying to invent 

1262
01:11:32,400 --> 01:11:35,200
fireworks. 
That thought hadn't occurred to 

1263
01:11:35,200 --> 01:11:37,400
anyone because fireworks didn't 
exist yet. 

1264
01:11:37,400 --> 01:11:40,900
The Alchemists were pursuing 
something, that seemed far more 

1265
01:11:40,900 --> 01:11:44,400
practical and infinitely more 
important immortality. 

1266
01:11:45,300 --> 01:11:48,600
Or at least they were seeking 
elixirs that might extend life, 

1267
01:11:48,600 --> 01:11:52,600
cure diseases or Grant, various 
forms of spiritual 

1268
01:11:52,600 --> 01:11:56,000
enlightenment. 
The idea that their experiments 

1269
01:11:56,000 --> 01:11:58,500
might instead produce 
spectacular entertainment. 

1270
01:11:58,500 --> 01:12:01,600
Would have struck them as a 
curious and probably 

1271
01:12:01,600 --> 01:12:05,600
disappointing outcome. 
Chinese alchemical tradition by 

1272
01:12:05,600 --> 01:12:09,100
this period had developed over 
centuries building on texts and 

1273
01:12:09,108 --> 01:12:13,100
teachings passed from Master to 
student in an unbroken chain of 

1274
01:12:13,108 --> 01:12:16,300
knowledge. these practitioners 
combined, what we might call, 

1275
01:12:16,300 --> 01:12:19,400
Proto chemistry with 
philosophical, Concepts drawn 

1276
01:12:19,400 --> 01:12:23,100
from towers and Buddhism, They 
believe that by understanding 

1277
01:12:23,100 --> 01:12:26,600
and manipulating the fundamental
substances of the material 

1278
01:12:26,600 --> 01:12:30,000
world, they could achieve 
Transformations that extended 

1279
01:12:30,000 --> 01:12:33,400
beyond the merely physical. 
The night sky above these 

1280
01:12:33,400 --> 01:12:36,400
workshops held profound. 
Meaning in Chinese cosmology. 

1281
01:12:37,500 --> 01:12:40,700
Astronomers had been mapping the
heavens for thousands of years, 

1282
01:12:40,700 --> 01:12:45,000
recording the movements of 
planets and stars predicting, 

1283
01:12:45,000 --> 01:12:48,000
eclipses and weaving. 
Celestial observations into both

1284
01:12:48,000 --> 01:12:51,500
calendar keeping and 
philosophical understanding The 

1285
01:12:51,500 --> 01:12:54,700
idea that humans might one day 
at their own lights to the 

1286
01:12:54,700 --> 01:12:58,900
night, sky colorful, brilliant 
temporary, flashes that existed 

1287
01:12:58,900 --> 01:13:02,200
purely for beauty. 
Would have seen like a peculiar 

1288
01:13:02,200 --> 01:13:06,300
form of hubris? 
And yet, that's exactly what was

1289
01:13:06,300 --> 01:13:10,400
about to happen. in the quiet 
hours after midnight, when even 

1290
01:13:10,400 --> 01:13:13,200
the city's dog's had finished 
their evening chorus and settled

1291
01:13:13,200 --> 01:13:16,800
in to sleep, Alchemist 
continued, their patient work. 

1292
01:13:17,600 --> 01:13:21,800
A heated substances and ceramic 
vessels watching how materials 

1293
01:13:21,800 --> 01:13:24,000
change color and texture under 
Flame. 

1294
01:13:24,900 --> 01:13:28,700
They mix powders and careful 
proportions, grinding components

1295
01:13:28,700 --> 01:13:31,300
together with pestles. 
That had been smoothed by 

1296
01:13:31,300 --> 01:13:34,800
generations of use They wrote 
down their observations and 

1297
01:13:34,800 --> 01:13:37,900
characters that flowed like 
water across paper or silk. 

1298
01:13:38,700 --> 01:13:42,200
Creating records that would be 
studied by students decades or 

1299
01:13:42,200 --> 01:13:46,100
centuries later. 
Temperature in these workshops 

1300
01:13:46,100 --> 01:13:50,700
vary with the season in Winter, 
the furnaces provided welcome 

1301
01:13:50,700 --> 01:13:54,100
warmth and Alchemist might work 
through the night in relative 

1302
01:13:54,100 --> 01:13:56,400
Comfort. 
The hands steady as they 

1303
01:13:56,400 --> 01:14:00,800
measured mixed in summer, the 
heat from flames and furnaces 

1304
01:14:00,800 --> 01:14:04,600
made the work almost unbearable 
and practitioners often chose 

1305
01:14:04,600 --> 01:14:07,600
the cooler night hours for their
more delicate experiments 

1306
01:14:07,600 --> 01:14:11,300
working with Windows opened a 
catch what ever Breeze might 

1307
01:14:11,300 --> 01:14:14,800
pass through the humid air What 
none of these night workers 

1308
01:14:14,800 --> 01:14:17,600
realized was that, they stood at
the edge of a discovery that 

1309
01:14:17,600 --> 01:14:21,300
would transform human 
celebration and self-expression 

1310
01:14:21,300 --> 01:14:25,100
in ways that would echo through 
the next Thousand Years. 

1311
01:14:26,600 --> 01:14:30,400
The substance is sitting in 
their jaws, sulfur, salt peter 

1312
01:14:30,400 --> 01:14:33,500
and charcoal. 
Were waiting to teach Humanity, 

1313
01:14:33,500 --> 01:14:38,500
something new about light sound 
and the surprising beauty that 

1314
01:14:38,500 --> 01:14:40,200
can emerge from controlled 
combustion. 

1315
01:14:41,500 --> 01:14:44,700
The discovery requires more than
just the right materials. 

1316
01:14:44,700 --> 01:14:49,200
It requires patience careful, 
observation and often a 

1317
01:14:49,200 --> 01:14:51,700
willingness to recognize that 
you found something interesting,

1318
01:14:51,700 --> 01:14:54,400
even when it's not what you were
looking for. 

1319
01:14:55,600 --> 01:14:58,600
The Alchemists of Tang, Dynasty.
China, possessed, all these 

1320
01:14:58,600 --> 01:15:01,300
qualities in abundance along 
with something else. 

1321
01:15:01,300 --> 01:15:04,200
Crucial. 
They kept detailed records of 

1322
01:15:04,200 --> 01:15:08,100
their work allowing knowledge to
accumulate across Generations, 

1323
01:15:08,100 --> 01:15:10,200
as you drift deeper into 
relaxation. 

1324
01:15:10,200 --> 01:15:14,500
Imagine the sound of a pestle 
grinding against Stone. 

1325
01:15:15,200 --> 01:15:18,900
Soft scratch of a brush 
recording observations and the 

1326
01:15:18,900 --> 01:15:22,400
gentle crackle of a small 
furnace maintaining steady Heat.

1327
01:15:23,300 --> 01:15:27,600
These were the sounds of inquiry
of human curiosity pursuing 

1328
01:15:27,600 --> 01:15:30,500
understanding through direct 
investigation of the material 

1329
01:15:30,500 --> 01:15:33,100
world. 
In their quiet way. 

1330
01:15:33,100 --> 01:15:36,800
These sounds were the Prelude of
the spectacular explosion of 

1331
01:15:36,800 --> 01:15:38,700
color. 
That would one day, Mark 

1332
01:15:38,700 --> 01:15:40,800
festivals and celebrations 
around the world. 

1333
01:15:41,700 --> 01:15:44,400
Let's slow down and really 
observe what these Alchemists 

1334
01:15:44,400 --> 01:15:47,200
were doing because their daily 
practice was far more 

1335
01:15:47,200 --> 01:15:49,200
interesting than any dramatic 
explosion. 

1336
01:15:50,100 --> 01:15:53,700
In fact, the first steps toward 
fireworks were probably quite 

1337
01:15:53,700 --> 01:15:56,800
boring in the moment, which 
makes them perfect for our bed 

1338
01:15:56,800 --> 01:15:59,600
time, story. 
Picture yourself as an 

1339
01:15:59,600 --> 01:16:01,400
apprentice. 
In one of these workshops 

1340
01:16:01,400 --> 01:16:05,100
learning the craft from a master
who was spent decades studying 

1341
01:16:05,100 --> 01:16:08,400
the properties of materials. 
Your mornings begin with 

1342
01:16:08,400 --> 01:16:11,700
grinding, sulfur must be reduced
to a fine powder. 

1343
01:16:11,700 --> 01:16:15,400
Charcoal needs to be crushed to 
a consistency that looks almost 

1344
01:16:15,400 --> 01:16:20,500
like soot And saltpeter requires
patient pulverizing until it 

1345
01:16:20,500 --> 01:16:22,400
feels like Silk between your 
fingers. 

1346
01:16:23,400 --> 01:16:26,500
This grinding work is meditative
in its repetition. 

1347
01:16:27,400 --> 01:16:30,500
Kind of task that allows your 
mind to wander while your hands 

1348
01:16:30,500 --> 01:16:34,800
maintain their steady rhythm. 
Sulfur arrived at the workshop. 

1349
01:16:34,800 --> 01:16:40,300
In lumpy yellow chunks that look
like strange cheese harvested 

1350
01:16:40,300 --> 01:16:43,200
from volcanic regions. 
Where the Earth itself seemed to

1351
01:16:43,200 --> 01:16:46,200
breed out this mineral. 
When you ground it. 

1352
01:16:46,200 --> 01:16:51,100
The smell was unmistakable. 
That distinctive sharp odor that

1353
01:16:51,100 --> 01:16:53,600
makes you think of hot springs 
and Volcanic vents. 

1354
01:16:54,400 --> 01:16:56,700
Scent that told your nose, 
something about the Earth in a 

1355
01:16:56,708 --> 01:16:59,500
chemistry, even if you couldn't 
articulate what? 

1356
01:16:59,500 --> 01:17:04,100
That something was Salt peter 
known to the Chinese as Chinese 

1357
01:17:04,100 --> 01:17:08,700
snow or fire drug. 
Came from a more prosaic saws, 

1358
01:17:08,700 --> 01:17:13,500
it crystallized on the walls of 
caves in certain types of soil 

1359
01:17:13,500 --> 01:17:17,400
and particularly around places 
where old organic material are 

1360
01:17:17,400 --> 01:17:21,200
decomposed over long periods. 
Collectors knew where to find 

1361
01:17:21,200 --> 01:17:25,100
the best deposits, often in 
caves that had sheltered bats or

1362
01:17:25,100 --> 01:17:28,600
other animals whose wasted 
contributed to the formation of 

1363
01:17:28,600 --> 01:17:30,400
these white, crystalline 
formations. 

1364
01:17:31,300 --> 01:17:33,600
When purified and dried 
saltpeter. 

1365
01:17:33,600 --> 01:17:36,800
Looked innocent enough, white 
crystals that you might mistake 

1366
01:17:36,800 --> 01:17:40,400
for salt if you didn't know 
better, Charcoal was perhaps the

1367
01:17:40,400 --> 01:17:43,900
most familiar of the three 
ingredients produced by the 

1368
01:17:43,900 --> 01:17:48,200
controlled burning of wood in 
low oxygen conditions. but not 

1369
01:17:48,200 --> 01:17:51,600
just any, charcoal would do 
Alchemists learned through 

1370
01:17:51,600 --> 01:17:55,500
patient trial and error that 
charcoal from different Woods 

1371
01:17:55,500 --> 01:17:59,500
had different properties Willow,
charcoal burned differently than

1372
01:17:59,500 --> 01:18:02,500
Pine charcoal. 
The temperature at which the 

1373
01:18:02,500 --> 01:18:04,100
wood had been charred, made a 
difference. 

1374
01:18:05,000 --> 01:18:07,900
These subtle variations mattered
in ways that wouldn't become 

1375
01:18:07,900 --> 01:18:12,000
fully clear until much later. 
The master Alchemist would teach

1376
01:18:12,000 --> 01:18:14,600
you to test materials before 
using them in important 

1377
01:18:14,600 --> 01:18:18,100
experiments. 
Small bit of sulfur placed on a 

1378
01:18:18,100 --> 01:18:20,700
hot surface, should melt 
smoothly and burn with a 

1379
01:18:20,708 --> 01:18:24,100
particular color of flame. 
Salt peter should dissolve 

1380
01:18:24,100 --> 01:18:26,900
cleanly and water without 
leaving excessive residue. 

1381
01:18:27,700 --> 01:18:31,800
Charcoal should be light pure 
and free from unburned wood. 

1382
01:18:32,600 --> 01:18:35,100
These quality checks were part 
of the daily Rhythm. 

1383
01:18:35,100 --> 01:18:38,500
Small acts of verification that 
ensured you were working with 

1384
01:18:38,500 --> 01:18:41,100
known substances rather than in 
pure mixtures. 

1385
01:18:42,100 --> 01:18:45,000
The alchemical texts that guided
this work was sometimes 

1386
01:18:45,000 --> 01:18:48,800
frustratingly, vague by modern 
standards instructions, might 

1387
01:18:48,800 --> 01:18:52,700
read something like take the 
essence of fire or combine the 

1388
01:18:52,708 --> 01:18:56,500
Earthly and Heavenly elements in
Balance leaving considerable 

1389
01:18:56,500 --> 01:19:00,100
room for interpretation. 
Apprentices learned that these 

1390
01:19:00,100 --> 01:19:04,600
poetic descriptions often 
encoded specific procedures that

1391
01:19:04,600 --> 01:19:06,400
made more sense. 
Once you understood the 

1392
01:19:06,400 --> 01:19:09,900
underlying principles through 
direct experience, When 

1393
01:19:09,900 --> 01:19:13,300
Alchemist began experimenting 
with combination of sulfur, 

1394
01:19:13,300 --> 01:19:16,500
salt, peter and charcoal. 
They were following a logical 

1395
01:19:16,500 --> 01:19:19,300
path in their search for 
transformative substances. 

1396
01:19:20,200 --> 01:19:23,200
Sulfur was associated with fire 
and transformation. 

1397
01:19:24,400 --> 01:19:26,400
Salt. 
Peter had remarkable properties.

1398
01:19:26,400 --> 01:19:31,000
It can preserve food it affected
the way things burned, and it 

1399
01:19:31,000 --> 01:19:34,500
seemed to possess a kind of 
inherent power that Alchemists 

1400
01:19:34,500 --> 01:19:38,000
found fascinating. 
Charcoal represented the 

1401
01:19:38,000 --> 01:19:41,700
transformation of wood through 
fire a substance that had 

1402
01:19:41,700 --> 01:19:44,100
already undergone a kind of 
alchemical change. 

1403
01:19:45,100 --> 01:19:47,200
The first mixtures were probably
quite simple. 

1404
01:19:47,200 --> 01:19:49,600
Perhaps. 
Equal parts of each ingredient 

1405
01:19:49,600 --> 01:19:53,100
ground together and heated 
gently to see what would happen.

1406
01:19:54,300 --> 01:19:56,900
The results would have been 
interesting but not spectacular.

1407
01:19:58,100 --> 01:20:01,800
The mixture burned more readily 
than any single component alone 

1408
01:20:01,800 --> 01:20:05,400
producing flames and heat in 
unexpected ways. 

1409
01:20:06,700 --> 01:20:09,700
This would have been noted 
recorded and investigated 

1410
01:20:09,700 --> 01:20:12,500
further. 
You have to imagine the patients

1411
01:20:12,500 --> 01:20:15,200
involved here. 
Modern Chemistry students can 

1412
01:20:15,200 --> 01:20:17,900
look up exact formulas and 
expected results. 

1413
01:20:18,700 --> 01:20:21,500
These Alchemists were exploring 
completely unknown territory 

1414
01:20:21,500 --> 01:20:24,000
with no periodic table to guide 
them. 

1415
01:20:24,000 --> 01:20:27,400
No one understanding of 
oxidation or combustion at the 

1416
01:20:27,400 --> 01:20:30,800
molecular level. 
Just careful observation and 

1417
01:20:30,800 --> 01:20:34,600
systematic experimentation. 
When a mixture behaved in 

1418
01:20:34,600 --> 01:20:39,000
unexpected ways, they would vary
the proportion slightly a bit 

1419
01:20:39,008 --> 01:20:42,300
more, sulfur, a bit less 
charcoal or different grade of 

1420
01:20:42,300 --> 01:20:46,800
salt peter, At some point. 
And we don't know exactly when 

1421
01:20:46,800 --> 01:20:49,300
or where because the discovery 
wasn't initially seen as 

1422
01:20:49,300 --> 01:20:52,800
particularly important. 
Someone created a mixture, with 

1423
01:20:52,800 --> 01:20:55,900
roughly the right proportions to
produce what we now call black 

1424
01:20:55,900 --> 01:21:00,600
powder or gunpowder. 
This mixture when ignited in an 

1425
01:21:00,600 --> 01:21:03,000
enclosed space didn't just burn 
steadily. 

1426
01:21:04,000 --> 01:21:08,200
It deflected rapidly producing, 
gas and heat so quickly that it 

1427
01:21:08,200 --> 01:21:12,400
created pressure, force and a 
distinctive sharp report that 

1428
01:21:12,400 --> 01:21:14,300
probably startled everyone in 
the workshop. 

1429
01:21:15,900 --> 01:21:18,200
The first reaction to this 
discovery was likely not 

1430
01:21:18,200 --> 01:21:22,600
excitement, but concern. 
Alchemists were trying to create

1431
01:21:22,600 --> 01:21:25,800
elixirs of life, not explosive 
substances. 

1432
01:21:26,900 --> 01:21:31,000
And experiment that resulted in 
loud noises acrid smoke and 

1433
01:21:31,000 --> 01:21:34,300
potential danger was from their 
perspective, a failure. 

1434
01:21:35,800 --> 01:21:38,600
Some early texts, warned against
certain combinations of 

1435
01:21:38,600 --> 01:21:42,200
materials, describing them as 
dangerous and unsuitable for 

1436
01:21:42,200 --> 01:21:46,400
their intended purposes. 
These Warnings preserved in 

1437
01:21:46,400 --> 01:21:49,000
their chemical. 
Manuscripts are some of our 

1438
01:21:49,000 --> 01:21:51,500
earliest evidence of black 
powders, discovery. 

1439
01:21:52,700 --> 01:21:56,200
Curiosity is a powerful force, 
the special among people 

1440
01:21:56,200 --> 01:21:59,100
dedicated to understanding how 
materials behave. 

1441
01:21:59,100 --> 01:22:03,300
Even if it explosive mixtures, 
were not useful for creating a 

1442
01:22:03,300 --> 01:22:05,900
mortality Elixir. 
They were certainly interesting.

1443
01:22:07,200 --> 01:22:09,300
Some Alchemists began 
experimenting with these 

1444
01:22:09,300 --> 01:22:12,700
energetic combinations. 
Probably moving their work 

1445
01:22:12,700 --> 01:22:16,400
Outdoors or to more isolated 
locations, where Southern noises

1446
01:22:16,400 --> 01:22:20,200
and burst of flame, wouldn't 
disturb neighbors or risk, 

1447
01:22:20,200 --> 01:22:23,900
damaging their workshops, They 
discovered that the mixtures 

1448
01:22:23,900 --> 01:22:27,100
Behavior changed dramatically 
based on several factors. 

1449
01:22:28,200 --> 01:22:32,400
Finest of the grinding mattered.
Finer powders reacted more 

1450
01:22:32,400 --> 01:22:35,600
quickly. 
The proportions were crucial too

1451
01:22:35,600 --> 01:22:39,500
much sulfur and the mixture 
burned sluggishly too much salt,

1452
01:22:39,500 --> 01:22:43,300
peter, and it barely burned at 
all the right balance, created 

1453
01:22:43,300 --> 01:22:47,600
that rapid deflagration. 
The moisture content, affected, 

1454
01:22:47,600 --> 01:22:51,000
stability, and performance. 
These were the kinds of details.

1455
01:22:51,000 --> 01:22:52,900
That could only be learned 
through repeated 

1456
01:22:52,900 --> 01:22:56,800
experimentation. 
Some one and again, we don't 

1457
01:22:56,800 --> 01:23:00,000
know who because these were the 
kinds of experiments that seemed

1458
01:23:00,000 --> 01:23:03,300
worthy of recording prominent. 
Discoveries had the idea of 

1459
01:23:03,300 --> 01:23:05,500
putting the mixture in a bamboo 
tube. 

1460
01:23:06,200 --> 01:23:09,800
Bamboo was ubiquitous in China 
used for everything from 

1461
01:23:09,800 --> 01:23:12,500
scaffolding to musical 
instruments to water pipes. 

1462
01:23:13,200 --> 01:23:16,900
It grew Halo naturally creating 
ready-made tubes that were light

1463
01:23:16,900 --> 01:23:20,100
fairly strong and easily cut to 
size. 

1464
01:23:21,300 --> 01:23:24,800
When black power was placed in a
bamboo tube, with one in sealed 

1465
01:23:24,800 --> 01:23:27,800
and then ignited, something 
remarkable happened. 

1466
01:23:28,700 --> 01:23:31,900
The rapid production of gas had 
nowhere to go but out the open, 

1467
01:23:31,900 --> 01:23:37,000
end creating thrust. 
Cheap jumped moved or if held 

1468
01:23:37,000 --> 01:23:40,300
down roared and shot flame from 
the opening. 

1469
01:23:41,200 --> 01:23:45,100
The noise was considerable a 
sharp crack or bang that echoed 

1470
01:23:45,100 --> 01:23:48,300
across Courtyards and probably 
provoked, complaints from 

1471
01:23:48,300 --> 01:23:51,900
Neighbors trying to sleep. 
If the bamboo tube was closed at

1472
01:23:51,900 --> 01:23:55,400
both ends with just a small hole
in the sealed portion, the 

1473
01:23:55,400 --> 01:23:58,600
pressure would build until the 
bamboo split or ruptured with an

1474
01:23:58,600 --> 01:24:02,500
even louder report. 
This created something new in 

1475
01:24:02,500 --> 01:24:06,100
Human Experience. 
An intentional loud noise. 

1476
01:24:06,100 --> 01:24:10,000
Not produced by hitting things 
together not created by voice or

1477
01:24:10,000 --> 01:24:13,100
horn, but generated by chemical 
reaction. 

1478
01:24:14,500 --> 01:24:19,400
The sound was sharp distinctive.
An attention-getting in a way 

1479
01:24:19,408 --> 01:24:22,900
that must have seemed almost 
magical and here's where the 

1480
01:24:22,900 --> 01:24:25,100
story takes its turn towards 
celebration. 

1481
01:24:25,100 --> 01:24:28,900
Rather than Alchemy Because 
someone watching these bamboo 

1482
01:24:28,900 --> 01:24:32,400
tubes, split and rupture with 
their sharp bangs, had a thought

1483
01:24:32,400 --> 01:24:37,600
that changed everything. 
What if that actually useful not

1484
01:24:37,600 --> 01:24:39,900
for making medicine or pursuing 
a mortality? 

1485
01:24:40,900 --> 01:24:44,600
But for something else entirely.
For driving away, evil spirits 

1486
01:24:44,600 --> 01:24:48,200
for marking and important 
moments and for adding drama and

1487
01:24:48,200 --> 01:24:51,200
excitement to Celebration. 
Now, we reach one of those 

1488
01:24:51,200 --> 01:24:54,300
moments in history where 
practical used diverges from 

1489
01:24:54,300 --> 01:24:58,600
original intent, Something 
created for one purpose, Finds 

1490
01:24:58,600 --> 01:25:03,400
Its true calling in something 
entirely different. the journey 

1491
01:25:03,400 --> 01:25:06,900
from Alchemists, mishap to 
festival entertainment required 

1492
01:25:06,900 --> 01:25:11,300
a shift in perspective, Someone 
had to look at a loud Smokey 

1493
01:25:11,300 --> 01:25:14,000
sometimes. 
Dangerous chemical reaction and 

1494
01:25:14,000 --> 01:25:17,200
think. 
Let's do that on purpose, for 

1495
01:25:17,200 --> 01:25:20,300
fun. 
Chinese culture had a long 

1496
01:25:20,308 --> 01:25:23,400
tradition of using noise to 
drive away, evil, spirits, and 

1497
01:25:23,400 --> 01:25:26,600
negative forces. 
During New Year celebrations. 

1498
01:25:26,600 --> 01:25:30,200
People would bang drums, clang, 
symbols, and critters, much 

1499
01:25:30,200 --> 01:25:33,600
commotion, as possible, to scare
away any malevolent entities, 

1500
01:25:33,600 --> 01:25:35,500
that might want to linger into 
the new year. 

1501
01:25:36,300 --> 01:25:39,500
The loud of the better because 
evil spirits were apparently 

1502
01:25:39,500 --> 01:25:43,800
quite timid and easily startled.
So when someone observed that 

1503
01:25:43,800 --> 01:25:48,000
bamboo tubes, filled with black 
powder produced, remarkably loud

1504
01:25:48,000 --> 01:25:52,600
bangs, it wasn't a huge leap to 
think we could use this for New 

1505
01:25:52,600 --> 01:25:56,600
Year. 
First firecrackers and they were

1506
01:25:56,600 --> 01:26:00,200
literally crack as a fire bamboo
crackling from internal 

1507
01:26:00,200 --> 01:26:04,100
pressure, were probably used 
this way as noise makers for 

1508
01:26:04,100 --> 01:26:08,100
festivals and celebrations. 
imagine the first New Year 

1509
01:26:08,100 --> 01:26:11,500
Festival, where these devices 
were used Families would like 

1510
01:26:11,500 --> 01:26:14,400
traditional firecrackers made 
from regular bamboo. 

1511
01:26:14,400 --> 01:26:18,100
These produced pops and cracks 
as air pockets in the bamboo 

1512
01:26:18,100 --> 01:26:21,600
exploded from Heat. 
But then someone would bring out

1513
01:26:21,600 --> 01:26:25,300
the special bamboo tubes, the 
ones filled with The Alchemist 

1514
01:26:25,300 --> 01:26:29,900
powder and the resulting bangs 
would be so much louder, so much

1515
01:26:29,900 --> 01:26:33,600
more impressive that everyone 
would jump and laugh and feel 

1516
01:26:33,600 --> 01:26:36,700
certain that no evil spirit 
would dare linger after that. 

1517
01:26:36,700 --> 01:26:39,800
Kind of announcement, the 
transition from medicinal 

1518
01:26:39,800 --> 01:26:43,300
research to entertainment. 
Might seem strange But it 

1519
01:26:43,308 --> 01:26:45,600
follows a pattern, you can 
observe throughout history. 

1520
01:26:46,600 --> 01:26:49,400
Plenty of substances and 
Technologies discovered for 

1521
01:26:49,400 --> 01:26:52,800
serious purposes. 
Found their calling in pleasure 

1522
01:26:52,800 --> 01:26:56,700
and celebration. 
The ancient Chinese weren't 

1523
01:26:56,700 --> 01:26:59,400
unique in repurposing, their 
discoveries, they were just 

1524
01:26:59,408 --> 01:27:03,800
particularly creative about it. 
Once black powder move from 

1525
01:27:03,800 --> 01:27:06,800
alchemical workshops into the 
realm of Celebration and 

1526
01:27:06,800 --> 01:27:09,900
entertainment different kinds of
experimentation began. 

1527
01:27:11,100 --> 01:27:13,700
Entertainers and Festival 
organizers weren't trying to 

1528
01:27:13,700 --> 01:27:15,300
achieve spiritual 
transformation. 

1529
01:27:15,300 --> 01:27:19,200
They were trying to create 
impressive displays this change.

1530
01:27:19,200 --> 01:27:22,400
What questions, people asked and
what kinds of Innovations they 

1531
01:27:22,400 --> 01:27:26,100
pursued Someone discovered that,
if you pack the powder, less 

1532
01:27:26,100 --> 01:27:29,300
tightly in a bamboo tube with a 
small opening, it would shoot 

1533
01:27:29,300 --> 01:27:33,800
Sparks and Flames rather than 
just explode. this created a 

1534
01:27:33,800 --> 01:27:37,800
fountain affect streams of fire 
and bright Sparks shooting 

1535
01:27:37,800 --> 01:27:40,600
upward in a display that was 
beautiful in addition to being 

1536
01:27:40,600 --> 01:27:45,200
loud, For the first time black 
powder was producing light 

1537
01:27:45,200 --> 01:27:48,300
effects. 
Not just sound the discovery 

1538
01:27:48,300 --> 01:27:51,000
that different materials added 
to the black powder mixture 

1539
01:27:51,000 --> 01:27:52,700
could produce different colors, 
came gradually. 

1540
01:27:53,600 --> 01:27:55,600
Copper compounds. 
Created blue green. 

1541
01:27:55,600 --> 01:27:59,600
Tints iron filings, added golden
Sparks. 

1542
01:28:00,400 --> 01:28:02,300
Different types of charcoal 
burned. 

1543
01:28:02,300 --> 01:28:05,600
With subtly different Hues. 
These discoveries were probably 

1544
01:28:05,600 --> 01:28:08,800
accidental at first. 
Someone used charcoal from a 

1545
01:28:08,808 --> 01:28:12,100
particular wood or powder that 
had been stored in a copper 

1546
01:28:12,100 --> 01:28:14,900
container and noticed that the 
Flames looked different. 

1547
01:28:15,900 --> 01:28:18,500
These early fireworks. 
If we can call them that though,

1548
01:28:18,500 --> 01:28:22,200
they were still quite primitive 
were probably used an important 

1549
01:28:22,200 --> 01:28:24,700
occasions Beyond just New Year 
celebrations. 

1550
01:28:25,500 --> 01:28:28,700
Wedding's might feature special 
bamboo crackers, to bless the 

1551
01:28:28,700 --> 01:28:31,900
union and frighten away any 
spirits that might bring bad 

1552
01:28:31,900 --> 01:28:34,500
luck. 
Religious festivals could 

1553
01:28:34,500 --> 01:28:38,400
include fire displays as 
offering or ceremonies in 

1554
01:28:38,400 --> 01:28:40,000
important. 
Visitors might be greeted with 

1555
01:28:40,000 --> 01:28:43,700
impressive noises and Flames as 
a sign of honor and celebration.

1556
01:28:44,500 --> 01:28:47,200
The aesthetic that developed 
around these early displays was 

1557
01:28:47,200 --> 01:28:51,400
distinctly Chinese emphasizing 
certain qualities over others. 

1558
01:28:52,300 --> 01:28:55,400
Loud noises were good. 
They fulfilled the Practical 

1559
01:28:55,400 --> 01:28:59,200
purpose of spirit scaring and 
also demonstrated the power and 

1560
01:28:59,200 --> 01:29:03,300
effectiveness of the display. 
Bright Sparks and Flames were 

1561
01:29:03,300 --> 01:29:06,200
desirable creating visual 
interest and beauty. 

1562
01:29:07,500 --> 01:29:10,200
But the displays remained 
relatively close to the ground, 

1563
01:29:10,200 --> 01:29:14,400
shooting up from tubes, planted 
in the Earth or held by Brave 

1564
01:29:14,400 --> 01:29:16,100
individuals who understood the 
timing. 

1565
01:29:17,700 --> 01:29:20,500
Social aspects of these 
celebrations mattered as much as

1566
01:29:20,500 --> 01:29:24,800
the pyrotechnics themselves. 
Festivals were communal events 

1567
01:29:24,800 --> 01:29:28,600
where families, gathered special
Foods were prepared and the 

1568
01:29:28,600 --> 01:29:31,700
normal routines of daily life 
was set aside for Collective 

1569
01:29:31,700 --> 01:29:34,800
celebration. 
The fire displays became one 

1570
01:29:34,800 --> 01:29:38,800
element in a rich tapestry of 
activities, but an increasingly 

1571
01:29:38,800 --> 01:29:42,000
important element because they 
offered something unique that 

1572
01:29:42,000 --> 01:29:45,100
couldn't be replicated through 
any other means as these 

1573
01:29:45,100 --> 01:29:49,000
practices spread from one region
to another local variations 

1574
01:29:49,000 --> 01:29:52,000
developed. 
Different areas had access to 

1575
01:29:52,000 --> 01:29:55,900
different materials, leading to 
Regional styles of firecracker 

1576
01:29:55,900 --> 01:29:59,400
construction and firing. 
Some regions became known for 

1577
01:29:59,408 --> 01:30:02,600
particularly loud crackers. 
Others for a specially bright 

1578
01:30:02,600 --> 01:30:06,400
Sparks, and still others for 
Innovative designs and effects. 

1579
01:30:07,200 --> 01:30:09,900
This diversity meant that the 
art of fire displays was 

1580
01:30:09,900 --> 01:30:13,500
constantly evolving with 
techniques and Innovations, 

1581
01:30:13,500 --> 01:30:16,800
spreading through networks of 
merchants Travelers and Festival

1582
01:30:16,800 --> 01:30:19,800
organizers. 
The manufacturer of these 

1583
01:30:19,800 --> 01:30:23,300
devices began to shift from 
Alchemist to specialized Crafts 

1584
01:30:23,300 --> 01:30:27,300
People Who Focus specifically on
creating items for celebration 

1585
01:30:27,300 --> 01:30:31,100
rather than pursuing any 
medicinal or spiritual goals. 

1586
01:30:31,100 --> 01:30:33,700
These are early pirate 
technicians loan through 

1587
01:30:33,700 --> 01:30:37,600
apprenticeship, mastering the 
art of grinding powders to the 

1588
01:30:37,600 --> 01:30:40,900
right consistency, mixing 
proportions, that would burn 

1589
01:30:40,900 --> 01:30:44,500
correctly and packing bamboo 
tubes in ways that produced 

1590
01:30:44,500 --> 01:30:46,600
desired effects without being 
too dangerous. 

1591
01:30:47,500 --> 01:30:49,400
Safety was, of course, a 
concern. 

1592
01:30:49,400 --> 01:30:54,200
Perhaps not emphasized as much 
as modern safety professionals. 

1593
01:30:54,200 --> 01:30:56,700
Might prefer. 
Accident happened. 

1594
01:30:56,700 --> 01:31:00,900
Bamboo tubes. 
Exploded prematurely Sparks 

1595
01:31:00,900 --> 01:31:04,900
ignited, nearby materials and 
enthusiastic celebrations. 

1596
01:31:04,900 --> 01:31:07,000
Sometimes resulted in Burns or 
injuries. 

1597
01:31:07,900 --> 01:31:12,100
But the benefits, The Joy, the 
spectacle the sense of driving 

1598
01:31:12,100 --> 01:31:16,100
away, evil and welcoming Good. 
Fortune seem to outweigh these 

1599
01:31:16,100 --> 01:31:20,300
risks in the minds of most 
participants, Timing of displays

1600
01:31:20,300 --> 01:31:23,800
became ritualized. 
Certain moments and festivals 

1601
01:31:23,800 --> 01:31:26,800
would be marked by particularly 
impressive crackers or fire 

1602
01:31:26,800 --> 01:31:30,100
fountains the New Year. 
Transition, for instance might 

1603
01:31:30,100 --> 01:31:34,000
feature sustained sequences of 
explosions, creating a wall of 

1604
01:31:34,008 --> 01:31:37,100
sound that marked the boundary 
between the old year and the new

1605
01:31:37,100 --> 01:31:40,100
wedding ceremonies. 
Might include specific patterns 

1606
01:31:40,100 --> 01:31:43,200
of crackers that symbolized, 
good, wishes for the couple. 

1607
01:31:43,900 --> 01:31:46,500
These are rituals gave structure
and meaning to what might 

1608
01:31:46,500 --> 01:31:48,700
otherwise be just random 
explosions. 

1609
01:31:48,700 --> 01:31:52,300
Children of course were 
fascinated by these fire devices

1610
01:31:52,300 --> 01:31:55,400
though probably not allowed to 
handle them directly. 

1611
01:31:55,400 --> 01:31:58,900
Give the obvious dangers. 
Part of growing up in a 

1612
01:31:58,900 --> 01:32:01,800
community that used black powder
for celebrations. 

1613
01:32:01,800 --> 01:32:04,200
Meant learning the appropriate, 
respect for these powerful 

1614
01:32:04,200 --> 01:32:08,400
substances, understanding that 
they were wonderful but needed 

1615
01:32:08,400 --> 01:32:11,600
to be treated with care. 
That the loud noise is and 

1616
01:32:11,600 --> 01:32:15,000
bright Sparks came with real 
risks, that required adult 

1617
01:32:15,000 --> 01:32:19,200
supervision and expertise. 
The psychology of these displays

1618
01:32:19,200 --> 01:32:21,600
is worth, considering as you 
settled deeper into relaxation, 

1619
01:32:21,600 --> 01:32:25,900
why do humans enjoy loud noises 
and bright lights? 

1620
01:32:25,900 --> 01:32:30,100
Specially in Celebration. 
There's something Primal about 

1621
01:32:30,100 --> 01:32:34,200
our attraction to fire to light 
in darkness and to sound that 

1622
01:32:34,200 --> 01:32:36,500
command attention and announce 
important. 

1623
01:32:37,500 --> 01:32:40,000
The Chinese pyrotechnicians are 
tapped into something 

1624
01:32:40,000 --> 01:32:43,500
fundamental about human 
perception and emotion creating 

1625
01:32:43,500 --> 01:32:46,800
experiences that engaged 
multiple senses simultaneously 

1626
01:32:46,800 --> 01:32:52,200
and marked moments as special 
and significant. as we move 

1627
01:32:52,200 --> 01:32:54,800
forward, through Chinese 
history, into the Tang Dynasty 

1628
01:32:54,800 --> 01:33:05,700
618 to 97 CE and especially the 
Song Dynasty 960 to 1279 CE The 

1629
01:33:05,700 --> 01:33:08,200
use of fireworks and festivals 
became increasingly 

1630
01:33:08,200 --> 01:33:10,200
sophisticated, and culturally 
important. 

1631
01:33:11,300 --> 01:33:13,900
These were periods of 
remarkable, artistic flourishing

1632
01:33:13,900 --> 01:33:17,500
in China. 
Poetry painting ceramics. 

1633
01:33:17,500 --> 01:33:21,100
And yes, the art of fire 
displays all reached new, 

1634
01:33:21,100 --> 01:33:24,800
heights of refinement. 
The Tang Dynasty was a time when

1635
01:33:24,800 --> 01:33:28,800
China's capital cities grew into
Cosmopolitan centers, where 

1636
01:33:28,800 --> 01:33:33,400
Merchants from across Asia met 
traded goods and exchange ideas.

1637
01:33:34,800 --> 01:33:38,500
Changa, the Tang Capital became 
one of the largest cities in the

1638
01:33:38,500 --> 01:33:42,800
world home to over a million. 
People who came from dozens of 

1639
01:33:42,808 --> 01:33:45,100
different, ethnic groups, groups
and cultural backgrounds. 

1640
01:33:46,100 --> 01:33:49,700
In this environment festivals 
became showcases for Imperial 

1641
01:33:49,700 --> 01:33:51,300
Grandeur and cultural 
sophistication. 

1642
01:33:52,700 --> 01:33:54,700
Imperial festivals during the 
Tang. 

1643
01:33:54,700 --> 01:33:58,700
Period were spectacular Affairs,
that lasted for days and 

1644
01:33:58,700 --> 01:34:01,400
featured, every form of 
entertainment imaginable. 

1645
01:34:02,200 --> 01:34:05,300
There were musical performances 
with orchestras of dozens of 

1646
01:34:05,300 --> 01:34:08,600
instruments, dance troops 
performing, elaborate 

1647
01:34:08,600 --> 01:34:12,600
choreographed pieces acrobats 
and jugglers demonstrating 

1648
01:34:12,600 --> 01:34:16,200
impossible Feats of balance and 
coordination and yes, 

1649
01:34:16,200 --> 01:34:20,200
increasingly impressive fire 
displays that had evolved far 

1650
01:34:20,200 --> 01:34:22,800
beyond the simple bamboo 
crackers of earlier Generations.

1651
01:34:24,000 --> 01:34:27,000
The fireworks of the Tang period
began to include what we might 

1652
01:34:27,000 --> 01:34:30,600
call special effects. 
Crafts People learned to create 

1653
01:34:30,600 --> 01:34:34,300
devices that would shoot Sparks 
in particular patterns, or that 

1654
01:34:34,300 --> 01:34:37,400
would burn through sequences of 
different colors or that would 

1655
01:34:37,400 --> 01:34:39,600
create shapes and images 
inflamed. 

1656
01:34:40,300 --> 01:34:43,800
These Innovations required 
careful engineering designing 

1657
01:34:43,800 --> 01:34:47,200
tubes with multiple Chambers, 
arranging different powder, 

1658
01:34:47,200 --> 01:34:50,500
mixtures in specific orders and 
timing sequences. 

1659
01:34:50,500 --> 01:34:54,100
So that one effect would lead 
naturally into another Lantern 

1660
01:34:54,100 --> 01:34:57,900
festivals became particularly 
associated with fire displays 

1661
01:34:57,900 --> 01:35:01,700
these events traditionally held 
on the 15th day of the first 

1662
01:35:01,700 --> 01:35:05,300
lunar month. 
To elaborate paper lanterns lit 

1663
01:35:05,300 --> 01:35:08,900
by candles and carried through 
streets and processions. 

1664
01:35:09,800 --> 01:35:14,300
The combination of soft Lantern 
light and the sudden Brilliance 

1665
01:35:14,300 --> 01:35:18,300
of fireworks created an 
aesthetic contrast that Festival

1666
01:35:18,300 --> 01:35:23,500
organizers found compelling. 
Gentle glow of paper and silk 

1667
01:35:23,500 --> 01:35:29,000
punctuated by sharp bursts of 
Sparks and Flame during the Song

1668
01:35:29,000 --> 01:35:31,300
Dynasty. 
The sophistication of fireworks 

1669
01:35:31,300 --> 01:35:34,800
reached new levels, this was 
partly because song China was 

1670
01:35:34,800 --> 01:35:38,600
remarkably prosperous and 
urbanized creating demand for 

1671
01:35:38,600 --> 01:35:41,700
elaborate entertainment and 
partly because the technical 

1672
01:35:41,700 --> 01:35:44,700
knowledge of black powder and 
its Applications had matured 

1673
01:35:44,700 --> 01:35:48,100
through centuries of 
experimentation song, Fireworks 

1674
01:35:48,100 --> 01:35:49,900
catalogs. 
Yes. 

1675
01:35:49,900 --> 01:35:54,300
They had catalogs described 
dozens of different types of 

1676
01:35:54,300 --> 01:35:56,900
devices with specialized names 
and functions. 

1677
01:35:56,900 --> 01:35:59,900
There were Ground rats that 
would Scurry across the Earth. 

1678
01:35:59,900 --> 01:36:03,600
Shooting Sparks water rats 
designed to skim across the 

1679
01:36:03,600 --> 01:36:08,100
surface of ponds while burning 
and flying fish, that would leap

1680
01:36:08,100 --> 01:36:11,300
and Arc through the air. 
Each of these devices required 

1681
01:36:11,300 --> 01:36:14,600
careful design to produce the 
desired motion and effects. 

1682
01:36:15,200 --> 01:36:17,800
The craftspeople who made them, 
were combining practical 

1683
01:36:17,800 --> 01:36:22,100
knowledge of physics. 
Thrust, balance trajectory with 

1684
01:36:22,100 --> 01:36:25,900
chemistry and artistry. 
Skyrockets appeared during this 

1685
01:36:25,900 --> 01:36:28,800
period. 
Representing a major advance in 

1686
01:36:28,800 --> 01:36:32,700
fireworks technology. 
By carefully designing the tube 

1687
01:36:32,700 --> 01:36:35,600
and powder load. 
Pyrotechnicians could create 

1688
01:36:35,600 --> 01:36:39,000
devices that would shoot High 
into the air before exploding or

1689
01:36:39,000 --> 01:36:42,300
releasing Sparks. 
These weren't yet the elaborate 

1690
01:36:42,300 --> 01:36:45,600
aerial displays of modern 
fireworks but they were moving 

1691
01:36:45,600 --> 01:36:49,300
in that direction taking fire 
effects up into the night sky, 

1692
01:36:49,300 --> 01:36:51,600
rather than keeping them bound 
to the Earth. 

1693
01:36:52,800 --> 01:36:55,200
Social organization of fireworks
displays. 

1694
01:36:55,200 --> 01:36:59,600
Also became more sophisticated. 
Imperial workshops, employed 

1695
01:36:59,600 --> 01:37:02,900
teams of Specialists who did 
nothing but create fire devices 

1696
01:37:02,900 --> 01:37:07,000
for court celebration. 
Mastercrafts people commanded 

1697
01:37:07,000 --> 01:37:09,900
high prices for their services 
and successful. 

1698
01:37:09,900 --> 01:37:14,000
Pirate technicians might travel 
from City to City hired by 

1699
01:37:14,000 --> 01:37:17,300
wealthy merchants and officials 
to create impressive displays 

1700
01:37:17,300 --> 01:37:20,900
for important occasions. 
Competition between different 

1701
01:37:20,900 --> 01:37:25,300
workshops and Crafts. 
People drove Innovation when one

1702
01:37:25,300 --> 01:37:29,000
Festival, featured a new type of
device or affect others. 

1703
01:37:29,000 --> 01:37:31,100
Would try to replicate and 
improve upon it. 

1704
01:37:31,100 --> 01:37:35,400
This competitive Dynamic 
combined with the resources of 

1705
01:37:35,400 --> 01:37:38,600
available in Prosper songs. 
It is meant that fireworks 

1706
01:37:38,600 --> 01:37:41,500
technology, advanced more 
rapidly during this period. 

1707
01:37:41,500 --> 01:37:43,800
Then it had in previous 
centuries. 

1708
01:37:44,600 --> 01:37:47,600
The aesthetic principles that 
guided these displays were 

1709
01:37:47,600 --> 01:37:50,800
becoming more clearly. 
Articulated song, festival 

1710
01:37:50,800 --> 01:37:54,800
organizers valued, surprise 
affects that were Delight 

1711
01:37:54,800 --> 01:37:57,300
audiences by exceeding 
expectations. 

1712
01:37:57,300 --> 01:38:01,500
They appreciated variety, a good
display, should include many 

1713
01:38:01,500 --> 01:38:04,300
different types of devices 
producing different sounds and 

1714
01:38:04,300 --> 01:38:07,800
visual effects. 
They sought Crescendo building 

1715
01:38:07,800 --> 01:38:11,200
from smaller displays to larger,
more impressive climaxes that 

1716
01:38:11,200 --> 01:38:15,200
would leave audiences marveling.
Integration with other art forms

1717
01:38:15,200 --> 01:38:19,000
became increasingly important. 
Fireworks might accompany 

1718
01:38:19,000 --> 01:38:22,700
musical performance is with 
affects timed to key moments in 

1719
01:38:22,700 --> 01:38:25,300
the music. 
They might be combined with 

1720
01:38:25,300 --> 01:38:29,600
theatrical presentation, adding 
drama and spectacle to Stories 

1721
01:38:29,600 --> 01:38:32,800
being enacted. 
The best displays were seen as 

1722
01:38:32,800 --> 01:38:36,900
complete artistic experiences 
that engaged multiple senses and

1723
01:38:36,900 --> 01:38:40,800
emotions simultaneously. 
The symbolism embedded in these 

1724
01:38:40,800 --> 01:38:44,600
displays, grew more complex. 
Different colors could represent

1725
01:38:44,600 --> 01:38:46,700
different concepts, read for 
Good. 

1726
01:38:46,700 --> 01:38:51,100
Fortune white for Purity and 
golden Sparks for wealth and 

1727
01:38:51,100 --> 01:38:54,300
prosperity. 
Certain patterns might suggest 

1728
01:38:54,300 --> 01:38:59,000
specific images dragons 
phoenixes flowers or Celestial 

1729
01:38:59,000 --> 01:39:02,500
phenomena. 
Audiences learn to read these 

1730
01:39:02,500 --> 01:39:06,600
visual languages, understanding 
the meanings and wishes encoded 

1731
01:39:06,600 --> 01:39:10,400
in the fire and smoke. 
Religious and philosophical 

1732
01:39:10,400 --> 01:39:13,700
Dimensions added depth to what 
might otherwise be mere 

1733
01:39:13,700 --> 01:39:17,000
entertainment. 
Buddhist temples, used fireworks

1734
01:39:17,000 --> 01:39:20,600
and ceremonies seeing in the 
temporary Brilliance of Sparks. 

1735
01:39:20,600 --> 01:39:23,600
A metaphor for the transient 
nature of existence. 

1736
01:39:24,500 --> 01:39:27,800
Taoists celebrations might 
incorporate fire displays as 

1737
01:39:27,800 --> 01:39:30,800
representations of 
transformation and the interplay

1738
01:39:30,800 --> 01:39:34,800
of fundamental elements. 
These meanings co-existed with 

1739
01:39:34,800 --> 01:39:37,900
more straightforward enjoyment, 
of beauty and spectacle. 

1740
01:39:38,700 --> 01:39:40,800
The scale of some song. 
Dennis, D. 

1741
01:39:40,800 --> 01:39:44,200
Displays was remarkable. 
Major festivals, might burn 

1742
01:39:44,200 --> 01:39:47,100
through thousands of individual 
devices over the course of 

1743
01:39:47,100 --> 01:39:50,500
several nights. 
Preparation required months of 

1744
01:39:50,500 --> 01:39:54,300
work by teams of craftspeople. 
The coordination of materials 

1745
01:39:54,300 --> 01:39:57,900
from across the Empire and 
careful planning of sequences 

1746
01:39:57,900 --> 01:40:00,600
and effects. 
These were Productions that 

1747
01:40:00,600 --> 01:40:03,600
rivaled modern events in their 
complexity and ambition. 

1748
01:40:04,500 --> 01:40:06,800
Descriptions from song poetry 
and prose. 

1749
01:40:06,800 --> 01:40:09,400
Give us glimpses of what these 
displays looked like to 

1750
01:40:09,400 --> 01:40:13,300
contemporary Observers. 
Writers described Knights, when 

1751
01:40:13,308 --> 01:40:15,900
the sky seemed to bloom with 
flowers of Fire. 

1752
01:40:16,600 --> 01:40:20,600
When artificial Stars competed 
with natural ones and when the 

1753
01:40:20,600 --> 01:40:23,500
boundaries between Earthly 
celebration and Heavenly 

1754
01:40:23,500 --> 01:40:27,200
phenomena seem to blur and 
clouds of colored Sparks and 

1755
01:40:27,208 --> 01:40:31,100
thunderous reports. 
But alongside these poetic 

1756
01:40:31,100 --> 01:40:35,100
descriptions, we also have more 
practical documents manuals that

1757
01:40:35,100 --> 01:40:37,800
describe how to make specific 
types of fireworks. 

1758
01:40:37,800 --> 01:40:42,200
Safety warnings about proper 
handling procedures regulations,

1759
01:40:42,200 --> 01:40:45,000
governing when and where 
displays could be held and 

1760
01:40:45,000 --> 01:40:47,500
records of Acts that occurred 
when things went wrong. 

1761
01:40:48,400 --> 01:40:52,300
This combination of artistic 
appreciation and practical 

1762
01:40:52,300 --> 01:40:55,900
documentation gives us a 
remarkably complete picture of 

1763
01:40:55,900 --> 01:40:59,000
how fireworks were integrated 
into Song Dynasty life. 

1764
01:40:59,000 --> 01:41:02,500
The experience of attending one 
of these major festivals would 

1765
01:41:02,500 --> 01:41:05,900
have been overwhelming in the 
best possible way too much to 

1766
01:41:05,900 --> 01:41:09,100
fully process. 
An abundance of sensory input 

1767
01:41:09,100 --> 01:41:12,800
that would leave you days, and 
delighted the smell of black 

1768
01:41:12,800 --> 01:41:15,800
powder, smoke mixed with incense
and cooking food. 

1769
01:41:15,800 --> 01:41:20,900
The Sounds range from whisper 
quiet crackles to reports that 

1770
01:41:20,900 --> 01:41:25,000
shook your chest. 
The visual experience shifted 

1771
01:41:25,000 --> 01:41:28,000
from Darkness to brilliant 
illumination and Back Again, 

1772
01:41:28,000 --> 01:41:30,900
leaving after images floating 
across your vision. 

1773
01:41:31,800 --> 01:41:34,800
And through it all, there was 
the social experience of being 

1774
01:41:34,800 --> 01:41:38,200
part of a crowd sharing, 
amazement and Delight with 

1775
01:41:38,200 --> 01:41:41,800
thousands of other people and 
feeling connected to tradition 

1776
01:41:41,800 --> 01:41:45,800
and community Through 
participation in these ancient 

1777
01:41:45,800 --> 01:41:49,700
yet ever-new celebrations. 
The fireworks weren't just 

1778
01:41:49,708 --> 01:41:52,700
entertainment. 
They were threats in the fabric 

1779
01:41:52,700 --> 01:41:57,100
of social life, markers of time,
and season, and expression of 

1780
01:41:57,100 --> 01:42:01,200
Hope and joy. now we follow the 
knowledge of black powder and 

1781
01:42:01,200 --> 01:42:04,900
fireworks as it spreads, Beyond 
China's borders, carried by 

1782
01:42:04,908 --> 01:42:08,400
Merchants Travelers and 
Invaders, along the trade 

1783
01:42:08,400 --> 01:42:13,100
routes, that connected ancient 
civilizations, This dispersal 

1784
01:42:13,100 --> 01:42:15,800
took centuries and happened 
through many different channels 

1785
01:42:15,800 --> 01:42:19,400
each, adding their own cultural 
interpretations to the basic 

1786
01:42:19,400 --> 01:42:23,600
technology. 
Silk Road, actually a network of

1787
01:42:23,600 --> 01:42:27,700
routes rather than a single Road
served as the primary conduit 

1788
01:42:27,700 --> 01:42:30,300
for many Chinese Innovations 
traveling Westwood. 

1789
01:42:31,300 --> 01:42:35,200
Merchants carrying silk 
porcelain and T also carried 

1790
01:42:35,200 --> 01:42:37,900
knowledge, sometimes 
intentionally and sometimes 

1791
01:42:37,900 --> 01:42:43,300
accidentally, The formula for 
black powder initially treated 

1792
01:42:43,300 --> 01:42:47,100
as a valuable secret, gradually 
leaked out through these 

1793
01:42:47,100 --> 01:42:50,500
commercial Networks. 
Arab traders were among the 

1794
01:42:50,500 --> 01:42:54,400
first non-chinese peoples to 
encounter fireworks, probably 

1795
01:42:54,400 --> 01:42:57,200
sometime during the late Tang or
early song period. 

1796
01:42:58,000 --> 01:43:01,000
These Merchants who maintained 
extensive trading networks 

1797
01:43:01,000 --> 01:43:04,400
stretching from China, to the 
Mediterranean, recognize the 

1798
01:43:04,408 --> 01:43:07,000
Commercial and Military 
potential of black powder 

1799
01:43:07,000 --> 01:43:10,100
technology. 
Arab Alchemists and crafts. 

1800
01:43:10,100 --> 01:43:13,500
People began experimenting with 
their own versions of Chinese 

1801
01:43:13,500 --> 01:43:16,500
formulas. 
Adapting them to Local materials

1802
01:43:16,500 --> 01:43:19,000
and purposes. 
The transmission of knowledge 

1803
01:43:19,000 --> 01:43:21,500
wasn't always straightforward 
recipes. 

1804
01:43:21,500 --> 01:43:24,200
Might be partially understood or
incompletely recorded. 

1805
01:43:24,900 --> 01:43:27,600
Materials available in the 
Middle East, were identical to 

1806
01:43:27,600 --> 01:43:31,500
those in China, requiring 
adaptation and experimentation. 

1807
01:43:32,300 --> 01:43:35,200
What emerged were Regional 
variations on the basic 

1808
01:43:35,200 --> 01:43:37,700
technology? 
Each influenced by local 

1809
01:43:37,700 --> 01:43:39,600
conditions and cultural 
preferences. 

1810
01:43:40,600 --> 01:43:44,400
In the Islamic World black 
powder, found applications in 

1811
01:43:44,400 --> 01:43:46,800
both Warfare and celebration 
though. 

1812
01:43:46,800 --> 01:43:49,000
The celebratory uses took longer
to develop. 

1813
01:43:50,000 --> 01:43:53,700
Initially the focus was on the 
powders potential, as a military

1814
01:43:53,700 --> 01:43:57,700
tool for mining operations, for 
weapons for demolition. 

1815
01:43:57,700 --> 01:44:02,200
But as the technology matured 
Middle Eastern crafts, people 

1816
01:44:02,200 --> 01:44:05,400
began creating their own 
versions of Festival displays 

1817
01:44:05,400 --> 01:44:09,300
influenced by Chinese models, 
but adapted to Islamic 

1818
01:44:09,300 --> 01:44:13,200
aesthetic, principles and 
religious contexts Mongol 

1819
01:44:13,200 --> 01:44:15,600
conquests in the 13th. 
Century dramatically 

1820
01:44:15,600 --> 01:44:17,200
accelerated. 
The spread of Chinese 

1821
01:44:17,200 --> 01:44:19,800
Technologies including 
fireworks. 

1822
01:44:20,700 --> 01:44:24,100
The Mongol Empire at its height 
stretched from China to Europe. 

1823
01:44:24,900 --> 01:44:27,800
Creating unprecedented 
opportunities for cultural 

1824
01:44:27,800 --> 01:44:29,900
exchange and Technology 
transfer. 

1825
01:44:31,000 --> 01:44:33,600
Mongol armies. 
Employed Chinese engineers and 

1826
01:44:33,600 --> 01:44:37,300
crafts people who brought their 
knowledge of pyrotechnics to new

1827
01:44:37,300 --> 01:44:39,900
regions. 
European encounters with 

1828
01:44:39,900 --> 01:44:42,300
fireworks. 
Probably began through contact 

1829
01:44:42,300 --> 01:44:45,600
with the Islamic World during 
the Crusades and through Mongol 

1830
01:44:45,600 --> 01:44:49,100
presidents in Eastern Europe. 
The first European description 

1831
01:44:49,100 --> 01:44:53,400
of black powder and fire devices
date from the 13th century and 

1832
01:44:53,400 --> 01:44:54,900
show. 
A mixture of Fascination and 

1833
01:44:54,900 --> 01:44:58,300
fear regarding these strange 
Eastern invention that produce 

1834
01:44:58,300 --> 01:45:02,400
such dramatic effects. 
Marco Polo's accounts of his 

1835
01:45:02,400 --> 01:45:05,000
travels in China written in the 
late 13th. 

1836
01:45:05,000 --> 01:45:08,900
Century included descriptions of
fire displays, that must have 

1837
01:45:08,900 --> 01:45:11,400
seemed almost incredible to 
European readers. 

1838
01:45:12,400 --> 01:45:15,800
His writing about festivals with
fire, that flew through the air 

1839
01:45:15,800 --> 01:45:19,700
and devices that may thunder. 
Sounds contributed to European 

1840
01:45:19,700 --> 01:45:22,600
understanding of Chinese 
pyrotechnics, though. 

1841
01:45:22,600 --> 01:45:25,400
Actual technology transfer 
happened through more direct 

1842
01:45:25,400 --> 01:45:27,900
channels. 
European Crafts. 

1843
01:45:27,900 --> 01:45:31,100
People and Alchemists began 
experimenting with black powder 

1844
01:45:31,100 --> 01:45:34,200
in the 14th century, initially 
focusing on Military 

1845
01:45:34,200 --> 01:45:37,400
applications but gradually 
recognizing its potential for 

1846
01:45:37,400 --> 01:45:41,500
celebration and display. 
Italian city-states were 

1847
01:45:41,500 --> 01:45:44,800
particularly Innovative in 
developing European stars of 

1848
01:45:44,808 --> 01:45:49,000
fireworks, creating devices and 
displays that combined Chinese 

1849
01:45:49,000 --> 01:45:52,400
technical knowledge with 
European artistic sensibilities.

1850
01:45:53,500 --> 01:45:56,400
The Italian development of 
fireworks as a performing art 

1851
01:45:56,400 --> 01:46:00,400
reached sophisticated Levels by 
the 15th and 16th centuries. 

1852
01:46:01,700 --> 01:46:06,200
Pirate technicians in Florence 
Rome and Venice created, 

1853
01:46:06,200 --> 01:46:10,500
elaborate displays for religious
festivals Civic, celebrations, 

1854
01:46:10,500 --> 01:46:14,100
and private events. 
These weren't simple copies of 

1855
01:46:14,100 --> 01:46:16,900
Chinese models. 
But represented genuine 

1856
01:46:16,900 --> 01:46:20,700
Innovation developing new types 
of devices and new approaches to

1857
01:46:20,700 --> 01:46:24,700
choreographing displays. 
Talion pyrotechnicians 

1858
01:46:24,700 --> 01:46:26,800
introduced several important 
Innovations. 

1859
01:46:27,500 --> 01:46:30,300
They developed more reliable 
ignition systems, that allowed 

1860
01:46:30,300 --> 01:46:35,100
better timing of effects. 
They created shells containers 

1861
01:46:35,100 --> 01:46:38,000
that could be launched into the 
air and would burst it altitude.

1862
01:46:38,000 --> 01:46:40,500
Releasing stars or other 
effects. 

1863
01:46:41,200 --> 01:46:44,400
They experimented with more 
complex, chemical compositions, 

1864
01:46:44,400 --> 01:46:48,100
that produce brighter colors and
longer lasting effects than 

1865
01:46:48,100 --> 01:46:51,500
early Chinese formulas. 
The aesthetic that emerged in 

1866
01:46:51,508 --> 01:46:54,500
European fireworks differed from
Chinese traditions in 

1867
01:46:54,500 --> 01:46:58,400
interesting ways, European 
displays often emphasized 

1868
01:46:58,400 --> 01:47:02,100
geometric patterns and 
symmetrical, designs reflecting 

1869
01:47:02,100 --> 01:47:06,500
Renaissance artistic principles.
The integrated fireworks into 

1870
01:47:06,500 --> 01:47:09,900
broader theatrical Productions, 
using them as elements in 

1871
01:47:09,900 --> 01:47:12,400
allegorical, pageants and 
narrative, spectacles. 

1872
01:47:13,500 --> 01:47:17,100
The symbolic vocabulary Drew 
from classical mythology, and 

1873
01:47:17,100 --> 01:47:20,100
Christian iconography, rather 
than Chinese Cultural 

1874
01:47:20,100 --> 01:47:23,800
references. 
From Italy fireworks technology 

1875
01:47:23,800 --> 01:47:25,700
spread to other European 
centers. 

1876
01:47:26,400 --> 01:47:29,700
France developed its own 
pyrotechnic Traditions with 

1877
01:47:29,700 --> 01:47:33,100
displays becoming important 
elements of Royal celebrations 

1878
01:47:33,100 --> 01:47:36,500
and Civic festivals. 
England, imported Italian 

1879
01:47:36,500 --> 01:47:39,700
experts to create displays for 
coronations and other state 

1880
01:47:39,700 --> 01:47:43,700
occasions, Germany, Spain. 
And the Netherlands all 

1881
01:47:43,700 --> 01:47:46,200
developed Regional Specialties 
and techniques. 

1882
01:47:46,900 --> 01:47:50,500
In India, Mughal Emperors 
Incorporated fireworks into 

1883
01:47:50,500 --> 01:47:54,600
court celebrations, creating a 
distinctive indo-persian style 

1884
01:47:54,600 --> 01:47:57,700
that combined Islamic and Hindu 
aesthetic elements. 

1885
01:47:58,500 --> 01:48:02,700
Japanese adoption of fireworks 
influenced by Chinese technology

1886
01:48:02,700 --> 01:48:05,100
but developing its own unique 
characteristics. 

1887
01:48:05,100 --> 01:48:09,600
Led to the sophisticated, Hanabi
Traditions that continued today.

1888
01:48:10,600 --> 01:48:14,600
Each culture that encountered 
fireworks, technology adapted it

1889
01:48:14,600 --> 01:48:20,000
to local materials Aesthetics 
and ceremonial needs the global 

1890
01:48:20,000 --> 01:48:22,500
dispersal of fireworks 
technology over several 

1891
01:48:22,500 --> 01:48:26,600
centuries created, a fascinating
pattern of cultural adaptation 

1892
01:48:26,600 --> 01:48:30,100
of innovation. 
Technology invented by Chinese 

1893
01:48:30,100 --> 01:48:33,400
Alchemists pursuing immortality 
became a global language of 

1894
01:48:33,400 --> 01:48:36,500
Celebration, but one that was 
pronounced differently in each 

1895
01:48:36,500 --> 01:48:40,500
cultural context. 
The basic chemistry remains 

1896
01:48:40,500 --> 01:48:45,600
similar but the ways people use 
fireworks to express Joy Market 

1897
01:48:45,600 --> 01:48:49,600
important moments and create 
shared experiences varied 

1898
01:48:49,600 --> 01:48:53,500
enormously. 
By the 17th and 18th centuries. 

1899
01:48:53,500 --> 01:48:57,200
Fireworks had become established
in most major cultures across 

1900
01:48:57,200 --> 01:48:59,500
Europe, Asia, and the Middle 
East. 

1901
01:49:00,400 --> 01:49:02,700
Each region had developed its 
own Traditions. 

1902
01:49:02,700 --> 01:49:06,700
Its own Master Crafts People and
its own Festival occasions. 

1903
01:49:06,700 --> 01:49:09,100
When fired displays were 
expected and anticipated. 

1904
01:49:10,800 --> 01:49:14,400
The original Chinese Innovations
had sparked, if you'll pardon 

1905
01:49:14,400 --> 01:49:18,300
the expression, a worldwide 
tradition, that continued to 

1906
01:49:18,300 --> 01:49:22,000
evolve and diversify. 
This Global spread meant that 

1907
01:49:22,000 --> 01:49:25,300
fireworks became one of those 
rare technologies that 

1908
01:49:25,300 --> 01:49:29,100
transcended cultural boundaries 
while being adapted to countless

1909
01:49:29,100 --> 01:49:33,100
local contexts. 
Celebration in Beijing Baghdad 

1910
01:49:33,100 --> 01:49:35,300
and Barcelona. 
Might all feature file works. 

1911
01:49:36,000 --> 01:49:40,300
but the specific forms those 
displays took The occasions they

1912
01:49:40,300 --> 01:49:43,100
marked and the meanings. 
They Carried would differ 

1913
01:49:43,100 --> 01:49:45,800
significantly based on local 
culture and tradition. 

1914
01:49:47,000 --> 01:49:49,300
The transmission of pyrotechnic 
knowledge. 

1915
01:49:49,300 --> 01:49:52,400
Also created networks of 
practitioners who shared 

1916
01:49:52,400 --> 01:49:55,100
techniques and Innovations 
across cultural boundaries 

1917
01:49:55,900 --> 01:49:58,600
Master fireworks. 
Makers might travel to learn new

1918
01:49:58,600 --> 01:50:01,700
methods or share discoveries 
through correspondence and 

1919
01:50:01,700 --> 01:50:05,300
published texts. 
Despite political conflicts and 

1920
01:50:05,300 --> 01:50:08,300
cultural differences. 
The community of people who 

1921
01:50:08,300 --> 01:50:11,100
understood how to create 
controlled explosions of light 

1922
01:50:11,100 --> 01:50:15,200
and sound maintained, a kind of 
professional kinship based on 

1923
01:50:15,200 --> 01:50:19,400
shared expertise, Let's slow 
down now and really explore what

1924
01:50:19,400 --> 01:50:21,300
it meant to be a master 
pyrotechnician. 

1925
01:50:21,300 --> 01:50:24,600
Someone who had devoted their 
life to understanding how to 

1926
01:50:24,600 --> 01:50:26,700
paint with fire and speak with 
thunder. 

1927
01:50:27,800 --> 01:50:31,700
This isn't glamorous work 
despite the spectacular result. 

1928
01:50:31,700 --> 01:50:37,600
It's patient details, sometimes 
dangerous and requires the kind 

1929
01:50:37,600 --> 01:50:41,300
of accumulated wisdom that can 
only come from years of careful 

1930
01:50:41,300 --> 01:50:44,200
practice. 
A master fireworks makers 

1931
01:50:44,200 --> 01:50:47,400
Workshop would be a carefully 
organized space because 

1932
01:50:47,400 --> 01:50:50,100
organization might mean the 
difference between beautiful 

1933
01:50:50,100 --> 01:50:54,500
displays and tragic accidents. 
Raw materials would be stored 

1934
01:50:54,500 --> 01:50:59,100
separately, kept dry and cool. 
Each substance in its designated

1935
01:50:59,100 --> 01:51:02,300
location. 
The workshop would likely be set

1936
01:51:02,300 --> 01:51:05,400
apart from other buildings a 
safety precaution. 

1937
01:51:05,400 --> 01:51:08,400
That also provided the quiet 
needed for concentration during 

1938
01:51:08,400 --> 01:51:11,600
delicate work. 
The grinding of powder was an 

1939
01:51:11,600 --> 01:51:15,200
art in itself, two course. 
And the mixture wouldn't burn. 

1940
01:51:15,200 --> 01:51:19,200
Properly producing disappointing
effects or failing to ignite at 

1941
01:51:19,200 --> 01:51:24,000
all too fine and it became 
dangerously sensitive prone to 

1942
01:51:24,000 --> 01:51:26,800
Accidental ignition from 
friction or static. 

1943
01:51:27,700 --> 01:51:30,500
The right consistency. 
Felt specific in your hands. 

1944
01:51:30,500 --> 01:51:35,500
Not quite like flower, not quite
like sand, but something in 

1945
01:51:35,500 --> 01:51:37,700
between that could only be 
learned through touch and 

1946
01:51:37,700 --> 01:51:41,200
experience mixing required 
attention that bordered on 

1947
01:51:41,200 --> 01:51:44,400
meditation. 
The proportions had to be exact 

1948
01:51:44,400 --> 01:51:48,700
but exact by feel and appearance
rather than by precise 

1949
01:51:48,700 --> 01:51:50,700
measurement with calibrated 
instruments. 

1950
01:51:51,500 --> 01:51:54,500
A master could look at a mixture
and know whether it needed more 

1951
01:51:54,500 --> 01:51:58,000
salt, peter or less sulfur. 
They could feel the texture 

1952
01:51:58,000 --> 01:52:00,700
between their fingers and 
sentence whether the grinding 

1953
01:52:00,700 --> 01:52:03,800
had been sufficient. 
This knowledge wasn't written 

1954
01:52:03,800 --> 01:52:06,900
down in formulas. 
It lived in the hands and 

1955
01:52:06,908 --> 01:52:10,600
sentences of practitioners. 
Creating affects required 

1956
01:52:10,600 --> 01:52:13,200
understanding the relationship 
between four and function. 

1957
01:52:14,100 --> 01:52:17,300
Tightly packed tube produced 
different results than a Loosely

1958
01:52:17,300 --> 01:52:19,700
packed one. 
The diameter of the opening. 

1959
01:52:19,700 --> 01:52:22,000
Determined how sparks would 
disperse? 

1960
01:52:22,700 --> 01:52:25,300
The length of the tube affected,
how long affects would last? 

1961
01:52:26,200 --> 01:52:28,500
The placement of different 
powder mixtures in layers or 

1962
01:52:28,500 --> 01:52:32,000
compartments created sequences 
of changing effects. 

1963
01:52:32,700 --> 01:52:36,000
All of these variables, had to 
be considered and controlled. 

1964
01:52:36,600 --> 01:52:39,100
Color effects. 
Which had begun with simple 

1965
01:52:39,100 --> 01:52:42,200
observations about how different
materials affected Flames. 

1966
01:52:42,200 --> 01:52:47,000
Gradually became more 
sophisticated by the 17th and 

1967
01:52:47,000 --> 01:52:50,900
18th, centuries, European and 
Asian pyrotechnicians are 

1968
01:52:50,900 --> 01:52:54,500
extensive palettes of colors 
through experimentation with 

1969
01:52:54,500 --> 01:52:58,700
various mineral compounds, 
Strontium produced, brilliant 

1970
01:52:58,700 --> 01:53:05,000
Reds barium gave greens, copper 
created Blues, sodium generated 

1971
01:53:05,000 --> 01:53:08,100
intense yellows. 
The challenge was creating 

1972
01:53:08,100 --> 01:53:11,600
compounds that would burn at the
right temperature, produced the 

1973
01:53:11,600 --> 01:53:15,000
desired color, and remained 
stable during storage and 

1974
01:53:15,000 --> 01:53:18,400
handling. the timing of affects 
was, perhaps the most 

1975
01:53:18,400 --> 01:53:22,900
challenging aspect of complex 
displays fuses had to be cut to 

1976
01:53:22,900 --> 01:53:25,500
specific lengths, to create 
delays between different 

1977
01:53:25,500 --> 01:53:28,100
elements. 
Sequences needed to build 

1978
01:53:28,100 --> 01:53:30,200
logically from one effect to 
another. 

1979
01:53:31,100 --> 01:53:34,600
Simultaneous effects required. 
Careful synchronization. 

1980
01:53:35,600 --> 01:53:38,600
Master pirate, technicians 
developed, various techniques 

1981
01:53:38,600 --> 01:53:43,200
for controlling timing. 
Slow burning fuses, quick match,

1982
01:53:43,200 --> 01:53:47,000
that would propagate flame 
rapidly, and elaborate firing 

1983
01:53:47,000 --> 01:53:50,600
systems that allowed complex 
sequences to unfold reliably. 

1984
01:53:51,500 --> 01:53:54,800
Safety awareness was crucial, 
but had to be balanced against 

1985
01:53:54,800 --> 01:53:58,600
the nature of the work. 
You were after all deliberately 

1986
01:53:58,600 --> 01:54:02,900
creating controlled explosions. 
Accidents happen, even to the 

1987
01:54:02,900 --> 01:54:07,200
most experienced practitioners 
premature, ignitions unexpected 

1988
01:54:07,200 --> 01:54:10,500
reactions and devices that 
behave differently than 

1989
01:54:10,500 --> 01:54:14,000
anticipated. 
Successful pirate technicians, 

1990
01:54:14,000 --> 01:54:17,900
learn to respect the materials 
without being paralyzed by fear 

1991
01:54:17,900 --> 01:54:21,500
developed, safe, working 
procedures, and maintained 

1992
01:54:21,500 --> 01:54:24,600
constant vigilance during both 
preparation and performance. 

1993
01:54:25,800 --> 01:54:28,500
The meaning embedded in 
fireworks displays went Far 

1994
01:54:28,500 --> 01:54:31,400
Beyond Simple entertainment. 
In Chinese culture. 

1995
01:54:31,400 --> 01:54:35,600
The loud noise is continued to 
serve their original purpose of 

1996
01:54:35,600 --> 01:54:39,200
driving away, negative spirits 
and forces, but they all came to

1997
01:54:39,200 --> 01:54:41,600
symbolize the power of 
transformation itself. 

1998
01:54:42,600 --> 01:54:45,300
The way ordinary materials, 
could become extraordinary 

1999
01:54:45,300 --> 01:54:47,600
through proper combination and 
treatment. 

2000
01:54:48,400 --> 01:54:51,500
Each burst of Sparks represented
possibility. 

2001
01:54:52,400 --> 01:54:54,700
Potential for sudden, brilliant 
change. 

2002
01:54:55,700 --> 01:54:59,500
In European context, fireworks, 
became associated with power and

2003
01:54:59,500 --> 01:55:02,800
authority. 
Royal displays demonstrated the 

2004
01:55:02,800 --> 01:55:05,900
wealth and sophistication of 
monarchs who could afford to 

2005
01:55:05,900 --> 01:55:09,900
literally burn money in 
spectacular fashion. the ability

2006
01:55:09,900 --> 01:55:13,600
to command such displays showed 
control over powerful forces, 

2007
01:55:13,600 --> 01:55:16,900
suggesting by extension, the 
power of the ruler over their 

2008
01:55:16,900 --> 01:55:20,900
Realm but they also represented 
something more democratic 

2009
01:55:20,900 --> 01:55:25,000
moments when spectacular Beauty 
was available to everyone press 

2010
01:55:25,000 --> 01:55:29,700
and regardless of social status,
Japanese culture developed, 

2011
01:55:29,700 --> 01:55:33,400
particularly Rich symbolic 
association with fireworks or 

2012
01:55:33,400 --> 01:55:36,900
Hanabi, which literally 
translates as fire flowers. 

2013
01:55:38,200 --> 01:55:41,900
Transient beauty of fireworks. 
Brilliant for a moment, then 

2014
01:55:41,900 --> 01:55:45,900
gone resonated with Buddhist 
concepts of impermanence and the

2015
01:55:45,900 --> 01:55:50,800
Japanese aesthetic principle of 
mono, no aware A path of things 

2016
01:55:50,800 --> 01:55:53,200
that are beautiful, precisely 
because they don't. 

2017
01:55:53,200 --> 01:55:58,300
Last Watching fireworks became a
form of meditation on the nature

2018
01:55:58,300 --> 01:56:02,200
of existence itself. 
The craftsmanship involved in 

2019
01:56:02,200 --> 01:56:06,100
creating these displays was 
respected across cultures a 

2020
01:56:06,100 --> 01:56:10,300
master, pyrotechnician occupied.
A unique, social position part 

2021
01:56:10,300 --> 01:56:15,000
Artisan part artist and part 
dangerous magician who handled 

2022
01:56:15,000 --> 01:56:17,700
forces that could destroy as 
easily as Delight. 

2023
01:56:18,600 --> 01:56:22,200
Their knowledge was valuable. 
Sometimes, carefully guarded and

2024
01:56:22,200 --> 01:56:24,600
passed down through 
apprenticeship relationships 

2025
01:56:24,600 --> 01:56:28,800
that might last decades before a
student was considered ready to 

2026
01:56:28,800 --> 01:56:32,400
work independently. 
Physical toll of The Craft, 

2027
01:56:32,400 --> 01:56:35,500
shouldn't be ignored working 
with black powder, and its 

2028
01:56:35,500 --> 01:56:39,200
various chemical relatives meant
constant exposure to substances 

2029
01:56:39,200 --> 01:56:42,000
that weren't, particularly good 
for human health. 

2030
01:56:43,000 --> 01:56:46,700
The loud noise is could damage 
hearing over time, Burns, Rocky 

2031
01:56:46,700 --> 01:56:49,400
National hazards. 
The stress of knowing, that 

2032
01:56:49,400 --> 01:56:53,300
mistakes could be catastrophic 
probably affected practitioners 

2033
01:56:53,300 --> 01:56:56,400
mental health in ways that 
wouldn't have been discussed or 

2034
01:56:56,400 --> 01:57:00,200
addressed in early centuries. 
Yet people continue choosing 

2035
01:57:00,200 --> 01:57:03,900
this profession drawn by the 
satisfaction of creating Beauty.

2036
01:57:03,900 --> 01:57:07,200
The Prestige that came with 
Mastery and perhaps something 

2037
01:57:07,200 --> 01:57:09,800
deeper. 
The appeal of working with 

2038
01:57:09,800 --> 01:57:12,900
forces that existed at the 
boundary between control and 

2039
01:57:12,908 --> 01:57:16,100
chaos. 
There's something fundamentally 

2040
01:57:16,100 --> 01:57:19,600
human about the desire to take 
dangerous materials and 

2041
01:57:19,600 --> 01:57:22,500
transform them into sources of 
joy and wonder. 

2042
01:57:23,500 --> 01:57:26,400
The seasonal rhythm of a 
pyrotechnicians, life varied by 

2043
01:57:26,408 --> 01:57:29,900
culture, but generally followed 
patterns of festivals and 

2044
01:57:29,900 --> 01:57:33,200
celebrations. 
Preparations might be begin 

2045
01:57:33,200 --> 01:57:36,400
months before. 
Major events with the quieter 

2046
01:57:36,400 --> 01:57:40,300
Seasons devoted to experimenting
with new effects, replenishing 

2047
01:57:40,300 --> 01:57:42,700
supplies and training 
apprentices. 

2048
01:57:44,000 --> 01:57:47,800
As festivals approached, the 
pace would intensify long hours 

2049
01:57:47,800 --> 01:57:51,400
in the workshop. 
Careful testing of devices and 

2050
01:57:51,400 --> 01:57:54,200
coordination with Festival 
organizers about timing and 

2051
01:57:54,200 --> 01:57:56,600
placement. 
The actual performance of a 

2052
01:57:56,608 --> 01:57:59,000
display required intense 
concentration. 

2053
01:57:59,900 --> 01:58:03,000
Once ignition began, there was a
little room for error or 

2054
01:58:03,000 --> 01:58:06,000
correction. 
Effects had to unfold, his plan 

2055
01:58:06,000 --> 01:58:09,600
and timed sequences had to 
proceed correctly, and the 

2056
01:58:09,608 --> 01:58:12,600
pirate technician had to monitor
everything while standing near 

2057
01:58:12,600 --> 01:58:16,800
substances that could if 
mishandled produced on fortunate

2058
01:58:16,800 --> 01:58:19,900
results. 
The combination of careful, 

2059
01:58:19,900 --> 01:58:23,100
preparation and real-time 
awareness needed for successful 

2060
01:58:23,100 --> 01:58:25,400
displays demanded a particular 
temperament. 

2061
01:58:26,200 --> 01:58:30,000
Patient yet confident, 
detail-oriented yet able to 

2062
01:58:30,000 --> 01:58:34,100
improvise when necessary. 
After a display ended, there was

2063
01:58:34,108 --> 01:58:38,300
always clean up Gathering spent 
devices checking for anything 

2064
01:58:38,300 --> 01:58:41,800
that fail to ignite properly and
making notes about what worked 

2065
01:58:41,800 --> 01:58:45,700
well and what could be improved.
This unglamorous after Marvel 

2066
01:58:45,700 --> 01:58:49,000
was actually crucial to the 
craft because systematic 

2067
01:58:49,000 --> 01:58:51,900
observation of results allowed 
continuous refinement of 

2068
01:58:51,900 --> 01:58:55,000
techniques. 
The greatest pirate technicians 

2069
01:58:55,000 --> 01:58:56,900
were those who learned from 
every display. 

2070
01:58:57,800 --> 01:59:00,400
Filing away mental notes about 
how different weather 

2071
01:59:00,400 --> 01:59:03,600
conditions, affected 
performance, which designs 

2072
01:59:03,600 --> 01:59:07,200
proved most reliable and what 
audience is responded to most 

2073
01:59:07,200 --> 01:59:11,400
enthusiastically. 
Transmission of pyrotechnic 

2074
01:59:11,400 --> 01:59:14,800
knowledge involved both explicit
teaching and pass it 

2075
01:59:14,808 --> 01:59:18,000
understanding. 
Apprentices could be taught 

2076
01:59:18,000 --> 01:59:23,000
formulas proportions and basic 
techniques that the deeper 

2077
01:59:23,000 --> 01:59:27,500
expertise, the ability to sense 
when a mixture was right to 

2078
01:59:27,500 --> 01:59:31,100
anticipate, how a device would 
perform and to sold problems 

2079
01:59:31,100 --> 01:59:35,100
that arose during preparation. 
Only be acquired through years 

2080
01:59:35,100 --> 01:59:38,700
of practice under skilled 
guidance. this made 

2081
01:59:38,700 --> 01:59:43,100
mastercrafts, people invaluable 
There are accumulated experience

2082
01:59:43,100 --> 01:59:45,800
representing knowledge that 
couldn't be replaced simply by 

2083
01:59:45,800 --> 01:59:49,300
reading written instructions. 
Different cultures developed 

2084
01:59:49,300 --> 01:59:52,900
different training methods. 
Chinese workshops often kept 

2085
01:59:52,900 --> 01:59:56,600
knowledge within Family Lines 
with skills passed from parent 

2086
01:59:56,600 --> 02:00:00,700
to child across Generations. 
European guilds created more 

2087
02:00:00,700 --> 02:00:04,400
formal apprenticeship structures
with defined periods of training

2088
02:00:04,400 --> 02:00:06,300
and examinations before 
certification. 

2089
02:00:07,500 --> 02:00:10,700
Japanese Traditions emphasized, 
the spiritual dimensions of 

2090
02:00:10,700 --> 02:00:13,700
craftsmanship alongside 
technical proficiency. 

2091
02:00:14,600 --> 02:00:17,800
Treating fireworks creation as a
discipline that refined 

2092
02:00:17,800 --> 02:00:21,500
character as well as skill. 
He can economics of the far 

2093
02:00:21,500 --> 02:00:26,100
Works trade varied in enormously
in some contexts pyrotechnicians

2094
02:00:26,100 --> 02:00:29,200
were well compensated Crafts 
People Who earned comfortable 

2095
02:00:29,200 --> 02:00:31,700
living from their expertise in 
others. 

2096
02:00:31,700 --> 02:00:35,400
They struggled financially their
income depending on irregular 

2097
02:00:35,400 --> 02:00:38,200
Festival work and the patronage 
of wealthy sponsors. 

2098
02:00:39,200 --> 02:00:42,000
The materials themselves 
represented a significant 

2099
02:00:42,000 --> 02:00:44,800
expense. 
High quality chemicals and 

2100
02:00:44,800 --> 02:00:48,300
supplies were cheap and the 
investment required to set up a 

2101
02:00:48,300 --> 02:00:51,700
proper Workshop. 
Could be substantial Innovation 

2102
02:00:51,700 --> 02:00:55,700
in the craft came from multiple 
sources, sometimes technical 

2103
02:00:55,700 --> 02:00:59,900
advances emerge from systematic,
experimentation by mstrkrft 

2104
02:00:59,900 --> 02:01:01,400
people. 
Exploring new possibilities. 

2105
02:01:02,800 --> 02:01:06,300
other times accidents or 
mistakes led to unexpected 

2106
02:01:06,300 --> 02:01:09,800
effects that once understood 
could be deliberately 

2107
02:01:09,800 --> 02:01:14,100
reproduced, Cross-cultural 
exchanges introduce techniques 

2108
02:01:14,100 --> 02:01:17,600
from different Traditions, 
spurring hybrid, innovations 

2109
02:01:17,600 --> 02:01:20,700
that combined elements from 
various approaches and 

2110
02:01:20,700 --> 02:01:25,000
occasionally advances in related
fields, chemistry Metallurgy, 

2111
02:01:25,000 --> 02:01:28,700
and papermaking provided new 
materials or methods that 

2112
02:01:28,700 --> 02:01:32,300
pyrotechnicians could adapt for 
their purposes as you sink 

2113
02:01:32,300 --> 02:01:35,400
deeper into relaxation. 
Your breathing slow and steady. 

2114
02:01:36,200 --> 02:01:38,700
Let's trace the final threads of
our story. 

2115
02:01:38,700 --> 02:01:43,000
How those ancient Chinese 
Alchemists grinding powders by 

2116
02:01:43,000 --> 02:01:46,400
Lamplight in pursuit of 
immortality, inadvertently gave 

2117
02:01:46,400 --> 02:01:49,900
Humanity, a new language for 
expressing Joy marking 

2118
02:01:49,900 --> 02:01:55,200
Transitions and creating shared 
moments of wonder the legacy of 

2119
02:01:55,200 --> 02:01:58,400
those first fireworks extends, 
far beyond the spectacular 

2120
02:01:58,400 --> 02:02:03,000
displays we see today, every 
time someone celebrates the new 

2121
02:02:03,000 --> 02:02:06,600
year with sparklers and Rockets 
their participating, in a 

2122
02:02:06,600 --> 02:02:10,500
traditional that stretches back,
over 1,000 years to those tanged

2123
02:02:10,500 --> 02:02:15,100
Dynasty workshops were 
Alchemists, mixer salt, peter, 

2124
02:02:15,100 --> 02:02:20,100
and charcoal in search of 
something entirely different The

2125
02:02:20,100 --> 02:02:22,600
connection between those early 
experiments and modern 

2126
02:02:22,600 --> 02:02:26,100
celebrations represents one of 
the longest continuous cultural 

2127
02:02:26,100 --> 02:02:30,900
practices in human history. 
Modern fireworks, of course have

2128
02:02:30,900 --> 02:02:34,500
been transformed by centuries of
innovation and by scientific 

2129
02:02:34,500 --> 02:02:37,200
understanding that ancient 
Alchemists couldn't have 

2130
02:02:37,200 --> 02:02:40,400
imagined. 
We now comprehend the molecular 

2131
02:02:40,400 --> 02:02:44,400
basis of combustion can predict 
how different chemical compounds

2132
02:02:44,400 --> 02:02:47,400
will behave at various 
temperatures and design effects 

2133
02:02:47,400 --> 02:02:51,200
with computer precision. 
Yet the fundamental materials, 

2134
02:02:51,200 --> 02:02:56,200
sulfur, potassium nitrate and 
charcoal remain essentially the 

2135
02:02:56,200 --> 02:02:58,100
same as those used in ancient 
China. 

2136
02:02:59,100 --> 02:03:02,800
The sophistication lies in how 
we combine and deploy the knot, 

2137
02:03:02,800 --> 02:03:05,200
in replacing them with something
entirely new. 

2138
02:03:06,300 --> 02:03:09,500
The scale of contemporary 
displays would Astound those 

2139
02:03:09,500 --> 02:03:13,300
early pyrotechnicians. 
Major celebrations in modern 

2140
02:03:13,300 --> 02:03:16,300
cities might burn through tens 
of thousands of individual 

2141
02:03:16,300 --> 02:03:19,700
effects in a single evening. 
Choreographed to music with 

2142
02:03:19,700 --> 02:03:22,900
Split Second timing launched 
from multiple locations 

2143
02:03:22,900 --> 02:03:26,600
simultaneously and designed to 
be visible to audience's 

2144
02:03:26,600 --> 02:03:28,400
numbering in the hundreds of 
thousands. 

2145
02:03:29,500 --> 02:03:32,700
The logistics of such events, 
require teams of Specialists 

2146
02:03:32,700 --> 02:03:36,700
months of planning, 
sophisticated electronic, firing

2147
02:03:36,700 --> 02:03:39,700
systems, and called a nation. 
That would have seemed like 

2148
02:03:39,700 --> 02:03:41,500
sorcery to ancient 
practitioners. 

2149
02:03:43,000 --> 02:03:45,400
Yet something essential remains 
unchanged. 

2150
02:03:45,400 --> 02:03:48,700
When you watch fireworks bursts,
the night sky. 

2151
02:03:48,700 --> 02:03:52,500
You're experiencing the same. 
Fundamental wonder that 

2152
02:03:52,500 --> 02:03:54,700
audiences felt a thousand years 
ago. 

2153
02:03:55,600 --> 02:03:59,700
The surprise of light blooming 
and darkness, the visceral 

2154
02:03:59,700 --> 02:04:05,000
impact of sudden loud sounds. 
And the shared gasp of a crowd. 

2155
02:04:05,000 --> 02:04:08,000
Witnessing something that 
exceeds every day, experience. 

2156
02:04:08,800 --> 02:04:10,500
The technology may have 
advanced. 

2157
02:04:11,500 --> 02:04:15,400
Human psychology hasn't changed.
We're still creatures who 

2158
02:04:15,400 --> 02:04:18,300
respond to Fire and light with 
deep Primal fascination. 

2159
02:04:19,600 --> 02:04:22,000
The safety standard surrounding 
modern fireworks. 

2160
02:04:22,000 --> 02:04:24,200
Represent. 
Dramatic improvements over 

2161
02:04:24,200 --> 02:04:28,200
historical practices. 
Contemporary pyrotechnicians, 

2162
02:04:28,200 --> 02:04:30,600
undergo extensive training, and 
certification. 

2163
02:04:31,400 --> 02:04:35,300
Follow strict regulations about 
storage and handling an employee

2164
02:04:35,300 --> 02:04:38,200
safety equipment and procedures 
that minimize risks. 

2165
02:04:39,000 --> 02:04:42,000
The materials themselves have 
been refined to be more stable 

2166
02:04:42,000 --> 02:04:45,300
and predictable. 
Accidents, still occur, but 

2167
02:04:45,300 --> 02:04:48,400
their farthest common than they 
were when fireworks creation was

2168
02:04:48,400 --> 02:04:51,000
a more intuitive. 
Less regulated craft. 

2169
02:04:52,300 --> 02:04:55,700
Environmental concerns about 
fireworks have emerged in recent

2170
02:04:55,700 --> 02:04:58,900
decades, as we've become more 
aware of pollution and its 

2171
02:04:58,900 --> 02:05:02,200
effects. 
The smoke from black powder and 

2172
02:05:02,200 --> 02:05:05,600
various chemical compositions 
contain substances that aren't 

2173
02:05:05,600 --> 02:05:07,900
particularly beneficial to air 
quality. 

2174
02:05:08,700 --> 02:05:11,600
Debris from spent shells and 
casings creates clean up 

2175
02:05:11,600 --> 02:05:15,200
challenges. 
The noise disturbs wildlife and 

2176
02:05:15,200 --> 02:05:17,600
can be traumatic for people and 
animals with sound 

2177
02:05:17,600 --> 02:05:21,100
sensitivities. 
These concerns have spurred 

2178
02:05:21,100 --> 02:05:23,200
innovation in developing 
cleaner. 

2179
02:05:23,200 --> 02:05:27,600
Pyrotechnics quieter, displays 
an alternative celebration 

2180
02:05:27,600 --> 02:05:31,000
methods, though, traditional 
fireworks, remain popular 

2181
02:05:31,000 --> 02:05:35,200
despite these issues The 
Democratic nature of fireworks. 

2182
02:05:35,200 --> 02:05:38,400
The way they create shared 
experience of available to 

2183
02:05:38,400 --> 02:05:41,800
everyone present, gives them a 
unique cultural role. 

2184
02:05:42,700 --> 02:05:46,000
Unlike many art forms that 
require educational or cultural 

2185
02:05:46,000 --> 02:05:49,000
knowledge to fully appreciate 
fireworks. 

2186
02:05:49,000 --> 02:05:52,400
Communicate immediately and 
viscerally, you don't need 

2187
02:05:52,400 --> 02:05:55,800
training to understand that 
brilliant colors bursting across

2188
02:05:55,800 --> 02:05:57,600
the sky, a beautiful and 
exciting. 

2189
02:05:58,700 --> 02:06:02,100
This accessibility helps explain
why fireworks have been adopted 

2190
02:06:02,100 --> 02:06:04,200
by virtually every culture 
they've encountered. 

2191
02:06:05,200 --> 02:06:07,900
Different occasions around the 
world have become associated 

2192
02:06:07,900 --> 02:06:12,100
with fireworks displays, each 
culture mapping the technology 

2193
02:06:12,100 --> 02:06:14,800
onto their own calendar of 
significant moments. 

2194
02:06:15,600 --> 02:06:18,600
Chinese New Year remains, 
perhaps the most extensive use 

2195
02:06:18,600 --> 02:06:22,200
of fireworks anywhere with 
celebrations that can last for 

2196
02:06:22,200 --> 02:06:26,100
days and consume staggering 
quantities of pyrotechnics. 

2197
02:06:27,000 --> 02:06:30,400
American independence day has 
become synonymous with fireworks

2198
02:06:30,400 --> 02:06:33,600
in the United States. 
Diwali in India features. 

2199
02:06:33,600 --> 02:06:38,000
Spectacular fire. 
Displays Guy, Fawkes Knight in 

2200
02:06:38,000 --> 02:06:42,300
Britain Bastille Day in France, 
and countless local festivals 

2201
02:06:42,300 --> 02:06:44,200
worldwide. 
All Mark themselves with 

2202
02:06:44,200 --> 02:06:48,200
artificial lights in the sky. 
The personal experience of 

2203
02:06:48,200 --> 02:06:52,200
watching fireworks varies but 
certain elements seem Universal.

2204
02:06:52,200 --> 02:06:55,000
There's the anticipation as you 
wait in darkness. 

2205
02:06:55,000 --> 02:06:57,200
Knowing something is about to 
happen. 

2206
02:06:57,200 --> 02:07:01,700
The first burst always draws 
exclamations. 

2207
02:07:01,700 --> 02:07:05,900
Even when you know, it's coming 
the sudden transition from 

2208
02:07:05,900 --> 02:07:08,900
Darkness to brilliant. 
Light, captures attention 

2209
02:07:08,900 --> 02:07:12,900
completely. 
As displays progress, you find 

2210
02:07:12,900 --> 02:07:16,900
yourself looking for patterns, 
comparing different effects and 

2211
02:07:16,900 --> 02:07:21,300
perhaps developing favorites. 
The grand finale with its 

2212
02:07:21,300 --> 02:07:25,300
overwhelming density of effects 
and sound creates a kind of 

2213
02:07:25,300 --> 02:07:28,500
sensory saturation that borders 
on overwhelming. 

2214
02:07:29,500 --> 02:07:33,900
And then comes the silence after
with smoke drifting across your 

2215
02:07:33,900 --> 02:07:35,900
vision. 
And the smell of powder hanging 

2216
02:07:35,900 --> 02:07:38,900
in the air. 
Children experiencing fireworks 

2217
02:07:38,900 --> 02:07:41,100
for the first time. 
Go through a fascinating 

2218
02:07:41,100 --> 02:07:44,600
progression. 
Initial fear of the loud noises 

2219
02:07:44,600 --> 02:07:47,800
often gives away to excitement 
once they realize the sounds 

2220
02:07:47,800 --> 02:07:51,400
won't hurt them. 
The visual spectacle captivates 

2221
02:07:51,400 --> 02:07:55,000
even very young children often 
try to reach up toward the 

2222
02:07:55,000 --> 02:07:57,800
lights as if they could somehow 
grab them from the sky. 

2223
02:07:58,900 --> 02:08:01,900
The association between 
fireworks and special occasions,

2224
02:08:01,900 --> 02:08:06,400
gets established early, creating
memories that many people carry 

2225
02:08:06,400 --> 02:08:09,900
throughout their lives. 
Particular displays watched with

2226
02:08:09,900 --> 02:08:12,900
family that one time, the 
weather was perfect. 

2227
02:08:12,900 --> 02:08:18,100
And the year when everything 
seemed totally magical For 

2228
02:08:18,100 --> 02:08:21,000
adults fireworks often carry, 
nostalgic weight. 

2229
02:08:21,000 --> 02:08:24,000
Connecting present moments to 
pass celebration. 

2230
02:08:25,100 --> 02:08:28,400
Watching displays might trigger 
memories of childhood festivals 

2231
02:08:28,400 --> 02:08:30,800
or of significant personal 
moments. 

2232
02:08:30,800 --> 02:08:35,000
That happened to coincide with 
fireworks proposals celebrations

2233
02:08:35,000 --> 02:08:39,200
of achievements and fair. 
Well, gatherings the recurring 

2234
02:08:39,200 --> 02:08:42,700
nature of fireworks on specific 
occasions creates markers in 

2235
02:08:42,700 --> 02:08:46,200
personal chronology, allowing 
people to measure the passage of

2236
02:08:46,200 --> 02:08:51,000
time through remembered displays
The craft of creating fireworks 

2237
02:08:51,000 --> 02:08:54,600
continues to evolve. 
Professional pyrotechnicians 

2238
02:08:54,600 --> 02:08:57,300
today combined traditional 
expertise, with modern 

2239
02:08:57,300 --> 02:09:00,700
technology using computer 
software, to choreograph 

2240
02:09:00,700 --> 02:09:05,300
displays electronic firing 
systems for precise timing and 

2241
02:09:05,300 --> 02:09:08,100
new chemical formulations for 
novel effects. 

2242
02:09:09,000 --> 02:09:12,500
Yet they still draw on knowledge
accumulated over centuries. 

2243
02:09:12,500 --> 02:09:15,600
Still must understand how 
weather conditions affect 

2244
02:09:15,600 --> 02:09:17,900
performance and still need the 
Judgment. 

2245
02:09:17,900 --> 02:09:22,200
That comes only from experience.
It remains a craft where human 

2246
02:09:22,200 --> 02:09:26,500
expertise matters enormously 
even as technology provides new 

2247
02:09:26,500 --> 02:09:28,800
tools. 
How much are and hobbyist 

2248
02:09:28,800 --> 02:09:30,400
fireworks? 
Communities exist. 

2249
02:09:30,400 --> 02:09:33,900
In many countries though, they 
are subject to varying legal 

2250
02:09:33,900 --> 02:09:35,700
restrictions and safety 
regulations. 

2251
02:09:36,700 --> 02:09:39,700
These enthusiasts carry on 
traditions of experimentation 

2252
02:09:39,700 --> 02:09:43,600
and Innovation discovering new 
effects and techniques and 

2253
02:09:43,600 --> 02:09:47,100
sharing knowledge through online
forums and in-person gatherings.

2254
02:09:48,000 --> 02:09:50,700
The democratization of 
information through the internet

2255
02:09:50,700 --> 02:09:54,200
has made pirate technology more 
accessible than ever before. 

2256
02:09:54,200 --> 02:09:57,700
Though this comes with concerns 
about safety and proper 

2257
02:09:57,700 --> 02:10:00,300
training. 
The question of what fireworks 

2258
02:10:00,300 --> 02:10:04,400
mean continues to evolve. 
For some they remain primarily 

2259
02:10:04,400 --> 02:10:07,900
celebratory. 
Pure expressions of Joy without 

2260
02:10:07,900 --> 02:10:10,600
deeper significance Beyond 
marking happier occasions. 

2261
02:10:11,700 --> 02:10:13,900
Others see in the metaphors for 
life itself. 

2262
02:10:13,900 --> 02:10:17,500
Brilliant brief, and beautiful 
precisely. 

2263
02:10:17,500 --> 02:10:19,700
Because they cannot be held or 
preserved. 

2264
02:10:19,700 --> 02:10:23,400
Only experienced in the moment. 
Still others. 

2265
02:10:23,400 --> 02:10:25,400
Appreciate them. 
As technical achievements, 

2266
02:10:25,400 --> 02:10:29,100
marveling at the engineering and
chemistry required to produce 

2267
02:10:29,100 --> 02:10:32,600
specific effects. 
The future of fireworks, likely 

2268
02:10:32,600 --> 02:10:35,200
involved continued innovation in
several directions. 

2269
02:10:36,200 --> 02:10:38,800
Environmentally friendly a 
formulations that reduce 

2270
02:10:38,800 --> 02:10:42,000
pollution and noise are already 
being developed and deployed. 

2271
02:10:43,000 --> 02:10:44,600
Drone. 
Light shows, offeral 

2272
02:10:44,600 --> 02:10:46,400
Alternatives, that create 
spectacular. 

2273
02:10:46,400 --> 02:10:49,400
Aerial displays without 
combustion or debris. 

2274
02:10:50,300 --> 02:10:52,900
Augmented reality might have 
eventually allow people to 

2275
02:10:52,900 --> 02:10:55,900
experience virtual fireworks 
customized to their preferences.

2276
02:10:57,200 --> 02:11:00,100
Yet traditional pyrotechnics 
will likely endure because they 

2277
02:11:00,100 --> 02:11:02,200
offer something that 
technological Alternatives 

2278
02:11:02,200 --> 02:11:06,000
cannot quite replicate. 
The real physical presence of 

2279
02:11:06,000 --> 02:11:10,600
fire and lightning, boom, that 
you feel in your chest and the 

2280
02:11:10,600 --> 02:11:13,700
shared experience of witnessing 
something that is genuinely 

2281
02:11:13,700 --> 02:11:17,100
happening in the moment, rather 
than being mediated through 

2282
02:11:17,100 --> 02:11:20,100
screens. 
The Alchemist who first mix, 

2283
02:11:20,100 --> 02:11:24,000
sulfur, salt, peter and charcoal
would probably be bemused to 

2284
02:11:24,000 --> 02:11:27,500
know their failed experiments at
creating a mortality elixirs 

2285
02:11:27,500 --> 02:11:30,300
instead. 
Created something that has 

2286
02:11:30,300 --> 02:11:33,400
brought joy to billions of 
people across countless 

2287
02:11:33,400 --> 02:11:36,300
Generations. 
They were looking for a way to 

2288
02:11:36,300 --> 02:11:40,200
extend life indefinitely but 
they inadvertently discovered 

2289
02:11:40,200 --> 02:11:43,700
something else. 
A way to Mark life's important 

2290
02:11:43,700 --> 02:11:48,000
moments to create shared 
experiences of Wonder and to add

2291
02:11:48,000 --> 02:11:50,400
Beauty and excitement to human 
celebration. 

2292
02:11:51,400 --> 02:11:54,000
In that sense, perhaps they 
succeeded off. 

2293
02:11:54,000 --> 02:11:56,400
After all, just not in the way 
they intended. 

2294
02:11:57,300 --> 02:12:00,300
They didn't create him mortality
for individuals, but they 

2295
02:12:00,300 --> 02:12:03,800
created something that has 
persisted across centuries and 

2296
02:12:03,800 --> 02:12:05,300
will likely continue for many 
more. 

2297
02:12:06,100 --> 02:12:09,100
A tradition that connects 
ancient Chinese workshops to 

2298
02:12:09,100 --> 02:12:13,500
Modern celebrations worldwide. 
That links those first primitive

2299
02:12:13,500 --> 02:12:16,900
bamboo crackers, to the most 
sophisticated contemporary 

2300
02:12:16,900 --> 02:12:20,900
displays and that transform 
simple chemical reactions in to 

2301
02:12:20,900 --> 02:12:25,100
experience of beauty and joy. as
we bring this journey to a 

2302
02:12:25,100 --> 02:12:29,500
close, Imagine yourself standing
under a night, sky similar to 

2303
02:12:29,500 --> 02:12:33,300
the one that ancient Alchemists 
saw from their workshops back. 

2304
02:12:33,300 --> 02:12:36,700
When they first noticed that 
certain mixtures of powder would

2305
02:12:36,700 --> 02:12:39,100
burn with unexpected 
brilliantes. 

2306
02:12:39,900 --> 02:12:43,300
The same stars. 
Look down arranged in patterns 

2307
02:12:43,300 --> 02:12:46,800
that humans have been reading 
for thousands of years, finding 

2308
02:12:46,800 --> 02:12:49,200
meanings and stories in their 
Arrangements. 

2309
02:12:50,200 --> 02:12:53,300
The darkness that surrounds you 
is comfortable now, not 

2310
02:12:53,300 --> 02:12:55,600
threatening or empty but full of
potential. 

2311
02:12:56,400 --> 02:12:59,900
The same potential that those 
early experimenters sensed when 

2312
02:12:59,900 --> 02:13:02,900
they work through. 
Quiet hours, grinding powders 

2313
02:13:02,900 --> 02:13:06,100
and mixing substances. 
Not knowing they were creating 

2314
02:13:06,100 --> 02:13:08,900
something that would Outlast 
Empires and span continents. 

2315
02:13:10,000 --> 02:13:12,500
You can almost smell that 
distinctive scent of black 

2316
02:13:12,500 --> 02:13:15,300
powder smoke. 
Sharp and accurate, but 

2317
02:13:15,300 --> 02:13:17,700
associated with joy and 
celebration. 

2318
02:13:18,700 --> 02:13:22,300
You can imagine the sound of the
first bamboo cracker splitting. 

2319
02:13:22,300 --> 02:13:25,600
From internal pressure, the 
surprise laughter, that must 

2320
02:13:25,600 --> 02:13:28,000
have followed and the 
realization that here was 

2321
02:13:28,000 --> 02:13:32,200
something new a way to make 
Darkness suddenly bright to 

2322
02:13:32,200 --> 02:13:34,700
Mark, important moments, with 
light and sound. 

2323
02:13:34,700 --> 02:13:38,600
And to share one with everyone 
within site near shot. 

2324
02:13:39,400 --> 02:13:42,500
The journey from medicinal 
research to Global celebration 

2325
02:13:42,500 --> 02:13:46,200
is a reminder that human 
creativity often Works in 

2326
02:13:46,200 --> 02:13:50,200
unexpected ways. 
We set out to achieve one goal 

2327
02:13:50,200 --> 02:13:52,400
and discovered something 
entirely different. 

2328
02:13:52,400 --> 02:13:56,500
We tried to solve one problem 
and create solutions to 

2329
02:13:56,500 --> 02:13:59,700
problems. 
We hadn't even recognized Those 

2330
02:13:59,700 --> 02:14:03,200
Alchemists failed that their 
original purpose but succeeded 

2331
02:14:03,200 --> 02:14:06,200
in creating something arguably 
more valuable. 

2332
02:14:07,000 --> 02:14:10,700
Not immortality for individuals 
but a tradition that has brought

2333
02:14:10,700 --> 02:14:14,600
Joy across Generations. 
A shared human language of light

2334
02:14:14,600 --> 02:14:19,500
that requires no translation. 
As your breathing slows and your

2335
02:14:19,500 --> 02:14:21,400
body settles into complete 
relaxation. 

2336
02:14:22,500 --> 02:14:25,500
Let yourself feel connected to 
that long chain of Human 

2337
02:14:25,500 --> 02:14:28,800
Experience. 
From those first experimenters 

2338
02:14:28,800 --> 02:14:31,400
in Tang Dynasty. 
Workshops to Modern 

2339
02:14:31,400 --> 02:14:35,400
pyrotechnicians preparing 
tomorrow's displays from ancient

2340
02:14:35,400 --> 02:14:37,400
Festival. 
Goers gathering in Chinese 

2341
02:14:37,400 --> 02:14:41,100
Courtyards to contemporary 
audiences watching, synchronized

2342
02:14:41,100 --> 02:14:43,800
displays set to music in cities 
around the world. 

2343
02:14:45,000 --> 02:14:47,300
Your part of this story. 
Every time you've watched 

2344
02:14:47,300 --> 02:14:51,600
fireworks, burst to cross the 
sky, Every time you felt that 

2345
02:14:51,600 --> 02:14:56,300
visceral thrill of sudden, light
blooming in darkness, and every 

2346
02:14:56,300 --> 02:14:58,800
time you've shared that 
Collective intake of breath, 

2347
02:14:58,800 --> 02:15:02,000
when something particularly 
spectacular unfolds overhead, 

2348
02:15:02,000 --> 02:15:05,300
the tradition that began with 
Alchemist seeking immortality 

2349
02:15:05,300 --> 02:15:09,600
continues through your 
experiences, your memories and 

2350
02:15:09,600 --> 02:15:12,800
your participation in 
celebrations marked by fire and 

2351
02:15:12,800 --> 02:15:15,600
Light. 
The beauty of fireworks like the

2352
02:15:15,600 --> 02:15:19,800
beauty of this story lies, 
partly in its impermanence each 

2353
02:15:19,800 --> 02:15:24,200
burst exists for only a moment. 
Brilliant and then gone leaving 

2354
02:15:24,200 --> 02:15:29,300
only smoke and memory. but those
moments accumulate, Building a 

2355
02:15:29,308 --> 02:15:32,600
tradition that has endured for 
over 1,000 years and will likely

2356
02:15:32,600 --> 02:15:36,000
continue as long as humans 
gathered to celebrate to Mark, 

2357
02:15:36,000 --> 02:15:39,800
important Transitions and to 
create Beauty together in the 

2358
02:15:39,800 --> 02:15:43,600
Darkness. 
The ancient Chinese Alchemists 

2359
02:15:43,600 --> 02:15:45,100
could not have predicted any of 
this. 

2360
02:15:45,100 --> 02:15:49,800
They were just trying to extend 
life mixing substances according

2361
02:15:49,800 --> 02:15:53,700
to theories that combined 
philosophy, medicine and early 

2362
02:15:53,700 --> 02:15:57,500
chemistry. 
They would probably be surprised

2363
02:15:57,500 --> 02:16:00,200
to learn that their experiments 
live on not in extended 

2364
02:16:00,200 --> 02:16:03,200
lifespan. 
But in the joyful explosions of 

2365
02:16:03,200 --> 02:16:07,600
color that Mark celebrations 
worldwide Yet, there's a certain

2366
02:16:07,600 --> 02:16:11,000
poetry in this outcome. 
Their quest for permanents 

2367
02:16:11,000 --> 02:16:13,900
created something. 
That is beautiful precisely 

2368
02:16:13,900 --> 02:16:18,300
because it doesn't last As you 
drift towards sleep carried by 

2369
02:16:18,300 --> 02:16:20,200
The Gentle. 
Rhythm of the story, in your own

2370
02:16:20,200 --> 02:16:24,100
quiet breathing, let the images 
of ancient workshops and modern 

2371
02:16:24,100 --> 02:16:29,000
festivals blend and soften The 
specific details don't matter, 

2372
02:16:29,000 --> 02:16:31,100
so much. 
Now what matters is the 

2373
02:16:31,100 --> 02:16:35,900
connection, the continuity, the 
way human creativity and 

2374
02:16:35,900 --> 02:16:39,200
curiosity of threaded through 
centuries, transforming 

2375
02:16:39,200 --> 02:16:43,400
accidents into Traditions 
turning failed experiments into 

2376
02:16:43,400 --> 02:16:46,799
sources of Joy. 
The night sky above you holds 

2377
02:16:46,799 --> 02:16:49,799
all the same potential it held 
for those ancient Observers. 

2378
02:16:50,600 --> 02:16:54,200
The darkness is simply waiting 
for light for color for. 

2379
02:16:54,400 --> 02:16:57,500
The sudden brilliant Bloom of 
fire flowers that fade even as 

2380
02:16:57,500 --> 02:17:02,000
they're being born. 
And somewhere right now someone 

2381
02:17:02,000 --> 02:17:06,400
is preparing tomorrow's display,
measuring powder packing, tubes 

2382
02:17:06,400 --> 02:17:10,500
and timing fuses continuing work
that began in quiet. 

2383
02:17:10,500 --> 02:17:12,500
Workshops more than a millennium
ago. 

2384
02:17:13,299 --> 02:17:16,600
When Alchemists first noticed 
that certain combinations of 

2385
02:17:16,600 --> 02:17:19,400
Earth and mineral could 
transform into something 

2386
02:17:19,400 --> 02:17:21,700
extraordinary. 
Sleep. 

2387
02:17:21,700 --> 02:17:24,900
Now with the knowledge that 
human curiosity and creativity 

2388
02:17:24,900 --> 02:17:28,500
continue their patient work, 
that beautiful accidents, still 

2389
02:17:28,500 --> 02:17:30,799
happen. 
That the search for one thing 

2390
02:17:30,799 --> 02:17:34,200
often leads to discovering 
something else entirely and that

2391
02:17:34,200 --> 02:17:36,600
sometimes are failures turn out 
to be gifts. 

2392
02:17:36,600 --> 02:17:41,100
We never expected to give the 
story of fireworks is the story 

2393
02:17:41,100 --> 02:17:45,600
of transformation of materials 
transformed by fire of 

2394
02:17:45,600 --> 02:17:48,200
accidental discoveries 
transformed into intentional 

2395
02:17:48,200 --> 02:17:52,500
art, Of individual experiences 
transformed into shared 

2396
02:17:52,500 --> 02:17:55,100
Traditions. 
It's a story that continues 

2397
02:17:55,100 --> 02:17:58,900
every time someone looks up at a
night sky and sees it, suddenly 

2398
02:17:58,900 --> 02:18:03,400
painted with impossible colors, 
every time a crowd, gasps 

2399
02:18:03,400 --> 02:18:07,700
together at spectacular Beauty. 
And every time a celebration is 

2400
02:18:07,700 --> 02:18:11,299
marked with light blooming and 
darkness, rest easy in this 

2401
02:18:11,308 --> 02:18:14,799
knowledge and let the gentle 
images of distant workshops and 

2402
02:18:14,799 --> 02:18:17,500
Festival nights. 
Fading Into the comfortable, 

2403
02:18:17,500 --> 02:18:19,500
Darkness behind your closed 
eyes. 

2404
02:18:21,000 --> 02:18:23,200
The Alchemists are still at 
work, somewhere in your 

2405
02:18:23,200 --> 02:18:27,100
imagination grinding their 
powders by Lamplight, not 

2406
02:18:27,100 --> 02:18:30,200
knowing what they're about to 
discover and that's perfectly 

2407
02:18:30,200 --> 02:18:32,700
fine. 
Discovery doesn't require 

2408
02:18:32,700 --> 02:18:35,900
knowing the destination. 
It only requires curiosity 

2409
02:18:35,900 --> 02:18:39,000
patience. 
And the willingness to notice 

2410
02:18:39,000 --> 02:18:42,900
when something unexpected 
happened, The ancient Stars 

2411
02:18:42,900 --> 02:18:46,500
continue their slow wheel 
overhead the night holds its 

2412
02:18:46,500 --> 02:18:50,500
secrets and its possibilities. 
And somewhere between sleeping 

2413
02:18:50,500 --> 02:18:52,900
and waking. 
You understand that some of 

2414
02:18:52,900 --> 02:18:55,799
Humanity's greatest gifts came 
from people looking for 

2415
02:18:55,799 --> 02:18:59,900
something else entirely and 
that, this too is beautiful this

2416
02:18:59,900 --> 02:19:03,900
stumbling into one day. 
This accidental creation of joy.

2417
02:19:04,799 --> 02:19:06,700
Sleep. 
Well, under the same sky that 

2418
02:19:06,700 --> 02:19:09,700
has watched over Chinese 
workshops and Roman festivals 

2419
02:19:09,700 --> 02:19:14,700
over Tang Dynasty celebrations 
and modern displays over every 

2420
02:19:14,700 --> 02:19:18,500
human who ever looked up at 
darkness and imagined it bright 

2421
02:19:18,500 --> 02:19:22,799
with flowers of Fire. 
The tradition continues, the 

2422
02:19:22,799 --> 02:19:27,700
craft endures and the simple 
chemistry of sulfur, saltpeter, 

2423
02:19:27,700 --> 02:19:32,299
and charcoal still transforms 
into moments of beauty that 

2424
02:19:32,299 --> 02:19:36,500
connect us across centuries. 
Let these thoughts dissolve. 

2425
02:19:36,500 --> 02:19:38,700
Now into the peaceful darkness 
of sleep. 

2426
02:19:39,500 --> 02:19:42,799
Carrying with them, the Warm 
Glow of distant lamps in ancient

2427
02:19:42,799 --> 02:19:45,900
workshops. 
The brilliant flash of Festival 

2428
02:19:45,900 --> 02:19:49,900
fireworks and the quiet 
satisfaction of understanding. 

2429
02:19:49,900 --> 02:19:53,800
How accidents and experiments 
and patient craftsmanship, can 

2430
02:19:53,800 --> 02:19:58,100
combine to create Traditions 
that Outlast Empires and cross 

2431
02:19:58,100 --> 02:20:01,500
every border. 
The story is complete. 

2432
02:20:01,500 --> 02:20:04,300
The night is quiet, and sleep is
calling. 

2433
02:20:05,200 --> 02:20:07,700
Rest. 
Now, knowing that tomorrow will 

2434
02:20:07,700 --> 02:20:09,800
bring its own possibilities for 
Discovery. 

2435
02:20:09,800 --> 02:20:12,800
Zone. 
Chances to transform ordinary 

2436
02:20:12,800 --> 02:20:16,400
materials, into extraordinary 
experience's and its own 

2437
02:20:16,400 --> 02:20:20,100
opportunities to create beauty 
that like the best fireworks 

2438
02:20:20,100 --> 02:20:23,900
exist brilliantly from moment 
before Fading Into memory. 

2439
02:20:32,000 --> 02:20:35,700
Welcome to the world of a knight
in medieval Europe somewhere 

2440
02:20:35,700 --> 02:20:37,700
between the 11th and 14th 
centuries. 

2441
02:20:37,700 --> 02:20:41,000
You're not charging into battle 
or seeking Glory. 

2442
02:20:41,000 --> 02:20:45,300
You're managing land, fulfilling
obligations and moving through 

2443
02:20:45,300 --> 02:20:49,000
the steady rhythm of service and
responsibility that Define this 

2444
02:20:49,000 --> 02:20:51,400
life far. 
More than any Legend ever could.

2445
02:20:52,200 --> 02:20:54,400
The days are long. 
The work is constant. 

2446
02:20:54,400 --> 02:20:57,800
And the satisfaction comes, not 
from heroism, but from 

2447
02:20:57,800 --> 02:21:01,500
continuity. 
You wait before full light in a 

2448
02:21:01,500 --> 02:21:03,100
manor house built from Stone and
Timber. 

2449
02:21:03,900 --> 02:21:07,000
The room is not large. 
A wooden bed frame holds a 

2450
02:21:07,008 --> 02:21:09,000
mattress stuffed with straw and 
wool. 

2451
02:21:09,000 --> 02:21:11,700
Layered with linen and a heavy 
Woolen blanket. 

2452
02:21:12,500 --> 02:21:14,400
The air is cool. 
A specially in the months 

2453
02:21:14,400 --> 02:21:17,600
between Autumn and spring when 
Frost settles on the ground 

2454
02:21:17,600 --> 02:21:20,500
outside and your breath Miss 
faintly in the dim light. 

2455
02:21:21,400 --> 02:21:24,600
You can hear movement elsewhere 
in the house servants already, 

2456
02:21:24,600 --> 02:21:28,200
tending to fires, preparing the 
hall and beginning the work that

2457
02:21:28,200 --> 02:21:32,300
sustains the household. 
The footsteps are soft on packed

2458
02:21:32,300 --> 02:21:36,400
Earth, flaws their voices, low 
and purposeful, you dress in 

2459
02:21:36,400 --> 02:21:39,700
layers A Lynn shirt first pulled
over your head. 

2460
02:21:40,500 --> 02:21:44,000
Fabric slightly rough against 
your skin but softened by many 

2461
02:21:44,000 --> 02:21:47,200
Washings. 
Then Woolen hose tied at the 

2462
02:21:47,208 --> 02:21:50,500
waist with linen chords. 
The wool thick enough to provide

2463
02:21:50,500 --> 02:21:53,000
warmth but not so thick that it 
restricts movement. 

2464
02:21:54,300 --> 02:21:58,900
The tunic follows died, a 
practical color brown, dark 

2465
02:21:58,900 --> 02:22:02,400
green or gray. 
And belted at the waist with 

2466
02:22:02,400 --> 02:22:05,500
leather. 
The belt holds a small knife in 

2467
02:22:05,500 --> 02:22:09,200
a sheath useful for cutting 
food, or trimming loose threads,

2468
02:22:09,200 --> 02:22:12,700
or any of a dozen, small tasks 
that arise throughout the day. 

2469
02:22:13,800 --> 02:22:16,800
Leather shoes, soft soul, and 
worn. 

2470
02:22:16,800 --> 02:22:19,800
Smooth from use complete, the 
basic outfit. 

2471
02:22:20,900 --> 02:22:25,600
In Winter, you add another layer
a heavier tunic or a cloak lined

2472
02:22:25,600 --> 02:22:28,800
with fur. 
In summer, you might skip the 

2473
02:22:28,800 --> 02:22:31,500
outer tunic until later in the 
day when you need to appear more

2474
02:22:31,500 --> 02:22:35,000
formally dressed. 
The clothing is functional made 

2475
02:22:35,000 --> 02:22:36,700
to last and repairs, when it 
tears. 

2476
02:22:36,700 --> 02:22:42,200
Nothing is discarded lightly. 
A torn seam is stitched A Worn. 

2477
02:22:42,200 --> 02:22:45,600
Patch is reinforced the garments
accumulates small. 

2478
02:22:45,600 --> 02:22:50,800
Repairs over months and years. 
Each member of continued use you

2479
02:22:50,800 --> 02:22:53,100
move through the hall. 
The ceiling is high enough to 

2480
02:22:53,100 --> 02:22:57,000
let smoke from the central half 
rise to the roof, beams, where 

2481
02:22:57,000 --> 02:23:00,000
Escape through gaps, left 
deliberately for ventilation. 

2482
02:23:00,900 --> 02:23:05,600
The walls are stone at the base,
Timber above plastered and 

2483
02:23:05,600 --> 02:23:09,200
sometimes whitewashed. 
Tapestries or woven hangings 

2484
02:23:09,200 --> 02:23:12,500
cover portions of the walls, 
providing insulation against 

2485
02:23:12,500 --> 02:23:14,400
drafts and adding color to the 
space. 

2486
02:23:15,700 --> 02:23:18,600
Trestle tables have been set up 
along the sides of the hall. 

2487
02:23:18,600 --> 02:23:23,200
Their surfaces scarred from 
years of use benches for the 

2488
02:23:23,208 --> 02:23:26,100
morning meal. 
Servants are already laying out 

2489
02:23:26,100 --> 02:23:29,600
bread cheese and Ale moving with
the Quiet efficiency of people 

2490
02:23:29,600 --> 02:23:32,400
who have done these tasks 
countless times before. 

2491
02:23:33,700 --> 02:23:35,400
You take your place at the head 
of the table. 

2492
02:23:35,400 --> 02:23:37,500
Not because you are particularly
Grand. 

2493
02:23:37,500 --> 02:23:40,000
But because this is your 
household and this is where you 

2494
02:23:40,000 --> 02:23:44,700
sit the position comes with the 
responsibility, your wife, if 

2495
02:23:44,700 --> 02:23:48,500
you have one sits beside you or 
near you, depending on the 

2496
02:23:48,500 --> 02:23:52,200
formality of the meal children. 
If they're old enough, sit 

2497
02:23:52,200 --> 02:23:56,300
further down the table servers 
and members of your household, 

2498
02:23:56,300 --> 02:23:59,700
fill the remaining spaces. 
Breakfast is simple. 

2499
02:23:59,700 --> 02:24:03,500
The bread is dense and filling 
made from Rye or barley. 

2500
02:24:03,500 --> 02:24:08,800
Sometimes a mix of grains called
Maslin The crust is thick and 

2501
02:24:08,800 --> 02:24:11,400
dark. 
The interior is chewy. 

2502
02:24:12,100 --> 02:24:15,800
Tear pieces off with your hands 
dipping them in ale or spreading

2503
02:24:15,800 --> 02:24:17,300
them with butter. 
If it is available. 

2504
02:24:18,300 --> 02:24:22,100
The cheese is local made from 
the milk of cows or sheep kept 

2505
02:24:22,100 --> 02:24:25,100
on your land. 
It is firm sometimes. 

2506
02:24:25,100 --> 02:24:28,700
Crumbly with a strong flavor 
that varies depending on how 

2507
02:24:28,700 --> 02:24:29,700
long it is. 
Aged. 

2508
02:24:30,500 --> 02:24:34,500
The ale is weak safer to drink 
than water from the well and 

2509
02:24:34,500 --> 02:24:36,700
slightly sweet from The Barley 
used in Brewing. 

2510
02:24:37,400 --> 02:24:41,200
You eat with out, hurry. 
The meal is a pause before the 

2511
02:24:41,200 --> 02:24:45,600
days, work begins in earnest. 
Others, join you members of your

2512
02:24:45,600 --> 02:24:49,100
household, perhaps a young man 
learning service, under your 

2513
02:24:49,100 --> 02:24:53,400
roof, a steward who manages 
portions of your land or a 

2514
02:24:53,400 --> 02:24:54,800
clerk. 
If you employ one to keep 

2515
02:24:54,800 --> 02:24:57,400
records. 
Conversation is low and 

2516
02:24:57,400 --> 02:25:00,800
practical, someone mentioned a 
fence that needs repair near the

2517
02:25:00,800 --> 02:25:04,200
eastern boundary, someone else 
notes that the grain stores are 

2518
02:25:04,200 --> 02:25:05,800
holding well after the last half
Harvest. 

2519
02:25:06,900 --> 02:25:09,900
Servant reports that one of the 
horses, seemed slightly lame and

2520
02:25:09,900 --> 02:25:13,500
should be examined. 
You listen, ask questions when 

2521
02:25:13,500 --> 02:25:16,600
needed and make mental notes of 
what requires your attention. 

2522
02:25:17,500 --> 02:25:19,600
After the meal, you step out 
side. 

2523
02:25:20,500 --> 02:25:24,400
The Manor sits within a few 
Acres of enclosed land Garden's,

2524
02:25:24,400 --> 02:25:27,800
where vegetables and herbs are 
grown a small Orchard with apple

2525
02:25:27,800 --> 02:25:31,300
and pear, trees and outbuildings
for storage and animals. 

2526
02:25:32,100 --> 02:25:35,100
The air is cooler outside than 
in the hall fresh with the 

2527
02:25:35,108 --> 02:25:39,700
center of Earth, and vegetation.
If it is rained recently, the 

2528
02:25:39,700 --> 02:25:43,400
ground is soft underfoot mud 
clinging to your shoes. 

2529
02:25:44,300 --> 02:25:48,100
If the weather has been dry dust
Rises faintly with each step. 

2530
02:25:48,800 --> 02:25:52,600
Beyond the enclosed area open 
field stretched toward the edge 

2531
02:25:52,600 --> 02:25:55,800
of your holding. 
The landscape varies by season 

2532
02:25:55,800 --> 02:26:00,400
in Spring, the fields are being 
plowed, the dark soil turned in 

2533
02:26:00,400 --> 02:26:04,700
Long furrows in summer, grain 
grows tall, and green. 

2534
02:26:04,700 --> 02:26:09,700
In Autumn, the Harvest is 
underway with sheaves of wheat 

2535
02:26:09,700 --> 02:26:14,300
or barley bundled and stacked. 
In Winter, the fields, life 

2536
02:26:14,300 --> 02:26:18,500
fallow, ground and stubbled 
resting until the cycle begins 

2537
02:26:18,500 --> 02:26:21,400
again. 
Peasants are all ready at work. 

2538
02:26:21,400 --> 02:26:25,000
When the sun is barely above the
Horizon, they move through the 

2539
02:26:25,000 --> 02:26:31,000
fields with tools, plows, sighs,
hose, their movement, steady, 

2540
02:26:31,000 --> 02:26:33,700
and practice. 
You do not work the fields 

2541
02:26:33,700 --> 02:26:37,000
yourself but you oversee them. 
You walk the boundaries 

2542
02:26:37,000 --> 02:26:40,400
periodically checking that 
Hedges are maintained that 

2543
02:26:40,400 --> 02:26:43,800
drainage ditches are clear and 
that no one has encroached on 

2544
02:26:43,800 --> 02:26:45,700
your land or moved boundary 
markers. 

2545
02:26:46,500 --> 02:26:49,500
The land is your responsibility 
and managing it. 

2546
02:26:49,500 --> 02:26:51,700
Well, is essential to 
maintaining your position. 

2547
02:26:52,600 --> 02:26:55,000
Your return to the hall or to a 
smaller chamber used for 

2548
02:26:55,000 --> 02:26:58,500
managing household Affairs. 
The chamber is quieter than the 

2549
02:26:58,500 --> 02:27:02,700
hall with a table for writing 
and reviewing documents a chest 

2550
02:27:02,700 --> 02:27:06,400
for storing important papers and
a small half for warmth. 

2551
02:27:07,200 --> 02:27:10,400
There are accounts to review 
lists of rents, owed and 

2552
02:27:10,400 --> 02:27:14,800
collected records of grain, 
stored and distributed and notes

2553
02:27:14,800 --> 02:27:18,700
on livestock counts. 
If you are literate, you review 

2554
02:27:18,700 --> 02:27:23,000
these yourself, if not your 
Clerk or stewards them to you, 

2555
02:27:23,000 --> 02:27:26,700
and you listen, carefully asking
questions to ensure you 

2556
02:27:26,700 --> 02:27:28,300
understand the state of your 
Holdings. 

2557
02:27:29,600 --> 02:27:34,000
Rents arrive in various forms. 
Some tenants pay in coin a few 

2558
02:27:34,000 --> 02:27:36,200
silver pennies handed over at 
regular intervals. 

2559
02:27:36,200 --> 02:27:41,100
Others paying kind bushels of 
grain chickens eggs and days of 

2560
02:27:41,108 --> 02:27:44,100
Labor. 
You track these contributions 

2561
02:27:44,100 --> 02:27:46,900
ensuring that everyone fulfills 
their obligation. 

2562
02:27:46,900 --> 02:27:50,700
The system depends on this 
reciprocal structure. 

2563
02:27:51,700 --> 02:27:54,400
The Peasants work, the land and 
provide you with food and 

2564
02:27:54,400 --> 02:28:00,400
service in return you provide 
protection access to land and a 

2565
02:28:00,400 --> 02:28:03,900
place within the social order. 
Disputes arise regularly and 

2566
02:28:03,900 --> 02:28:07,600
require your attention. 
Tenant farmer arrives with a 

2567
02:28:07,600 --> 02:28:10,500
complaint about another tenant's
pigs wandering into his grain. 

2568
02:28:11,200 --> 02:28:13,900
You listen to both sides and ask
a few questions about whether 

2569
02:28:13,900 --> 02:28:17,100
pigs are kept and whether the 
boundary between the two plots 

2570
02:28:17,100 --> 02:28:20,300
is clearly marked. 
The solution is not dramatic, 

2571
02:28:20,300 --> 02:28:22,800
the pigs will be penned more 
securely. 

2572
02:28:22,800 --> 02:28:26,400
The grain will be compensated 
with a portion of the pig owners

2573
02:28:26,400 --> 02:28:29,800
next Harvest. 
Both men, leave, not entirely 

2574
02:28:29,800 --> 02:28:32,700
satisfied but accepting the 
decision because it follows 

2575
02:28:32,700 --> 02:28:36,000
established custom. 
You spend a significant portion 

2576
02:28:36,000 --> 02:28:38,800
of your day juggling, small 
tasks, making household 

2577
02:28:38,800 --> 02:28:42,700
decisions and fulfilling your 
obligations, your responsible 

2578
02:28:42,700 --> 02:28:45,900
for the land, for the people who
live and work on it and for the 

2579
02:28:45,908 --> 02:28:47,700
service, you owe to the Lord of 
you. 

2580
02:28:48,500 --> 02:28:50,600
That service might mean 
appearing at his court 

2581
02:28:50,600 --> 02:28:54,700
contributing armed men, when 
required will simply maintaining

2582
02:28:54,700 --> 02:28:56,200
your portion of the social 
order. 

2583
02:28:56,200 --> 02:29:00,700
The work is constant unglamorous
and essential. 

2584
02:29:01,700 --> 02:29:03,800
In the afternoon. 
You might ride out to inspect 

2585
02:29:03,800 --> 02:29:07,000
another part of your land or 
visitor neighboring, Knight the 

2586
02:29:07,000 --> 02:29:08,700
horse. 
You ride is not a warhorse. 

2587
02:29:08,700 --> 02:29:12,900
It is a poultry bread for steady
travel, rather than combat. 

2588
02:29:12,900 --> 02:29:17,400
Its gate is smooth easier on 
your body over long distance is 

2589
02:29:18,200 --> 02:29:20,200
You carry a light pack with 
Provisions? 

2590
02:29:20,200 --> 02:29:24,900
Bread cheese and a flask of Ale 
in case the journey takes longer

2591
02:29:24,900 --> 02:29:27,600
than expected. 
The roads are uneven. 

2592
02:29:27,600 --> 02:29:31,900
Sometimes muddy. 
Sometimes rutted by cartwheels 

2593
02:29:31,900 --> 02:29:36,500
and dried into hard ridges. 
You pass through Fields where 

2594
02:29:36,500 --> 02:29:39,400
workers pause briefly to 
acknowledge you with a nod or a 

2595
02:29:39,400 --> 02:29:42,200
raised hand. 
You pass clusters of cottages, 

2596
02:29:42,200 --> 02:29:46,000
small structures with thatched 
roofs and walls of wattle and 

2597
02:29:46,000 --> 02:29:49,100
daub smoke rising from Central 
halves. 

2598
02:29:50,000 --> 02:29:52,900
You pass through stretches of 
forest, managed for Timber and 

2599
02:29:52,900 --> 02:29:56,500
hunting rights. 
The trees are thick that canopy 

2600
02:29:56,500 --> 02:29:59,200
filtering, the sunlight into 
dapple patterns on the ground. 

2601
02:30:00,400 --> 02:30:04,400
Forest is not wild. 
It is carefully controlled with 

2602
02:30:04,400 --> 02:30:08,600
certain trees marked for cutting
certain areas, reserved for the 

2603
02:30:08,600 --> 02:30:12,000
Lord's, hunting and certain 
paths maintained for travel. 

2604
02:30:13,000 --> 02:30:15,500
You know these paths. 
Well, have having ridden, the 

2605
02:30:15,500 --> 02:30:18,800
many times. 
When you return, the hall is 

2606
02:30:18,800 --> 02:30:22,000
being prepared for the evening 
meal, servants are setting up. 

2607
02:30:22,000 --> 02:30:24,900
The Trestle tables, again 
sweeping the floor and adding 

2608
02:30:24,900 --> 02:30:28,400
wood to the fire. 
You wash your hands and face in 

2609
02:30:28,400 --> 02:30:32,900
a basement, brought by a servant
the water cooling centered 

2610
02:30:32,900 --> 02:30:36,200
faintly with herbs, you change 
your outer tunic. 

2611
02:30:36,200 --> 02:30:40,100
If the one you wore as collected
too much dust or mud hanging the

2612
02:30:40,100 --> 02:30:42,600
soil garment on a peg to be 
cleaned later. 

2613
02:30:43,500 --> 02:30:46,400
You take your seat again, the 
meal is larger than breakfast, 

2614
02:30:46,400 --> 02:30:49,200
but still modest by the 
standards of great Feasts. 

2615
02:30:50,000 --> 02:30:52,200
Pottage made from peas or beans 
thicken. 

2616
02:30:52,200 --> 02:30:54,800
Steaming is ladled into wooden 
bowls. 

2617
02:30:55,600 --> 02:30:59,000
A piece of roasted foul or salt 
pork is placed on a trencher. 

2618
02:30:59,000 --> 02:31:02,900
The thick slice of stale bread 
that serves as both plate and 

2619
02:31:02,900 --> 02:31:06,200
part of the meal. 
More bread cheese and apples 

2620
02:31:06,200 --> 02:31:09,800
from the orchard. 
You eat, you speak with those at

2621
02:31:09,800 --> 02:31:12,700
your table about the days of 
Vents and tomorrow's plans. 

2622
02:31:12,700 --> 02:31:16,100
And then the evening settles in 
with his own slower Rhythm. 

2623
02:31:16,100 --> 02:31:21,400
This is the shape of most days 
there are variations days. 

2624
02:31:21,400 --> 02:31:24,400
When you must travel to attend 
your Lord's Court days when you 

2625
02:31:24,400 --> 02:31:28,300
oversee repairs to a barn or a 
section of wall and days when 

2626
02:31:28,300 --> 02:31:31,200
weather keeps you indoors 
reviewing stored Goods or 

2627
02:31:31,200 --> 02:31:36,300
planning for the next season. 
But the pattern holds your land,

2628
02:31:36,300 --> 02:31:40,400
holder a manager of resources 
and a link in a long chain of 

2629
02:31:40,400 --> 02:31:44,200
obligation. 
The work is steady unglamorous 

2630
02:31:44,200 --> 02:31:48,200
and essential. 
It fills your days with purpose 

2631
02:31:48,200 --> 02:31:52,500
that is quiet, but real. 
Your armor hangs in a storage 

2632
02:31:52,500 --> 02:31:54,700
room or sometimes in a corner of
the hall where it can be. 

2633
02:31:54,708 --> 02:31:59,600
Monitored, the room is cool and 
dry chosen specifically to 

2634
02:31:59,600 --> 02:32:02,300
prevent rust from forming too 
quickly on the metal. 

2635
02:32:02,300 --> 02:32:06,500
The armor is not a full suit of 
plate depending on the period 

2636
02:32:06,500 --> 02:32:09,300
and your wealth. 
It might be a coat of mail. 

2637
02:32:09,300 --> 02:32:13,200
Thousands of small iron Rings 
linked together in a pattern 

2638
02:32:13,200 --> 02:32:17,700
that takes weeks to create heavy
and flexible draping over the 

2639
02:32:17,700 --> 02:32:22,000
body like a metal fabric. 
Or it might be a combination 

2640
02:32:22,000 --> 02:32:26,400
male with additional plates, 
covering the chest, shoulders 

2641
02:32:26,400 --> 02:32:30,300
and limbs the plates riveted to 
a leather backing and buckled 

2642
02:32:30,300 --> 02:32:33,600
into place. 
The metal is prone to rust. 

2643
02:32:34,400 --> 02:32:38,100
Moisture in the air, sweat from 
the body and even the oils from 

2644
02:32:38,100 --> 02:32:41,900
your skin can cause corrosion. 
The armor must be cleaned 

2645
02:32:41,900 --> 02:32:46,500
regularly oil and inspected for 
broken links or weakened joints.

2646
02:32:47,500 --> 02:32:49,000
You do not do this work 
yourself. 

2647
02:32:50,100 --> 02:32:53,700
Servant or Squire handles much 
of it, but you check the 

2648
02:32:53,700 --> 02:32:57,900
results, you run your hand along
the male to feel for rough spots

2649
02:32:57,900 --> 02:33:01,200
where rings of broken or where 
rust is beginning to form. 

2650
02:33:01,200 --> 02:33:05,100
You test the buckles and straps,
pulling them to ensure they hold

2651
02:33:05,100 --> 02:33:07,600
securely. 
You ensure that padding 

2652
02:33:07,600 --> 02:33:11,600
underneath a quilted gambeson 
worn, beneath the male is still 

2653
02:33:11,600 --> 02:33:14,900
intact not torn or compressed 
Beyond usefulness. 

2654
02:33:15,800 --> 02:33:19,600
This padding, absorbs impact. 
When a blow lands, the male 

2655
02:33:19,600 --> 02:33:23,000
spreads the force across a wider
area, but without padding 

2656
02:33:23,000 --> 02:33:26,000
underneath the Rings can still 
bruise or break skin. 

2657
02:33:27,100 --> 02:33:30,300
The gambeson is made from layers
of linen or wool stitched 

2658
02:33:30,300 --> 02:33:33,200
together in patterns that create
thickness without excessive 

2659
02:33:33,200 --> 02:33:35,800
bulk. 
It is surprisingly heavy on its 

2660
02:33:35,800 --> 02:33:37,700
own. 
And when combined, with the 

2661
02:33:37,700 --> 02:33:41,200
male, the full weight is 
considerable Wearing it for 

2662
02:33:41,200 --> 02:33:45,100
hours, requires stamina, your 
weapons, require similar care. 

2663
02:33:45,100 --> 02:33:48,600
A sword, must be kept sharp the 
Blade free of notches and the 

2664
02:33:48,600 --> 02:33:51,700
grips secure. 
The blade is made of iron or 

2665
02:33:51,700 --> 02:33:55,400
steel forged and tempered. 
By A Smith, who understands how 

2666
02:33:55,400 --> 02:33:58,000
to create a balance between 
hardness and flexibility. 

2667
02:33:58,900 --> 02:34:00,300
A blade. 
That is too hard. 

2668
02:34:00,300 --> 02:34:02,300
Will shatter. 
A blade. 

2669
02:34:02,300 --> 02:34:03,800
That is too soft. 
Will bend. 

2670
02:34:03,800 --> 02:34:06,600
The edge must be maintained with
a wet stone. 

2671
02:34:06,600 --> 02:34:10,400
The motion steady, and 
consistent running the length of

2672
02:34:10,400 --> 02:34:14,100
the blade at the correct angle. 
This is not quick work. 

2673
02:34:14,900 --> 02:34:18,700
Sharpening a sword properly 
takes time and attention you 

2674
02:34:18,700 --> 02:34:21,600
practice with it. 
Not in Grand displays, but in 

2675
02:34:21,600 --> 02:34:26,300
controlled movements strikes 
Paris and footwork drills 

2676
02:34:26,300 --> 02:34:28,300
performed in a courtyard or open
field. 

2677
02:34:29,400 --> 02:34:33,300
The practice is repetitive. 
You go through the same motions,

2678
02:34:33,300 --> 02:34:36,900
many times building muscle 
memory and maintaining 

2679
02:34:36,900 --> 02:34:39,800
familiarity with the weight and 
balance of the blade. 

2680
02:34:40,500 --> 02:34:43,100
The sword is longer and heavier 
than most people. 

2681
02:34:43,100 --> 02:34:47,600
Imagine swinging it requires 
strength, but more importantly, 

2682
02:34:47,600 --> 02:34:52,200
it requires control. 
A wild swing leaves. 

2683
02:34:52,200 --> 02:34:55,800
You vulnerable, a controlled 
strike delivered at the right 

2684
02:34:55,800 --> 02:34:59,900
moment is far more effective. 
You also train with alarms 

2685
02:34:59,900 --> 02:35:01,600
though. 
Jousting is more common in later

2686
02:35:01,600 --> 02:35:06,000
periods and often reserved for 
tournaments or displays, More 

2687
02:35:06,000 --> 02:35:09,100
practical is learning to couch, 
the Lance properly while mounted

2688
02:35:09,100 --> 02:35:13,400
to brace it against your body 
tucked under your arm supported 

2689
02:35:13,400 --> 02:35:16,800
by your torso and aim with the 
momentum of the horse. 

2690
02:35:17,700 --> 02:35:21,500
This takes coordination, the 
Lance is long and unwieldy, when

2691
02:35:21,500 --> 02:35:24,900
not in motion, you must 
anticipate where your opponent 

2692
02:35:24,900 --> 02:35:28,300
or Target will be. 
Adjust your aim, while the 

2693
02:35:28,300 --> 02:35:31,700
horses moving and absorb the 
shock of impact without losing 

2694
02:35:31,700 --> 02:35:34,400
your seat. 
It is not instinctive. 

2695
02:35:34,400 --> 02:35:39,200
It takes practice repeated over 
many sessions and until the 

2696
02:35:39,200 --> 02:35:42,700
movements become automatic, the 
horse itself, demands more 

2697
02:35:42,700 --> 02:35:45,700
attention than any piece of 
equipment, a warhorse. 

2698
02:35:45,700 --> 02:35:50,800
A destroyer is expensive 
temperamental and requires daily

2699
02:35:50,800 --> 02:35:53,500
care. 
These horses are bred for 

2700
02:35:53,500 --> 02:35:56,600
strength and aggression, they 
are trained to bite and kick on 

2701
02:35:56,600 --> 02:36:00,300
command to move into combat 
without shying away from noise 

2702
02:36:00,300 --> 02:36:03,300
and chaos. 
But that training also makes 

2703
02:36:03,300 --> 02:36:06,900
them difficult to manage. 
They require experienced, 

2704
02:36:06,900 --> 02:36:10,600
handlers careful, feeding 
regular exercise. 

2705
02:36:10,600 --> 02:36:14,800
And constant monitoring Feeding 
a warhorse means providing large

2706
02:36:14,800 --> 02:36:18,700
quantities of grain, oats and 
barley as well as hey. 

2707
02:36:19,500 --> 02:36:23,000
The grain gives the horse 
energy, the hay provides bulk 

2708
02:36:23,000 --> 02:36:25,900
and helps with digestion. 
The amounts are carefully. 

2709
02:36:25,900 --> 02:36:30,300
Measured two little, and the 
horse lose his condition too 

2710
02:36:30,300 --> 02:36:32,400
much and the horse can become 
sick. 

2711
02:36:33,300 --> 02:36:35,900
You rely on Grooms to manage 
this, but you check on the 

2712
02:36:35,900 --> 02:36:38,600
horses yourself. 
Running your hand along their 

2713
02:36:38,600 --> 02:36:42,000
flanks, to feel their condition,
looking at their eyes and coats 

2714
02:36:42,000 --> 02:36:46,500
for signs of health or illness. 
Grooming happens, daily brushes 

2715
02:36:46,500 --> 02:36:50,200
and combs remove, dirt and Loose
Hair, Whooves are picked, clean,

2716
02:36:50,200 --> 02:36:52,900
of stones, and mud and checked, 
for cracks or signs of 

2717
02:36:52,900 --> 02:36:56,600
infection. 
Stone lodged in a hoof can lay a

2718
02:36:56,600 --> 02:36:58,800
horse. 
A crack can worst into 

2719
02:36:58,800 --> 02:37:02,500
something, more serious. 
Fiery of visits regularly to 

2720
02:37:02,500 --> 02:37:06,400
trim Hooves and fitness shoes 
when needed the shoes are iron 

2721
02:37:06,400 --> 02:37:10,700
shaped to fit the hoof and Nails
into place with flat-headed 

2722
02:37:10,700 --> 02:37:13,400
nails that passed through the 
outer hoof wall without reaching

2723
02:37:13,400 --> 02:37:17,300
the sense in a tissue. 
Fitting shoes, require skill. 

2724
02:37:18,100 --> 02:37:21,200
Poorly placed nail can cause 
pain and lameness. 

2725
02:37:21,200 --> 02:37:23,600
You likely owe more than one 
horse. 

2726
02:37:23,600 --> 02:37:27,900
The destrier is used. 
Sparingly Reserve actual combat 

2727
02:37:27,900 --> 02:37:31,100
or tournaments where it's 
training and temperament are 

2728
02:37:31,100 --> 02:37:34,600
necessary. 
For daily travel, you use a pul 

2729
02:37:34,600 --> 02:37:37,100
free. 
A horse breed for smooth Gates 

2730
02:37:37,100 --> 02:37:41,200
and steady temperament. 
For carrying goods a pack horse 

2731
02:37:41,200 --> 02:37:45,100
or mule is more practical. 
Each animal has its own needs 

2732
02:37:45,100 --> 02:37:49,000
and its own quirks, you know, 
them individually recognizing 

2733
02:37:49,000 --> 02:37:52,700
their personalities and habits 
caring for horses, means 

2734
02:37:52,700 --> 02:37:56,300
coordinating with Grooms 
ensuring adequate fodder is 

2735
02:37:56,308 --> 02:37:59,900
stored in dry places where it 
will not mold and arranging for 

2736
02:37:59,900 --> 02:38:03,300
a farrier when shoes need 
replacing, or when Hooves needed

2737
02:38:03,300 --> 02:38:08,300
attention, it means recognizing 
signs of lameness or colic and 

2738
02:38:08,300 --> 02:38:11,300
knowing, when to rest in animal,
and when to push through minor 

2739
02:38:11,300 --> 02:38:15,500
discomfort, A lane warhorse can 
mean failing to meet an 

2740
02:38:15,500 --> 02:38:18,900
obligation which can mean losing
standing or favor with your 

2741
02:38:18,900 --> 02:38:21,200
lord. 
The stakes are high enough that 

2742
02:38:21,200 --> 02:38:25,000
you pay close attention, your 
helmet gauntlets Greaves, and 

2743
02:38:25,000 --> 02:38:27,100
other pieces of armor. 
Each have their own maintenance 

2744
02:38:27,100 --> 02:38:30,200
needs. 
Leather straps dry out and 

2745
02:38:30,200 --> 02:38:32,800
crack. 
They need to be treated with oil

2746
02:38:32,800 --> 02:38:36,800
or fat Tallow or neatsfoot, oil 
to stay supple. 

2747
02:38:37,600 --> 02:38:40,100
Buckles, corrode from moisture 
and must be cleaned and 

2748
02:38:40,100 --> 02:38:43,500
sometimes replaced. 
Hinges on vizard helmets, 

2749
02:38:43,500 --> 02:38:48,500
stiffen and need oil to move, 
smoothly, you or more often 

2750
02:38:48,500 --> 02:38:52,100
someone under your direction, 
work through these tasks 

2751
02:38:52,100 --> 02:38:55,000
regularly, not in response to 
emergencies. 

2752
02:38:55,000 --> 02:38:58,600
But as routine upkeep the work 
prevents larger problems from 

2753
02:38:58,600 --> 02:39:02,100
developing. 
Training extends Beyond weapons.

2754
02:39:02,100 --> 02:39:05,100
You need to be able to ride for 
hours without exhausting 

2755
02:39:05,100 --> 02:39:08,100
yourself for your horse. 
You need to understand for 

2756
02:39:08,100 --> 02:39:12,600
nation's recognize signals, give
them by Flags or horns and 

2757
02:39:12,600 --> 02:39:15,100
follow commands in the chaos of 
Group movement. 

2758
02:39:16,000 --> 02:39:18,100
Much of this Learning Happens 
through service. 

2759
02:39:18,100 --> 02:39:22,000
You might have started as page 
in another household then 

2760
02:39:22,000 --> 02:39:25,600
advance to Squire learning by 
assisting an established night. 

2761
02:39:26,400 --> 02:39:29,900
By the time you hold land and a 
title of your own, the skills 

2762
02:39:29,900 --> 02:39:33,300
are embedded in your muscle 
memory and instincts, even after

2763
02:39:33,300 --> 02:39:35,300
your established, the training 
does not stop. 

2764
02:39:36,100 --> 02:39:40,200
Skills, degrade without practice
strength, Fades without effort. 

2765
02:39:40,200 --> 02:39:44,500
You can continue to drill to 
ride, and to spar, with blunted 

2766
02:39:44,500 --> 02:39:47,200
weapons, against other nights, 
or men in your household. 

2767
02:39:48,100 --> 02:39:51,700
The work is not thrilling. 
It is methodical sometimes 

2768
02:39:51,700 --> 02:39:56,100
tedious but necessary. 
A knight who neglects training 

2769
02:39:56,100 --> 02:39:59,600
becomes ineffective and 
effective is the foundation of 

2770
02:39:59,608 --> 02:40:04,000
your Social role, your clothing,
too requires attention tunics 

2771
02:40:04,000 --> 02:40:07,600
and hose wear out. 
Seam split from strain or from 

2772
02:40:07,600 --> 02:40:11,200
repeated washing fabric thinned 
at the elbows and knees. 

2773
02:40:11,200 --> 02:40:15,100
Where it bends most often 
someone in your household, often

2774
02:40:15,100 --> 02:40:18,400
women or servant skilled in 
sowing men's. 

2775
02:40:18,400 --> 02:40:22,600
These garments holes and 
reinforces weak spots. 

2776
02:40:22,600 --> 02:40:25,100
They also produce replacement 
garments. 

2777
02:40:25,100 --> 02:40:28,300
When the old ones can no longer 
be repaired, Wool must be 

2778
02:40:28,300 --> 02:40:32,200
cleaned and stored properly to 
avoid moths, which can destroy 

2779
02:40:32,200 --> 02:40:34,700
an entire chest of clothing if 
left unchecked. 

2780
02:40:35,700 --> 02:40:39,500
Linen must be washed and dried 
without excessive wear which 

2781
02:40:39,500 --> 02:40:42,700
weakens the fibers. 
You're not directly involved in 

2782
02:40:42,700 --> 02:40:45,200
this labor but you are 
responsible for ensuring it 

2783
02:40:45,200 --> 02:40:47,300
happens. 
You provide the raw materials 

2784
02:40:47,300 --> 02:40:51,400
wool purchased at Market or 
sheared from sheep on your land.

2785
02:40:51,400 --> 02:40:54,800
Linen woven from flax grown 
locally. 

2786
02:40:55,600 --> 02:40:57,700
You ensure that the household 
has the tools needed. 

2787
02:40:57,700 --> 02:41:01,400
Needles, thread, scissors and 
looms. 

2788
02:41:01,400 --> 02:41:04,900
If weaving happens on site the 
results of this labor, keep you 

2789
02:41:04,900 --> 02:41:08,400
clothed, keep your household 
functioning and keep everyone 

2790
02:41:08,400 --> 02:41:12,700
warm and presentable everything.
You own serves, a function there

2791
02:41:12,700 --> 02:41:14,900
is little room for purely 
decorative items. 

2792
02:41:14,900 --> 02:41:19,700
What decoration exists, 
embroidery on a tunic, a painted

2793
02:41:19,700 --> 02:41:23,300
design on a shield also 
communicates identity and 

2794
02:41:23,308 --> 02:41:26,000
Allegiance. 
Your Shield might bear a coat of

2795
02:41:26,000 --> 02:41:29,800
arms, a symbol that identifies 
you at a distance and that 

2796
02:41:29,800 --> 02:41:31,400
signals your family and your 
lord. 

2797
02:41:32,100 --> 02:41:36,500
These markers are practical, the
identify you in a crowd signal 

2798
02:41:36,500 --> 02:41:39,900
your place in the hierarchy and 
reinforce the structure that 

2799
02:41:39,900 --> 02:41:43,300
holds the system together. 
Cumulative effect of all this 

2800
02:41:43,300 --> 02:41:45,100
care is a life built around 
maintenance. 

2801
02:41:46,000 --> 02:41:51,100
Your constantly preparing 
repairing and replacing the work

2802
02:41:51,100 --> 02:41:54,300
is never finished. 
There is always another task 

2803
02:41:54,300 --> 02:41:57,400
waiting another piece of 
equipment to check and another 

2804
02:41:57,400 --> 02:42:01,600
skill to keep Sharp. 
This is the foundation beneath 

2805
02:42:01,600 --> 02:42:04,200
the occasional moments of actual
service or conflict. 

2806
02:42:05,100 --> 02:42:08,200
Without the steady work, nothing
else would be possible. 

2807
02:42:09,000 --> 02:42:13,200
You are a knight because you 
hold land granted by a Lord that

2808
02:42:13,200 --> 02:42:17,500
land is not given freely. 
It comes with expectations built

2809
02:42:17,500 --> 02:42:19,200
into the very structure of the 
agreement. 

2810
02:42:20,000 --> 02:42:23,900
You owe military service, 
typically 40 days per year 

2811
02:42:23,900 --> 02:42:27,900
though, the exact terms vary by 
region period and the specific 

2812
02:42:27,900 --> 02:42:29,700
agreement between you and your 
lord. 

2813
02:42:30,600 --> 02:42:33,800
You are attendance at your 
Lord's Court where Justice is 

2814
02:42:33,800 --> 02:42:37,400
dispensed. 
Disputes are settled and The 

2815
02:42:37,400 --> 02:42:39,100
Business of governance is 
conducted. 

2816
02:42:40,000 --> 02:42:43,500
You owe Council when asked 
offering your opinion on matters

2817
02:42:43,500 --> 02:42:45,700
that affect the Lord's holding 
or interests? 

2818
02:42:46,500 --> 02:42:50,100
You are financially support on 
certain occasions such as when 

2819
02:42:50,100 --> 02:42:52,700
the Lord's, eldest, son is 
knighted when the Lord's 

2820
02:42:52,700 --> 02:42:56,100
daughter marries, or when the 
Lord himself must pay rats. 

2821
02:42:56,100 --> 02:42:59,200
And if captured these 
obligations are not abstract, 

2822
02:42:59,200 --> 02:43:02,700
they shape your year, your 
planning and your resources, 

2823
02:43:02,700 --> 02:43:07,200
when the summons comes a 
messenger, arrived with a sealed

2824
02:43:07,200 --> 02:43:11,500
letter or a verbal command, you 
must prepare, you gather your 

2825
02:43:11,500 --> 02:43:13,900
equipment. 
Checking that everything is in 

2826
02:43:13,900 --> 02:43:16,900
good repair. 
Sure your horse is fit 

2827
02:43:16,900 --> 02:43:19,900
examining, its legs. 
And Hooves and testing its 

2828
02:43:19,900 --> 02:43:22,800
responsiveness. 
You arrange for someone to 

2829
02:43:22,800 --> 02:43:26,500
manage your land, in your 
absence, usually your Steward, 

2830
02:43:26,500 --> 02:43:30,000
sometimes your wife, if she has 
experienced an authority in the 

2831
02:43:30,000 --> 02:43:33,000
household. 
You select men to accompany you 

2832
02:43:33,000 --> 02:43:37,200
if required choosing from among 
your own dependents or hiring 

2833
02:43:37,200 --> 02:43:41,200
additional soldiers, if needed. 
You traveled, to the designated 

2834
02:43:41,200 --> 02:43:45,100
meeting point often a castle or 
fortified town that serves as 

2835
02:43:45,100 --> 02:43:48,500
the Lord's primary seat. 
The journey might take a day or 

2836
02:43:48,500 --> 02:43:50,300
several days depending on 
distance. 

2837
02:43:51,000 --> 02:43:53,800
You travel with your small 
group, keeping a steady Pace 

2838
02:43:53,800 --> 02:43:57,200
stopping at ins, or accepting 
Hospitality from other 

2839
02:43:57,200 --> 02:44:00,800
landholders along the way. 
The roads are shared with other 

2840
02:44:00,800 --> 02:44:05,400
Travelers Merchants pilgrims, 
another nights responding to the

2841
02:44:05,400 --> 02:44:08,000
same. 
Summoners There is a sense of 

2842
02:44:08,008 --> 02:44:11,100
collective purpose. 
Everyone moving toward the same 

2843
02:44:11,100 --> 02:44:15,500
destination, you arrive and join
other nights forming a small 

2844
02:44:15,500 --> 02:44:19,100
contingent under the Lord's 
bandana The banner is a physical

2845
02:44:19,100 --> 02:44:22,800
symbol, a piece of fabric, 
painted or embroidered, with the

2846
02:44:22,800 --> 02:44:26,100
Lord's arms carried on a pole. 
So it can be seen from a 

2847
02:44:26,100 --> 02:44:29,800
distance Gathering under that 
Banner is both literal and 

2848
02:44:29,800 --> 02:44:33,600
symbolic. 
It represents Unity loyalty and 

2849
02:44:33,600 --> 02:44:36,700
The Binding Together of 
individual interests into a 

2850
02:44:36,700 --> 02:44:39,600
collective Force. 
The service you provide might 

2851
02:44:39,600 --> 02:44:43,400
involve Garrison duty standing 
watch on castle, walls 

2852
02:44:43,400 --> 02:44:47,200
patrolling the perimeter and 
maintaining Readiness in case of

2853
02:44:47,200 --> 02:44:50,600
attack. 
This work is routine, repetitive

2854
02:44:50,600 --> 02:44:55,000
and often boring. 
Hours passed with nothing 

2855
02:44:55,000 --> 02:44:57,900
happening. 
You walk the same sections of 

2856
02:44:57,908 --> 02:45:01,800
wall, look out over the same 
landscape and exchanged a few 

2857
02:45:01,808 --> 02:45:05,600
words with other guards, the 
boredom is punctuated by brief 

2858
02:45:05,600 --> 02:45:08,300
moments of alertness. 
When something moves in the 

2859
02:45:08,300 --> 02:45:11,300
distance. 
Usually, just a farmer or a 

2860
02:45:11,300 --> 02:45:14,400
traveler occasionally, something
that requires closer attention. 

2861
02:45:15,800 --> 02:45:18,200
The service might involve a 
scorching, the Lord on a 

2862
02:45:18,200 --> 02:45:22,100
journey. you ride alongside him 
part of a larger group that 

2863
02:45:22,100 --> 02:45:26,100
includes other nights servant's 
and perhaps, Clarks were 

2864
02:45:26,100 --> 02:45:31,300
advisors The presence of armed 
men discourages Bandits or other

2865
02:45:31,300 --> 02:45:36,400
threats your role as protective,
but all so ceremonial the size 

2866
02:45:36,400 --> 02:45:39,200
and quality of the Lord's 
retinue reflect his status. 

2867
02:45:40,300 --> 02:45:43,000
By being part of that retinue, 
you can contribute to his 

2868
02:45:43,000 --> 02:45:46,000
Prestige while also 
demonstrating your own loyalty 

2869
02:45:46,000 --> 02:45:48,900
and capability. 
Occasionally the service 

2870
02:45:48,900 --> 02:45:53,000
involves actual military action 
participating in a Siege 

2871
02:45:53,000 --> 02:45:57,100
responding to a border raid or 
joining a larger Force raised by

2872
02:45:57,108 --> 02:46:00,800
the king or a higher Lord. 
These events are less common 

2873
02:46:00,800 --> 02:46:04,300
than the story suggests, but 
they do happen is Siege. 

2874
02:46:04,300 --> 02:46:07,100
Might mean camping outside of 
fortified town for weeks or 

2875
02:46:07,100 --> 02:46:10,700
months, waiting for the 
Defenders to surrender or for an

2876
02:46:10,700 --> 02:46:14,900
opportunity to reach the walls. 
The waiting is tedious supplies,

2877
02:46:14,900 --> 02:46:19,100
run, low disease, spreads 
through camps tensions, rise 

2878
02:46:19,100 --> 02:46:22,200
among men can find in close 
quarters with little to do. 

2879
02:46:22,900 --> 02:46:27,700
When action does occur, it is. a
brief chaotic and exhausting 

2880
02:46:28,600 --> 02:46:32,100
much of military services 
waiting you wait for all orders 

2881
02:46:32,100 --> 02:46:37,000
supplies and whether to clear on
negotiations to conclude You 

2882
02:46:37,000 --> 02:46:41,300
wait in camps that are muddy and
Rain Dusty and dry weather and 

2883
02:46:41,300 --> 02:46:45,100
always uncomfortable. 
You eat simple food, sleep, 

2884
02:46:45,100 --> 02:46:48,300
intents or in the open and pass 
the time as best you can. 

2885
02:46:49,200 --> 02:46:51,600
Talkin' playing dice and 
maintaining your equipment. 

2886
02:46:52,800 --> 02:46:56,100
While you serve your household 
continues without you your 

2887
02:46:56,100 --> 02:47:00,100
Steward managers, the land 
collecting rents overseen work 

2888
02:47:00,100 --> 02:47:03,300
in the fields and making 
decisions about Minor matters. 

2889
02:47:03,300 --> 02:47:06,900
Your wife. 
If you have one overseas the 

2890
02:47:06,900 --> 02:47:11,000
domestic side of the estate 
managing servants in Food 

2891
02:47:11,000 --> 02:47:14,400
Supplies are adequate and 
handling household accounts. 

2892
02:47:15,400 --> 02:47:18,700
Rents are still collected. 
Repairs are still made. 

2893
02:47:18,700 --> 02:47:22,600
The system is designed to 
function even when you're absent

2894
02:47:22,600 --> 02:47:25,400
because absence is built into 
the structure. 

2895
02:47:25,400 --> 02:47:29,400
Everyone knows that Knights must
leave periodically to fulfill 

2896
02:47:29,400 --> 02:47:32,200
their obligations. 
The household adapts. 

2897
02:47:32,900 --> 02:47:35,700
When you return, you resume your
local duties. 

2898
02:47:36,400 --> 02:47:39,400
You tend to dispute that 
accumulated during your absence 

2899
02:47:39,400 --> 02:47:42,600
reviewing, what your Steward 
decided and ensuring those 

2900
02:47:42,600 --> 02:47:46,500
decisions are enforced. 
You oversaw planting or harvest?

2901
02:47:46,500 --> 02:47:50,600
If your service coincided with 
those seasons. you ensure that 

2902
02:47:50,600 --> 02:47:54,800
your obligations to the church 
are met, Tithes paid from your 

2903
02:47:54,800 --> 02:47:58,900
Harvest repairs to the local 
Chapel funded if it falls within

2904
02:47:58,900 --> 02:48:02,900
your responsibility. 
The church is another layer of 

2905
02:48:02,900 --> 02:48:05,900
obligation. 
Another institution that claims 

2906
02:48:05,900 --> 02:48:09,200
a portion of your resources in 
exchange for Spiritual services 

2907
02:48:09,200 --> 02:48:12,900
and social legitimacy. 
You also maintain relationships 

2908
02:48:12,900 --> 02:48:16,000
with other nights in the area. 
These relationships are 

2909
02:48:16,000 --> 02:48:20,100
practical, not purely social. 
You might need their support in 

2910
02:48:20,100 --> 02:48:23,700
a dispute, Overland boundaries. 
They might need yours if they 

2911
02:48:23,700 --> 02:48:26,700
face a legal challenge or threat
from a more powerful neighbor. 

2912
02:48:27,400 --> 02:48:31,000
Alliances are built slowly 
through shared attendance at 

2913
02:48:31,000 --> 02:48:33,900
courts through marriages 
arranged between families 

2914
02:48:33,900 --> 02:48:37,700
through small acts of mutual 
assistance, helping with a 

2915
02:48:37,700 --> 02:48:39,600
harvest. 
When a neighbor is shorthanded, 

2916
02:48:39,600 --> 02:48:43,600
providing horses when someone's 
have been stolen or died and 

2917
02:48:43,600 --> 02:48:45,700
standing as a witness in legal 
proceedings. 

2918
02:48:47,100 --> 02:48:50,200
Your loyalty to your lord is 
both personal and institutional 

2919
02:48:50,200 --> 02:48:54,800
you, swear an oath Formal 
Declaration of service and 

2920
02:48:54,800 --> 02:48:59,200
Fidelity often performed in a 
ceremony where you kneel before 

2921
02:48:59,200 --> 02:49:02,600
the Lord Place, Your Hands 
between his and speak. 

2922
02:49:02,600 --> 02:49:06,100
The words that bind you, the 
oath is taken, seriously. 

2923
02:49:07,100 --> 02:49:11,000
Breaking it, carries social, and
legal consequences loss of land.

2924
02:49:11,000 --> 02:49:14,500
Loss of status, sometimes. 
Exile or imprisonment. 

2925
02:49:15,500 --> 02:49:18,700
But loyalty is also reinforced 
by more mundane ties. 

2926
02:49:18,700 --> 02:49:21,200
Your lord is the source of your 
land. 

2927
02:49:21,200 --> 02:49:24,500
He is the one who can protect 
your claims against challenges 

2928
02:49:24,500 --> 02:49:28,300
settled disputes in your favor 
and provide opportunities for 

2929
02:49:28,300 --> 02:49:33,300
advancement additional land. 
Married to a wealthy heiress and

2930
02:49:33,300 --> 02:49:35,800
positions of responsibility in 
his administration. 

2931
02:49:37,200 --> 02:49:39,600
Maintaining his favor is a 
practical necessity. 

2932
02:49:40,500 --> 02:49:43,900
You attend his court when 
summoned, you offer gifts on 

2933
02:49:43,900 --> 02:49:48,100
appropriate, occasions a fine 
horse, a piece of crafted metal 

2934
02:49:48,100 --> 02:49:50,700
work or game from a successful 
hunt. 

2935
02:49:51,500 --> 02:49:55,300
You support his interest in 
disputes with other Lords, you 

2936
02:49:55,300 --> 02:49:59,000
speak well of him, defend his 
reputation and contribute to the

2937
02:49:59,000 --> 02:50:01,500
collective opinion, that 
sustained his authority. 

2938
02:50:02,300 --> 02:50:05,000
At the same time, you have your 
own dependence. 

2939
02:50:05,000 --> 02:50:08,800
If you hold enough land you 
might Grant portions of it to 

2940
02:50:08,800 --> 02:50:12,500
lessen nights or men at Arms in 
exchange for their service to 

2941
02:50:12,500 --> 02:50:14,600
you. 
They owe you the same loyalty 

2942
02:50:14,600 --> 02:50:16,700
and service that you owe your 
lord. 

2943
02:50:16,700 --> 02:50:18,500
They appear when you summon 
them. 

2944
02:50:18,500 --> 02:50:20,700
They fight under your banner 
when needed. 

2945
02:50:20,700 --> 02:50:24,900
They provide counsel and support
you become a link in the chain 

2946
02:50:24,900 --> 02:50:28,900
both serving and being served. 
The result is a web of 

2947
02:50:28,900 --> 02:50:30,900
obligations extending upward and
downward. 

2948
02:50:30,900 --> 02:50:34,400
Everyone has a place. 
Everyone has duties. 

2949
02:50:34,400 --> 02:50:37,700
The system is rigid, but it is 
also stable. 

2950
02:50:37,700 --> 02:50:39,900
You know what is expected of 
you. 

2951
02:50:39,900 --> 02:50:41,700
You know what? 
You can expect from others. 

2952
02:50:41,700 --> 02:50:45,100
There is little room for 
individual ambition, outside the

2953
02:50:45,100 --> 02:50:48,300
established channels, but there 
is also little uncertainty about

2954
02:50:48,300 --> 02:50:50,800
your role. 
The predictability is 

2955
02:50:50,800 --> 02:50:54,200
comforting. 
It reduces conflict, clarifies 

2956
02:50:54,200 --> 02:50:58,200
dispute and provides a framework
for resolving problems without 

2957
02:50:58,200 --> 02:51:02,100
resorting to chaos. 
Courts are where much of this 

2958
02:51:02,100 --> 02:51:05,900
social structure is reinforced. 
When you attend your Lord's 

2959
02:51:05,900 --> 02:51:09,300
Court, you witnessed Justice 
being dispensed criminals, 

2960
02:51:09,300 --> 02:51:13,500
punished disputes between tenant
settled and land grants, 

2961
02:51:13,500 --> 02:51:17,900
confirmed or revoked. you see, 
marriages being arranged 

2962
02:51:17,900 --> 02:51:22,700
contracts being sealed and Oaths
being sworn You watch who is in 

2963
02:51:22,700 --> 02:51:26,800
favor and who is not reading the
subtle signals of the Lord's, 

2964
02:51:26,800 --> 02:51:30,700
approval or disapproval. 
You hear news from other parts 

2965
02:51:30,700 --> 02:51:34,500
of the realm who is died, who is
married were, conflict is 

2966
02:51:34,500 --> 02:51:36,600
brewing. 
And where opportunities might 

2967
02:51:36,600 --> 02:51:39,600
exist? 
You participate in ceremonies 

2968
02:51:39,600 --> 02:51:43,100
that bind the group together. 
Feasts held after important 

2969
02:51:43,100 --> 02:51:47,100
occasions tournaments were 
Knights display their skills and

2970
02:51:47,100 --> 02:51:49,400
religious observance, is that 
Mark the calendar. 

2971
02:51:50,300 --> 02:51:53,900
These gatherings are not purely 
social, they serve a function, 

2972
02:51:53,900 --> 02:51:56,400
they remind everyone of their 
place. 

2973
02:51:56,400 --> 02:52:01,200
They provide opportunities to 
negotiate to make alliance's and

2974
02:52:01,200 --> 02:52:04,500
to settle old grievances before 
they escalate into open 

2975
02:52:04,500 --> 02:52:07,300
conflict. 
They also offer a chance to 

2976
02:52:07,300 --> 02:52:10,600
display wealth and status 
through clothing horses and the 

2977
02:52:10,600 --> 02:52:13,900
size of your retinue. 
But even this display is 

2978
02:52:13,900 --> 02:52:18,900
governed by expectation. excess 
is noticed and judged as vulgar 

2979
02:52:18,900 --> 02:52:22,900
or threatening, modesty 
appropriate to rank is valued 

2980
02:52:22,900 --> 02:52:24,700
and rewarded with social 
approval. 

2981
02:52:25,500 --> 02:52:28,400
The rhythm of service and 
obligation structures your life 

2982
02:52:28,400 --> 02:52:31,800
as much as the changing seasons.
You move through the year 

2983
02:52:31,800 --> 02:52:35,200
attending to your land for 
filling your duties and 

2984
02:52:35,200 --> 02:52:38,600
maintaining your position. 
There is satisfaction in meeting

2985
02:52:38,600 --> 02:52:42,400
expectations, and being reliable
and in holding your place within

2986
02:52:42,400 --> 02:52:44,600
the order. 
The work is steady. 

2987
02:52:45,300 --> 02:52:49,700
The rewards are incremental 
respect from peers, continued 

2988
02:52:49,700 --> 02:52:52,800
possession of land and the 
security of knowing your place 

2989
02:52:52,800 --> 02:52:54,800
is secure as long as you fulfill
your role. 

2990
02:52:55,700 --> 02:52:59,600
The stability is the point, the 
system works because everyone 

2991
02:52:59,600 --> 02:53:03,500
participates because everyone 
understands the rules and 

2992
02:53:03,500 --> 02:53:06,800
because deviating from 
expectations carries costs that 

2993
02:53:06,800 --> 02:53:10,700
most are unwilling to pay. 
Rest is built into the structure

2994
02:53:10,700 --> 02:53:14,500
of your days woven into the 
fabric of routine as naturally 

2995
02:53:14,500 --> 02:53:18,600
as work itself after the morning
meal, after the first round of 

2996
02:53:18,600 --> 02:53:22,000
tasks, checking on livestock 
reviewing accounts. 

2997
02:53:22,000 --> 02:53:26,800
Speaking with tenants There was 
often a pause, the mornings, 

2998
02:53:26,800 --> 02:53:31,300
urgency Fades, the next set of 
obligations has not yet arrived.

2999
02:53:32,000 --> 02:53:35,100
You might sit in the hall 
reviewing accounts or simply 

3000
02:53:35,100 --> 02:53:37,100
waiting for the next task to 
present itself. 

3001
02:53:38,200 --> 02:53:41,100
You might walk through the 
orchard checking the progress of

3002
02:53:41,100 --> 02:53:44,500
fruit on the trees, not because 
there is urgent work to be done 

3003
02:53:44,500 --> 02:53:48,400
but because the rhythm of the 
day allows for it, The walk 

3004
02:53:48,400 --> 02:53:51,400
itself is rest. 
A change of activity, that 

3005
02:53:51,400 --> 02:53:54,400
engages the body lightly while 
allowing the mind to settle. 

3006
02:53:55,200 --> 02:53:57,700
In The Heat Of Summer, the 
middle of the day is slow. 

3007
02:53:57,700 --> 02:54:01,500
The sun is high and strong work 
in the fields. 

3008
02:54:01,500 --> 02:54:05,300
Pause pauses peasant, seek shade
under trees, or return briefly 

3009
02:54:05,300 --> 02:54:09,300
to their Cottages animals 
Retreat, to Barnes or sheltered 

3010
02:54:09,300 --> 02:54:11,900
areas. 
You might Retreat indoors as 

3011
02:54:11,900 --> 02:54:15,500
well away from the Sun and spend
an hour in a cooler room. 

3012
02:54:16,300 --> 02:54:20,500
perhaps the chamber where 
accounts are kept, Mauler room 

3013
02:54:20,500 --> 02:54:23,200
with thick stone walls, that 
hold the coolness of mourning. 

3014
02:54:23,200 --> 02:54:27,300
You do not sleep during these 
pauses necessarily, but you rest

3015
02:54:28,200 --> 02:54:31,800
You sit on a bench or a stool. 
You drink water, or we can. 

3016
02:54:32,600 --> 02:54:35,200
Let the time pass without 
filling it with activity. 

3017
02:54:36,300 --> 02:54:40,500
sometimes you think through 
problems that need solving, A 

3018
02:54:40,500 --> 02:54:44,000
dispute that requires careful 
handling, a repair that needs 

3019
02:54:44,000 --> 02:54:47,200
planning. 
A conversation that must happen.

3020
02:54:48,100 --> 02:54:51,300
But often you simply sit feeling
the coolness of the stone 

3021
02:54:51,300 --> 02:54:54,400
against your back, listening to 
the muffled sounds of the 

3022
02:54:54,400 --> 02:54:56,600
household, continuing its work 
elsewhere. 

3023
02:54:57,400 --> 02:54:59,600
Seasonal rhythms or dictate? 
Rest. 

3024
02:54:59,600 --> 02:55:02,000
Winter is a quieter time 
overall. 

3025
02:55:02,900 --> 02:55:05,300
The fields are fallow giving the
soil time to recover. 

3026
02:55:06,200 --> 02:55:09,000
Travel is more difficult with 
shorter days and worse weather. 

3027
02:55:09,700 --> 02:55:13,800
Roads become muddy or frozen, 
rivers rise with rain and 

3028
02:55:13,800 --> 02:55:16,700
snowmelt. 
You spend more time in doors 

3029
02:55:16,700 --> 02:55:20,200
close to the fire. 
Moving through tasks at a slower

3030
02:55:20,200 --> 02:55:22,000
Pace. 
There are still work. 

3031
02:55:22,000 --> 02:55:26,800
Maintaining equipment planning 
for spring managing indoor tasks

3032
02:55:26,800 --> 02:55:30,500
like weaving or preserving food 
but the urgency is lower. 

3033
02:55:30,500 --> 02:55:34,700
The days are shorter, the 
evening's a longer you settle 

3034
02:55:34,700 --> 02:55:38,200
into the slower Rhythm without 
resistance, knowing that spring 

3035
02:55:38,200 --> 02:55:40,000
will bring its own increasing 
activity. 

3036
02:55:41,100 --> 02:55:44,800
Feast days provides structured 
breaks in the routine, religious

3037
02:55:44,800 --> 02:55:48,500
festivals Mark, the calendar 
Christmas Easter and Saints days

3038
02:55:48,500 --> 02:55:50,500
associated with your region or 
your family. 

3039
02:55:51,600 --> 02:55:55,900
These days involve obligations 
attendance at church specific 

3040
02:55:55,900 --> 02:55:59,100
prayers and sometimes fasting 
beforehand to prepare 

3041
02:55:59,100 --> 02:56:02,400
spiritually. 
But they also offer a change of 

3042
02:56:02,408 --> 02:56:05,700
pace. 
After the religious observance, 

3043
02:56:05,700 --> 02:56:08,000
there might be a larger meal 
time. 

3044
02:56:08,000 --> 02:56:11,400
Spent with neighbors and 
extended family and a pause from

3045
02:56:11,400 --> 02:56:14,700
ordinary labor. 
The church itself provides a 

3046
02:56:14,700 --> 02:56:17,800
rhythm of rest. 
Sundays are days of less work, 

3047
02:56:17,800 --> 02:56:20,600
dedicated to worship and 
recuperation. 

3048
02:56:21,500 --> 02:56:27,100
Fieldwork, stops markets closed.
You attend Mass, listening to 

3049
02:56:27,108 --> 02:56:31,300
the priest words, participating 
in rituals that connect you to a

3050
02:56:31,300 --> 02:56:32,900
larger community and a longer 
history. 

3051
02:56:34,300 --> 02:56:36,100
Afterward. 
You might linger outside the 

3052
02:56:36,100 --> 02:56:38,500
church. 
Seeking with other land holders,

3053
02:56:38,500 --> 02:56:42,000
exchanging news, and making 
small Arrangements. 

3054
02:56:43,200 --> 02:56:45,300
The day feels different from 
work days. 

3055
02:56:45,300 --> 02:56:50,400
Marked by absence as much as by 
presence, absent of urgent, 

3056
02:56:50,400 --> 02:56:55,200
demands absent of pressure. 
Even within a single day, there 

3057
02:56:55,200 --> 02:56:58,200
are natural pauses between tasks
you stop. 

3058
02:56:58,200 --> 02:57:02,600
You drink ale or water brought 
by a servant you speak briefly 

3059
02:57:02,600 --> 02:57:06,000
with someone passing through the
hall asking about their progress

3060
02:57:06,000 --> 02:57:07,800
on some task or simply 
exchanging. 

3061
02:57:07,800 --> 02:57:11,400
Greetings you adjust your 
clothing retiring. 

3062
02:57:11,400 --> 02:57:14,800
Hose that have loosened 
tightening a belt and brushing 

3063
02:57:14,800 --> 02:57:18,400
dust from your tunic. 
These moments are not planned, 

3064
02:57:18,400 --> 02:57:22,400
but they are regular. they break
the day into manageable pieces, 

3065
02:57:22,400 --> 02:57:26,400
creating small intervals of 
transition between one activity 

3066
02:57:26,400 --> 02:57:30,700
and the next Waiting is also a 
form of rest, though. 

3067
02:57:30,700 --> 02:57:32,500
It does not always feel restful 
in the moment. 

3068
02:57:33,600 --> 02:57:36,600
You wait for a messenger to 
return with news from your lord,

3069
02:57:36,600 --> 02:57:40,900
or from a neighboring estate? 
You wait for rain to stop before

3070
02:57:40,900 --> 02:57:42,900
inspecting, a roof, that might 
be leaking. 

3071
02:57:43,700 --> 02:57:45,800
You wait for your lord to call 
you to service. 

3072
02:57:45,800 --> 02:57:49,200
Not knowing exactly when the 
summons will come, but knowing 

3073
02:57:49,200 --> 02:57:53,800
it will arrive eventually. 
The waiting is not anxious, not 

3074
02:57:53,800 --> 02:57:57,000
filled with Dread. 
It is simply part of the Rhythm,

3075
02:57:57,000 --> 02:58:01,800
you fill it with small tasks, or
with nothing at allowing time to

3076
02:58:01,800 --> 02:58:05,600
pass at his own pace. 
In the evening after the meal, 

3077
02:58:05,600 --> 02:58:07,300
there is a longer stretch of 
rest. 

3078
02:58:08,100 --> 02:58:11,900
The whole remains lit by fire 
light and a few candles people 

3079
02:58:11,900 --> 02:58:14,900
gather, but the energy is lower 
than early in the day. 

3080
02:58:15,600 --> 02:58:20,000
Conversations Fade Into murmurs.
The topic shift from work to 

3081
02:58:20,000 --> 02:58:24,200
stories from planning to 
reminisants Someone might repair

3082
02:58:24,200 --> 02:58:28,600
a piece of equipment, a torn 
harness, a broken tool but the 

3083
02:58:28,600 --> 02:58:32,000
work is quiet. 
Almost meditative others. 

3084
02:58:32,000 --> 02:58:35,300
Simply sit watching the fire 
letting their thoughts wander. 

3085
02:58:36,000 --> 02:58:37,900
The fire itself. 
Invites rest. 

3086
02:58:38,600 --> 02:58:42,400
Flames move constantly never 
quite the same from one moment 

3087
02:58:42,400 --> 02:58:45,400
to the next. 
Watching them as calming the 

3088
02:58:45,400 --> 02:58:48,200
motion and light holding your 
attention without demanding 

3089
02:58:48,200 --> 02:58:51,200
anything from you. 
The warmth is soothing, 

3090
02:58:51,200 --> 02:58:54,300
especially after a day spent 
partly Outdoors. 

3091
02:58:55,100 --> 02:58:58,800
You feel it seep into your 
muscles, loosening tension and 

3092
02:58:58,800 --> 02:59:00,400
easing. 
Small aches. 

3093
02:59:00,400 --> 02:59:03,100
You're not required to be 
constantly active. 

3094
02:59:03,100 --> 02:59:06,100
The expectation. 
Is that you fulfill your duties,

3095
02:59:06,100 --> 02:59:08,500
not that you fill every moment 
with labor. 

3096
02:59:09,700 --> 02:59:14,700
Rest is recognized as necessary.
Not indulgent, you rest so that 

3097
02:59:14,700 --> 02:59:18,600
you can continue you rest. 
So that the next day's tasks can

3098
02:59:18,600 --> 02:59:22,600
be met with steady energy rather
than exhaustion the system 

3099
02:59:22,600 --> 02:59:24,900
allows for this and even depends
on it. 

3100
02:59:26,000 --> 02:59:29,200
A land holder who drives himself
to exhaustion cannot manage his 

3101
02:59:29,200 --> 02:59:31,500
land. 
Effectively, a knight who 

3102
02:59:31,500 --> 02:59:35,300
neglects rest cannot perform 
when Services required the 

3103
02:59:35,300 --> 02:59:38,000
rhythm of rest also follows the 
seasons of your life. 

3104
02:59:39,000 --> 02:59:42,900
As a young man, you trained 
harder, traveled more and took 

3105
02:59:42,900 --> 02:59:44,800
on more physically demanding 
tasks. 

3106
02:59:44,800 --> 02:59:49,200
You proved yourself capable 
Bill, your reputation and 

3107
02:59:49,200 --> 02:59:53,300
establish your position. 
As you age the balance, shifts 

3108
02:59:53,300 --> 02:59:57,300
your rely more on those under 
your direction, you delegate 

3109
02:59:57,300 --> 03:00:02,000
more tasks to younger men, 
Squires servants and Sons. 

3110
03:00:02,000 --> 03:00:05,400
If you have them, you spend more
time, overseeing and less time 

3111
03:00:05,400 --> 03:00:08,000
doing, this is not a loss of 
status. 

3112
03:00:08,000 --> 03:00:11,900
It is the natural progression 
expected and accommodated. 

3113
03:00:12,900 --> 03:00:16,300
System values experience and 
judgment as much as physical 

3114
03:00:16,300 --> 03:00:20,100
capability. 
At night before sleep. 

3115
03:00:20,100 --> 03:00:22,600
There is a final, pause the 
household. 

3116
03:00:22,600 --> 03:00:27,000
Settles the fire is banked 
covered with Ash so it will burn

3117
03:00:27,000 --> 03:00:29,400
low through the night without 
going out entirely. 

3118
03:00:30,200 --> 03:00:33,500
Doors are checked and barred 
shutters a closed against the 

3119
03:00:33,500 --> 03:00:35,500
night. 
Are you move through these small

3120
03:00:35,500 --> 03:00:38,800
rituals without haste? 
They marked the transition from 

3121
03:00:38,800 --> 03:00:41,500
day to night from activity. 
To rest. 

3122
03:00:41,500 --> 03:00:45,900
The transition is smooth 
expected and reassuring. 

3123
03:00:45,900 --> 03:00:50,700
There is no abrupt shift, no 
jarring change the day eases in 

3124
03:00:50,700 --> 03:00:54,500
tonight as naturally as Dawn 
eases into morning. food is 

3125
03:00:54,500 --> 03:00:58,200
Central to the household, not 
just a sustenance, but as a 

3126
03:00:58,200 --> 03:01:02,600
measure of stability and 
success, Feeding everyone family

3127
03:01:02,600 --> 03:01:05,600
servants. 
Occasional guests is a daily 

3128
03:01:05,600 --> 03:01:07,800
task. 
That requires planning storage 

3129
03:01:07,800 --> 03:01:11,700
and coordinated labor. 
The kitchen is a busy Place. 

3130
03:01:11,700 --> 03:01:16,500
Typically managed by a cook and 
several assistance often located

3131
03:01:16,500 --> 03:01:20,100
in a separate building or an 
attached Wing to reduce the risk

3132
03:01:20,100 --> 03:01:22,000
of fire spreading to the main 
hall. 

3133
03:01:23,000 --> 03:01:26,300
The separation also contains the
Heat and smoke that cooking 

3134
03:01:26,300 --> 03:01:29,500
generates keeping the living 
spaces, more comfortable. 

3135
03:01:30,400 --> 03:01:32,400
Bread is the foundation of most 
meals. 

3136
03:01:32,400 --> 03:01:36,600
It is baked several times a week
in large batches using a 

3137
03:01:36,600 --> 03:01:40,000
communal oven or an oven built 
into the kitchen structure. 

3138
03:01:40,000 --> 03:01:44,100
The oven is heated by burning 
wood inside it, until the stones

3139
03:01:44,100 --> 03:01:46,600
are hot enough. 
Then the coals are raked out and

3140
03:01:46,600 --> 03:01:48,900
the loaves are placed directly 
on the hot stones. 

3141
03:01:49,700 --> 03:01:53,300
The bread bakes from the 
residual heat the crust forming 

3142
03:01:53,300 --> 03:01:56,700
thick and dark while the 
interior stays dense and chewy 

3143
03:01:56,700 --> 03:02:00,100
the grain for bread comes from 
your own land or from rent. 

3144
03:02:00,100 --> 03:02:03,900
Paid in kind by tenants. 
After harvest, the grain is 

3145
03:02:03,900 --> 03:02:07,700
stored in a dry building, 
sometimes a dedicated Grainery, 

3146
03:02:07,700 --> 03:02:11,000
sometimes a loft above the 
stable or another outbuilding. 

3147
03:02:12,000 --> 03:02:15,700
The storage must protect against
moisture which causes grain to 

3148
03:02:15,700 --> 03:02:20,200
mold and against rodents, which 
can consume or contaminate large

3149
03:02:20,200 --> 03:02:23,600
quantities. 
Grain is threshed to separate 

3150
03:02:23,600 --> 03:02:27,200
the kernels from the chaff then 
winnowed to remove the lighter 

3151
03:02:27,200 --> 03:02:29,000
debris. 
Then ground into flour. 

3152
03:02:29,000 --> 03:02:32,600
Using a handle will take into a 
mill powered by water or wind 

3153
03:02:33,400 --> 03:02:37,600
The bread itself varies in 
quality white bread made from 

3154
03:02:37,600 --> 03:02:41,400
finely ground wheat, flour is 
rare and reserved for special 

3155
03:02:41,400 --> 03:02:44,100
occasions or for the highest 
status members of the household.

3156
03:02:45,500 --> 03:02:50,400
Most of what you eat is made 
from Rye barley or Massillon, a 

3157
03:02:50,400 --> 03:02:53,500
mixture of wheat and rye, that 
combines the better qualities of

3158
03:02:53,500 --> 03:02:56,000
both. 
The bread is substantial 

3159
03:02:56,000 --> 03:02:59,600
designed to fill the stomach and
provide energy for physical 

3160
03:02:59,600 --> 03:03:03,000
labor. 
Single loaf might waste several 

3161
03:03:03,000 --> 03:03:06,000
pounds. 
It keeps for days becoming 

3162
03:03:06,000 --> 03:03:09,900
harder as it stays at which 
point it can be soaked in potted

3163
03:03:09,900 --> 03:03:13,600
or used as a trencher. 
Potger appears at nearly every 

3164
03:03:13,600 --> 03:03:16,000
meal. 
It is a thick stew made, from 

3165
03:03:16,000 --> 03:03:19,800
whatever is available, dried 
peas, or beans soaked overnight,

3166
03:03:19,800 --> 03:03:23,800
and then simmered for hours, 
onions and leeks from the garden

3167
03:03:23,800 --> 03:03:27,900
Maps, carrots, or turnips. 
And sometimes bits of meat or 

3168
03:03:27,900 --> 03:03:31,000
fish have available the 
ingredients simmer together. 

3169
03:03:31,000 --> 03:03:35,200
In a large pot suspended over 
the fire absorbing flavors and 

3170
03:03:35,200 --> 03:03:40,000
becoming soft and easy to eat. 
The pottage is hearty filling 

3171
03:03:40,000 --> 03:03:44,000
and adaptable. 
When grain is abundant barley or

3172
03:03:44,008 --> 03:03:45,900
oats might be added to thicken 
it further. 

3173
03:03:46,700 --> 03:03:51,100
When herbs are fresh, they add 
flavor parsley, Thyme and Sage 

3174
03:03:51,100 --> 03:03:55,300
grown in the household Garden. 
Meters eaten regularly but not 

3175
03:03:55,300 --> 03:03:59,000
extravagantly. 
Pork is common preserved through

3176
03:03:59,000 --> 03:04:01,700
salting or smoking to last 
through winter months. 

3177
03:04:02,300 --> 03:04:06,200
A pig is slaughtered in Autumn 
after it is flattened on forage 

3178
03:04:06,200 --> 03:04:07,900
and household scraps through the
summer. 

3179
03:04:08,800 --> 03:04:12,400
The Meters butchered carefully 
with different cuts assigned to 

3180
03:04:12,400 --> 03:04:16,200
different purposes. 
It's cuts are eaten fresh or 

3181
03:04:16,200 --> 03:04:18,900
lightly. 
Salted lesser cuts are grounded 

3182
03:04:18,900 --> 03:04:21,600
into sausage or heavily salted 
and packed into barrels. 

3183
03:04:21,600 --> 03:04:25,500
Nothing is wasted, organs are 
cooked, immediately, bones are 

3184
03:04:25,500 --> 03:04:28,200
boiled for broth. 
Fat is rendered into lard for 

3185
03:04:28,208 --> 03:04:31,100
cooking mutton and beef at 
Peerless frequently? 

3186
03:04:31,900 --> 03:04:34,800
Sheep are more valuable for 
their wool and cattle and needed

3187
03:04:34,800 --> 03:04:38,500
for plowing and pulling carts. 
Only older animals passed, their

3188
03:04:38,500 --> 03:04:41,200
productive years, a typically 
slaughtered for meat. 

3189
03:04:42,000 --> 03:04:44,100
The meat from these old animals 
is tougher. 

3190
03:04:44,100 --> 03:04:45,800
Requirements long. 
Slow. 

3191
03:04:45,800 --> 03:04:50,000
Cooking to become tender It's 
often used in potages or pies 

3192
03:04:50,000 --> 03:04:53,300
rather than roasted. 
Poultry chickens. 

3193
03:04:53,300 --> 03:04:57,100
Ducks and geese are the estate 
and slaughtered as needed. 

3194
03:04:58,000 --> 03:05:01,700
Chickens provide eggs as well as
meet making them a valuable 

3195
03:05:01,700 --> 03:05:04,500
resource. 
Hen that stops laying eggs, 

3196
03:05:04,500 --> 03:05:08,300
might be killed and cooked her 
meet tougher than a younger bird

3197
03:05:08,300 --> 03:05:11,700
but still useful. 
Geese a fattened in Autumn and 

3198
03:05:11,700 --> 03:05:15,500
slaughtered before winter, their
meat preserved or eaten during 

3199
03:05:15,500 --> 03:05:18,400
the colder months. 
They're fat is saved for cooking

3200
03:05:18,400 --> 03:05:21,900
and for waterproofing leather. 
Game from hunting supplements, 

3201
03:05:21,900 --> 03:05:25,300
the diet, though hunting rights 
are carefully regulated and not 

3202
03:05:25,300 --> 03:05:29,000
of available to everyone as a 
night with land, you likely have

3203
03:05:29,000 --> 03:05:33,300
the right to hunt small game, 
Rabbits hairs Birds within your 

3204
03:05:33,300 --> 03:05:38,700
Holdings, larger game Deer bore 
or often reserved for your lord 

3205
03:05:38,700 --> 03:05:42,900
or require his permission. 
When you do hunt, the meat is a 

3206
03:05:42,900 --> 03:05:46,800
welcome addition to the table. 
Venison is prized rich and 

3207
03:05:46,800 --> 03:05:51,600
flavorful while wild boar is 
tougher, but still valued the 

3208
03:05:51,600 --> 03:05:54,900
hunt itself. 
Is also a social activity, a 

3209
03:05:54,900 --> 03:05:57,900
chance to displace skill and to 
share time with other nights. 

3210
03:05:58,900 --> 03:06:02,500
fish is important, especially 
during Lent and other fasting 

3211
03:06:02,500 --> 03:06:07,000
periods mandated by the church 
when meters forbidden If you 

3212
03:06:07,000 --> 03:06:10,500
live near a river or the coast, 
fresh fish is accessible. 

3213
03:06:11,200 --> 03:06:15,100
Otherwise salted or dried fish 
is purchased at the market or 

3214
03:06:15,100 --> 03:06:19,300
received as part of rent. 
Herring is common cheap and 

3215
03:06:19,300 --> 03:06:23,700
easily preserved. 
Cod is also popular dried until 

3216
03:06:23,700 --> 03:06:25,700
hard and then soaked before 
cooking. 

3217
03:06:26,700 --> 03:06:30,800
Eel is eaten, both fresh and 
preserved, its Rich flesh, 

3218
03:06:30,800 --> 03:06:34,100
valued for its flavor. 
Dairy products are part of the 

3219
03:06:34,108 --> 03:06:37,300
daily routine. 
Milk is consumed fresh when 

3220
03:06:37,300 --> 03:06:40,900
available especially in spring 
and summer when cows and sheep 

3221
03:06:40,900 --> 03:06:43,900
are producing more. 
But fresh milk spoils quickly. 

3222
03:06:43,900 --> 03:06:48,800
So most is turned into cheese or
butter which keep longer cheeses

3223
03:06:48,800 --> 03:06:52,300
made regularly using techniques 
passed down through generations.

3224
03:06:52,300 --> 03:06:57,800
The milk is heated curdled with 
rennet pressed to remove way and

3225
03:06:57,800 --> 03:07:00,900
then aged Fresh cheeses, soft 
and Mild. 

3226
03:07:00,900 --> 03:07:04,800
Aged cheese is harder sharper, 
and more flavorful. 

3227
03:07:05,600 --> 03:07:08,300
Large wheels of cheese are 
stored in cool Sellers and 

3228
03:07:08,300 --> 03:07:12,800
brought out as needed. butter is
churned from cream, the process 

3229
03:07:12,800 --> 03:07:16,500
being labor-intensive but 
essential Cream is collected 

3230
03:07:16,500 --> 03:07:20,400
from milk over several days, 
then agitated in a wooden churn 

3231
03:07:20,400 --> 03:07:22,000
until the fat separates from the
liquid. 

3232
03:07:23,000 --> 03:07:26,700
The butter is gathered washed 
and sometimes salted for 

3233
03:07:26,700 --> 03:07:30,000
preservation. 
It is used in cooking spread on 

3234
03:07:30,000 --> 03:07:34,600
bread and added to vegetables. 
In wealthier households butter 

3235
03:07:34,600 --> 03:07:36,700
might be flavored with herbs or 
spices. 

3236
03:07:37,600 --> 03:07:40,000
Vegetables come from the 
household garden and from the 

3237
03:07:40,000 --> 03:07:43,700
fields, onions and leeks, are 
Staples used in nearly every 

3238
03:07:43,700 --> 03:07:46,900
pottage and stew. 
Cabbages are grown and eaten 

3239
03:07:46,900 --> 03:07:51,000
fresh or preserved by pickling. 
Turnips and carrots stall. 

3240
03:07:51,000 --> 03:07:54,000
Well in sellers the routes 
providing Foods through winter. 

3241
03:07:55,100 --> 03:07:57,300
In Summer Fresh greens are 
available. 

3242
03:07:57,300 --> 03:08:02,500
Lettuce, spinach and chard. 
These are eaten quickly often 

3243
03:08:02,500 --> 03:08:04,700
lightly cooked or added to 
suits. 

3244
03:08:05,500 --> 03:08:09,400
Herbs are grown for both flavor 
and Medicine, parsley, thyme, 

3245
03:08:09,400 --> 03:08:12,300
sage and rosemary, all are used 
in cooking. 

3246
03:08:13,200 --> 03:08:17,100
Others like Khan and mint are 
used for teas or remedies. 

3247
03:08:17,100 --> 03:08:19,800
The garden is tendered by 
servants. 

3248
03:08:19,800 --> 03:08:22,500
Often. 
Women who know which plants need

3249
03:08:22,500 --> 03:08:26,100
more water, which needs, son, 
and which need to be cut back to

3250
03:08:26,100 --> 03:08:30,300
encourage growth. fruit is 
seasonal and treated as a 

3251
03:08:30,300 --> 03:08:34,600
special edition rather than a 
staple Bulls and pears from the 

3252
03:08:34,608 --> 03:08:37,900
orchard are eaten fresh and 
Autumn their crisp flesh. 

3253
03:08:37,900 --> 03:08:41,400
Sweet and refreshing after a 
diet, heavy and Grain, and 

3254
03:08:41,400 --> 03:08:45,400
preserved meat, Some are stored 
in cool dry places where they 

3255
03:08:45,400 --> 03:08:50,100
keep for weeks or months. 
Others are dried sliced thin and

3256
03:08:50,100 --> 03:08:53,700
laid out in the sun or hung near
the fire until they shrink and 

3257
03:08:53,700 --> 03:08:56,300
Harden. 
Dried fruit can be added to 

3258
03:08:56,300 --> 03:08:58,400
dishes or eaten As a treat 
through winter. 

3259
03:08:59,400 --> 03:09:02,200
Berries are gathered from 
hedgerows and Forest edges in 

3260
03:09:02,200 --> 03:09:04,800
summer. 
Strawberries, raspberries and 

3261
03:09:04,800 --> 03:09:08,300
blackberries. 
They're eaten fresh Often by 

3262
03:09:08,300 --> 03:09:10,500
children. 
Sent to pick them who returned 

3263
03:09:10,500 --> 03:09:14,100
with stained hands and faces. 
Some berries are made into 

3264
03:09:14,100 --> 03:09:17,700
simple preserves cooked with 
honey and stored in jars. 

3265
03:09:18,600 --> 03:09:22,100
Ellis brewed regularly. 
The task usually managed by the 

3266
03:09:22,100 --> 03:09:25,600
women of the household. 
The process begins with malted 

3267
03:09:25,600 --> 03:09:29,500
barley grain that has been 
soaked allowed to sprout. 

3268
03:09:29,500 --> 03:09:32,600
Then dried to convert starches 
into sugars. 

3269
03:09:33,500 --> 03:09:37,400
The malted barley is ground 
mixed with hot water and left to

3270
03:09:37,400 --> 03:09:40,600
steep. 
The resulting liquid is strained

3271
03:09:40,600 --> 03:09:44,800
flavored sometimes with herbs 
like yarrow or bog Myrtle and 

3272
03:09:44,800 --> 03:09:48,700
then fermented with yeast. 
The fermentation takes several 

3273
03:09:48,700 --> 03:09:51,600
days. 
The ale is consumed within a 

3274
03:09:51,600 --> 03:09:55,300
week or two before it sours. 
It is weak by modern standards 

3275
03:09:55,300 --> 03:09:59,400
safe to drink and mildly, 
nourishing meant to be consumed 

3276
03:09:59,400 --> 03:10:03,000
throughout the day. wine is more
expensive and less common, 

3277
03:10:03,000 --> 03:10:06,800
especially, in regions, where 
grapes do not grow well, If you 

3278
03:10:06,800 --> 03:10:10,300
drink it, it is likely imported 
purchased at a market or 

3279
03:10:10,300 --> 03:10:12,800
received as part of your 
obligations to your lord. 

3280
03:10:13,600 --> 03:10:17,000
Why is reserved for more formal 
occasions or shared when guests 

3281
03:10:17,000 --> 03:10:19,900
visit? 
It is often diluted with water, 

3282
03:10:19,900 --> 03:10:23,300
both to stretch the supply and 
to reduce its strength. 

3283
03:10:23,300 --> 03:10:27,500
The table itself is set simply 
wooden or pewter plates. 

3284
03:10:27,500 --> 03:10:30,200
Serve most meals with pewter 
reserved for higher status 

3285
03:10:30,200 --> 03:10:33,900
diners cups are made from horn, 
wood or pottery. 

3286
03:10:34,700 --> 03:10:38,400
Knives are used for cutting. 
Forks, not yet common, you eat 

3287
03:10:38,400 --> 03:10:42,000
with your fingers and your knife
using bread to soak up, sauces 

3288
03:10:42,000 --> 03:10:45,100
or juices. 
Spoons are used for pottage and 

3289
03:10:45,100 --> 03:10:48,400
liquid dishes. 
The tools are practical meant to

3290
03:10:48,400 --> 03:10:51,400
last cleaned after each meal and
stored carefully. 

3291
03:10:52,600 --> 03:10:55,400
The meal is communal. 
Everyone eats together in the 

3292
03:10:55,400 --> 03:10:58,000
hall at the same time from the 
same pots. 

3293
03:10:58,600 --> 03:11:03,100
This reinforces the household as
a unit there is conversation but

3294
03:11:03,100 --> 03:11:07,200
it is not loud or disruptive. 
The focus is on eating on 

3295
03:11:07,200 --> 03:11:10,900
nourishment, on the simple 
satisfaction of food after 

3296
03:11:10,900 --> 03:11:13,300
Labor. 
You sit at the head of the 

3297
03:11:13,300 --> 03:11:17,200
table, your portions are larger 
and your bread is finer. 

3298
03:11:17,200 --> 03:11:20,400
If white bread is available, 
this is not excess. 

3299
03:11:20,400 --> 03:11:24,200
It is a mark of status, a 
visible reminder of the 

3300
03:11:24,200 --> 03:11:27,000
hierarchy within the household. 
Provisioning. 

3301
03:11:27,000 --> 03:11:29,500
The household means managing 
stores carefully. 

3302
03:11:30,200 --> 03:11:33,300
Grain must be kept drying, 
inspected regularly for signs of

3303
03:11:33,300 --> 03:11:37,100
mold or infestation. 
Salted, meat must be packed in 

3304
03:11:37,100 --> 03:11:40,400
barrels, with enough salt to 
prevent spoilage root 

3305
03:11:40,400 --> 03:11:42,800
vegetables. 
Must be stored in cool, Dark 

3306
03:11:42,800 --> 03:11:47,100
Places and checked periodically 
for Rotel must be consumed 

3307
03:11:47,100 --> 03:11:51,000
before it sours. 
Some one, usually the steward or

3308
03:11:51,000 --> 03:11:54,700
the lady of the house tracks, 
the stores ensures, they are 

3309
03:11:54,708 --> 03:11:57,600
used efficiently and plans for 
replenishment. 

3310
03:11:58,800 --> 03:12:01,700
Running out of food before the 
next Harvest is a serious 

3311
03:12:01,700 --> 03:12:04,500
failure. 
One that reflects poorly on your

3312
03:12:04,508 --> 03:12:07,300
management and threatens the 
stability of the household. 

3313
03:12:08,200 --> 03:12:12,700
Waste is minimal scraps from the
table, go to servants who finish

3314
03:12:12,700 --> 03:12:14,800
what those of higher status 
leave behind. 

3315
03:12:15,800 --> 03:12:19,600
What they do, not eat goes to 
animals, dogs, pigs and 

3316
03:12:19,600 --> 03:12:22,400
chickens. 
Bones are boiled repeatedly, 

3317
03:12:22,400 --> 03:12:25,600
until they yield no more flavor 
or nutrients stale. 

3318
03:12:25,600 --> 03:12:28,700
Bread, becomes trenches, or 
soaked and fed to livestock. 

3319
03:12:28,700 --> 03:12:33,000
Nothing is discarded. 
Lightly resources are precious 

3320
03:12:33,000 --> 03:12:37,000
using them fully as both 
practical and virtuous feast 

3321
03:12:37,000 --> 03:12:39,100
days. 
Bring larger meals, but even 

3322
03:12:39,100 --> 03:12:41,100
these are modest compared to the
Grand. 

3323
03:12:41,100 --> 03:12:45,400
Banquet of higher nobility, you 
might roast a whole pig or serve

3324
03:12:45,400 --> 03:12:48,400
several kinds of foul. 
You might offer sweetmeats made 

3325
03:12:48,400 --> 03:12:51,800
with honey and spices. 
A luxury saved for special 

3326
03:12:51,800 --> 03:12:54,200
occasions. 
You might provide white bread 

3327
03:12:54,200 --> 03:12:57,500
for all your guests, not just 
for yourself, but the feast is 

3328
03:12:57,500 --> 03:13:00,000
still recognizable as an 
extension of the every day. 

3329
03:13:00,000 --> 03:13:05,400
Not a departure from it. 
The same Basic Foods appear just

3330
03:13:05,400 --> 03:13:09,700
in Greater quantity and variety 
the rhythm of meals structures. 

3331
03:13:09,700 --> 03:13:12,400
The day. 
Breakfast shortly, after waking 

3332
03:13:12,400 --> 03:13:14,600
a simple meal to break the 
night's fast. 

3333
03:13:15,300 --> 03:13:18,000
Dinner in the middle of the day 
is the main meal and is more 

3334
03:13:18,000 --> 03:13:21,200
substantial. 
Supper in the evening smaller 

3335
03:13:21,200 --> 03:13:22,500
than dinner, but still 
nourishing. 

3336
03:13:22,500 --> 03:13:25,900
Each meal is a pause, a 
gathering, a moment of shared 

3337
03:13:25,900 --> 03:13:30,400
routine, the food is simple, but
it is sufficient it sustains, 

3338
03:13:30,400 --> 03:13:34,000
the work, it sustains, the 
household, it sustains, the 

3339
03:13:34,000 --> 03:13:37,600
life, you lead steady and 
grounded in The rhythms of land 

3340
03:13:37,600 --> 03:13:40,700
and season. 
As the day Fades, the hall 

3341
03:13:40,700 --> 03:13:42,100
becomes the center of the 
household. 

3342
03:13:42,100 --> 03:13:45,200
Once again, Fire has been built 
up. 

3343
03:13:46,000 --> 03:13:48,700
Flames Rising higher. 
Now that the cooking is done and

3344
03:13:48,700 --> 03:13:50,700
the focus shifts to warmth and 
Light. 

3345
03:13:51,800 --> 03:13:55,900
Candles a lit though. 
Sparingly Tallow candles are 

3346
03:13:55,900 --> 03:13:59,300
smoking and smell of rendered 
fat but they provide enough 

3347
03:13:59,300 --> 03:14:04,300
light to see by Wax candles 
cleaner, burning and sweeter, 

3348
03:14:04,300 --> 03:14:07,700
smelling are reserved for the 
church or for rare occasions 

3349
03:14:07,700 --> 03:14:11,600
when they cost can be justified.
You take your seat near the fire

3350
03:14:11,600 --> 03:14:14,700
in a chair. 
If you have one a heavy, wooden 

3351
03:14:14,700 --> 03:14:18,000
piece possibly with a cushioned,
filled with the wall, or down, 

3352
03:14:18,000 --> 03:14:20,600
or on a bench of the household 
is simpler. 

3353
03:14:21,700 --> 03:14:24,600
Others, gather around members of
your family. 

3354
03:14:24,600 --> 03:14:27,500
Take seats nearby. 
Servants. 

3355
03:14:27,500 --> 03:14:30,400
Finish their tasks and find 
places along the edges of the 

3356
03:14:30,400 --> 03:14:34,800
hall or at the lower tables. 
If a guest has arrived earlier 

3357
03:14:34,800 --> 03:14:40,500
in the day, Traveling night, a 
merchant a messenger, they are 

3358
03:14:40,500 --> 03:14:43,500
seated according to their 
status, offered food and drink 

3359
03:14:43,500 --> 03:14:46,200
and welcomed into the evening's 
quiet Rhythm. 

3360
03:14:46,200 --> 03:14:50,300
The atmosphere is calm the work 
of the day is done. 

3361
03:14:50,300 --> 03:14:53,800
What remains is the quiet 
transition into night? 

3362
03:14:54,600 --> 03:14:57,800
The hall is warmer now. 
The fires heat radiating 

3363
03:14:57,800 --> 03:15:01,500
outward, the stone walls and 
floor absorbing and reflecting 

3364
03:15:01,500 --> 03:15:04,100
it. 
The warmth is comforting, after 

3365
03:15:04,100 --> 03:15:07,500
hours, spent partly outdoors 
with the air has cooled as the 

3366
03:15:07,500 --> 03:15:11,900
sun dropped toward the horizon. 
Conversation is low carried on 

3367
03:15:11,900 --> 03:15:14,500
in murmurs and occasional bursts
of quiet laugh. 

3368
03:15:14,500 --> 03:15:16,900
Laughter. 
Someone mentioned repairs that 

3369
03:15:16,900 --> 03:15:21,200
were completed. a section of 
fence, reinforced a leak in the 

3370
03:15:21,208 --> 03:15:25,600
stable roof, patched with fresh 
that Someone else talks about a 

3371
03:15:25,600 --> 03:15:29,100
cow that is due to carve soon 
speculating on whether the car 

3372
03:15:29,100 --> 03:15:31,900
will be strong and whether it 
will be kept or sold. 

3373
03:15:32,900 --> 03:15:36,500
The Topic's ordinary grounded in
the life of the estate in the 

3374
03:15:36,500 --> 03:15:38,400
immediate concerns that fill 
your days. 

3375
03:15:38,400 --> 03:15:41,200
There's no need for Grand 
stories or entertainment. 

3376
03:15:41,200 --> 03:15:44,600
The simple exchange of 
information, the sharing of 

3377
03:15:44,600 --> 03:15:48,700
observations is enough 
Occasionally, someone might tell

3378
03:15:48,700 --> 03:15:51,800
a story. 
Tale from the Bible, perhaps the

3379
03:15:51,800 --> 03:15:54,600
story of David and Goliath or 
the parable of the Good 

3380
03:15:54,600 --> 03:15:58,100
Samaritan, a legend about a 
local Saint, and how they 

3381
03:15:58,100 --> 03:16:00,300
performed Miracles, or suffered 
martyrdom. 

3382
03:16:01,100 --> 03:16:04,700
A piece of family history, the 
story about your grandfather or 

3383
03:16:04,700 --> 03:16:08,200
great-grandfather how they 
acquired the land, you now hold 

3384
03:16:08,200 --> 03:16:11,300
or how they serve their lord, 
and some notable way. 

3385
03:16:12,800 --> 03:16:15,300
Telling a straightforward. 
Not dramatic. 

3386
03:16:15,300 --> 03:16:19,100
The story is familiar. 
Everyone has heard it before 

3387
03:16:19,100 --> 03:16:23,300
perhaps many times. 
But familiarity is comforting. 

3388
03:16:24,200 --> 03:16:27,700
The repetition is part of the 
ritual, a way of reinforcing, 

3389
03:16:27,700 --> 03:16:32,500
shared identity and continuity. 
If you are literate and not all 

3390
03:16:32,500 --> 03:16:35,300
nights, are you might spend part
of the evening with a book. 

3391
03:16:36,200 --> 03:16:40,300
The book is a valuable object 
expensive to produce and 

3392
03:16:40,300 --> 03:16:43,400
carefully preserved. 
It might be a religious text 

3393
03:16:43,400 --> 03:16:48,200
assaulted, containing the sarms,
or a book of hours with prayers 

3394
03:16:48,200 --> 03:16:51,900
for different times of day. 
Reading a slow work by 

3395
03:16:51,900 --> 03:16:55,100
candlelight. 
The light flickers making the 

3396
03:16:55,100 --> 03:16:59,400
letters dance on the page. 
You lean closer, squinting 

3397
03:16:59,400 --> 03:17:02,900
slightly, reading aloud, or 
silently, depending on your 

3398
03:17:02,900 --> 03:17:06,600
preference and skill. 
You do not read for long, the 

3399
03:17:06,600 --> 03:17:09,800
effort tires, your eyes. 
But the act itself is a form of 

3400
03:17:09,808 --> 03:17:13,500
quiet, focus a way to settle the
mind, and prepare for sleep. 

3401
03:17:14,500 --> 03:17:18,700
Women in the household might so 
or spin continuing work that is 

3402
03:17:18,700 --> 03:17:22,200
filled portions of their day. 
The sowing might be mending, 

3403
03:17:22,200 --> 03:17:26,200
repairing, a torn tunic or 
darling holes in hose, or it 

3404
03:17:26,200 --> 03:17:29,700
might be more elaborate work. 
Embroidering, a design onto a 

3405
03:17:29,708 --> 03:17:32,200
piece of cloth that will become 
part of an altar cloth for the 

3406
03:17:32,200 --> 03:17:34,600
chapel or a decorative hanging 
for the hall. 

3407
03:17:35,900 --> 03:17:38,900
The work is done by feel as much
as by sight. 

3408
03:17:39,700 --> 03:17:42,600
Fingers know, the motion of the 
needle moving through fabric. 

3409
03:17:43,400 --> 03:17:45,800
The tension of thread and the 
rhythm of stitching. 

3410
03:17:47,000 --> 03:17:50,100
The work fills the time without 
demanding full attention, 

3411
03:17:50,100 --> 03:17:54,000
allowing the mind to wander, or 
to follow the conversation 

3412
03:17:54,000 --> 03:17:58,300
happening nearby. 
Binning is similarly meditative 

3413
03:17:58,300 --> 03:18:02,300
a disturbed holds the mass of 
wall or Flags fingers. 

3414
03:18:02,300 --> 03:18:05,300
Tease out fibers. 
Twisting them into thread that 

3415
03:18:05,300 --> 03:18:08,900
wind onto a spindle. 
The spindle drops and Rises 

3416
03:18:08,900 --> 03:18:12,400
drops, and Rises the motion 
steady and hypnotic. 

3417
03:18:13,100 --> 03:18:16,100
The threat that results will be 
woven into cloth or used for 

3418
03:18:16,108 --> 03:18:19,300
sewing. 
The work is essential part of 

3419
03:18:19,308 --> 03:18:22,900
the Endless cycle of production 
that keeps the household clothed

3420
03:18:22,900 --> 03:18:27,000
and provisioned. children, if 
there are any a present but 

3421
03:18:27,000 --> 03:18:29,800
quieter in the evening, They sit
near the fire. 

3422
03:18:29,800 --> 03:18:33,500
Perhaps listening to the adults 
perhaps occupied with some small

3423
03:18:33,500 --> 03:18:36,600
tasks or game. 
A boy Mike whittle, a piece of 

3424
03:18:36,600 --> 03:18:39,600
wood shaping it into a simple 
toy or tool. 

3425
03:18:40,600 --> 03:18:44,100
A girl might practice stitches 
on a scrap of cloth learning 

3426
03:18:44,100 --> 03:18:45,600
skills, she will need as she 
grows. 

3427
03:18:45,600 --> 03:18:49,800
They are not sent away. 
The household is a shared space 

3428
03:18:49,800 --> 03:18:54,000
and children learn by being 
present by watching and by 

3429
03:18:54,000 --> 03:18:56,700
gradually taking on small 
responsibilities. 

3430
03:18:57,800 --> 03:19:00,800
Dog's lie near the fire 
stretched out on their side or 

3431
03:19:00,800 --> 03:19:04,600
curled into tight balls. 
They're working animals hunting 

3432
03:19:04,600 --> 03:19:08,000
dogs, guard dogs. 
But in the evening, they rest. 

3433
03:19:08,900 --> 03:19:11,800
They shift position, 
occasionally sighing, settling 

3434
03:19:11,800 --> 03:19:15,600
deeper into sleep. 
One might wake briefly lift its 

3435
03:19:15,600 --> 03:19:19,300
head to look around, then drop 
back into sleep. their presents 

3436
03:19:19,300 --> 03:19:22,600
is part of the background 
noticed, only when they move, or

3437
03:19:22,600 --> 03:19:26,300
when someone reaches down to 
scratch behind near The fire 

3438
03:19:26,300 --> 03:19:30,000
itself is a focal point. 
You watch the Flames, the way 

3439
03:19:30,000 --> 03:19:33,900
they shift and flicker rising 
and falling as they consume the 

3440
03:19:33,900 --> 03:19:38,300
wood, the light is warm and 
uneven casting Shadows that move

3441
03:19:38,300 --> 03:19:41,500
across the walls and sealing 
creating patterns that shift 

3442
03:19:41,500 --> 03:19:45,400
constantly. 
The sound of the fire crackling 

3443
03:19:45,400 --> 03:19:48,000
popping. 
The occasional hiss of sap 

3444
03:19:48,000 --> 03:19:51,400
Heating and bursting, fills the 
silence between words. 

3445
03:19:52,400 --> 03:19:55,500
The smell of wood. 
Smoke is familiar ingrained in 

3446
03:19:55,500 --> 03:19:59,800
the hall in your clothing and in
the very fabric of daily life, 

3447
03:20:00,700 --> 03:20:03,300
As the evening deepens people 
begin to drift away. 

3448
03:20:04,100 --> 03:20:07,400
Servants returned to their 
quarters, small rooms off the 

3449
03:20:07,400 --> 03:20:10,900
hall or in separate buildings. 
Younger members of the household

3450
03:20:10,900 --> 03:20:15,900
head, to their sleeping spaces, 
pallets in shared rooms alcoves 

3451
03:20:15,900 --> 03:20:19,200
curtained off for privacy. 
The whole empty slowly 

3452
03:20:19,200 --> 03:20:22,000
gradually. 
The number of people dwindling 

3453
03:20:22,000 --> 03:20:25,600
with out any formal announcement
or signal, they leave when they 

3454
03:20:25,608 --> 03:20:29,400
are tired, when their tasks are 
finished, or when the pool of 

3455
03:20:29,408 --> 03:20:32,400
sleep, becomes stronger than the
pool of the fires warmth. 

3456
03:20:33,000 --> 03:20:36,100
You remain a bit longer 
finishing a task or simply 

3457
03:20:36,100 --> 03:20:39,100
sitting in the warmth. 
The hall is quieter. 

3458
03:20:39,100 --> 03:20:42,300
Now the conversations are 
reduced to a few murmured 

3459
03:20:42,300 --> 03:20:45,900
exchanges. 
Fire Burns, lower, the flame 

3460
03:20:45,900 --> 03:20:49,800
smaller, and the coals glow red 
and orange beneath a thin layer 

3461
03:20:49,800 --> 03:20:52,600
of Ash You feel the weight of 
the day? 

3462
03:20:52,600 --> 03:20:55,800
Settling into your body? 
The pleasant tiredness. 

3463
03:20:55,800 --> 03:21:00,800
That comes from steady work from
obligations met from a day 

3464
03:21:00,800 --> 03:21:04,200
completed. 
There is no set time to end the 

3465
03:21:04,200 --> 03:21:07,100
evening. 
It ends when it ends when the 

3466
03:21:07,100 --> 03:21:09,600
fire has burned down enough, 
that it will be safe to bank. 

3467
03:21:09,600 --> 03:21:13,400
When the candles of gutted low, 
when there is nothing left that 

3468
03:21:13,400 --> 03:21:18,200
needs doing you stand, stretch 
and feel your joints pop 

3469
03:21:18,200 --> 03:21:21,500
slightly in your muscles loosen.
You make your way to your 

3470
03:21:21,500 --> 03:21:25,200
chamber moving through. 
Familia spaces in dim, light 

3471
03:21:25,200 --> 03:21:28,500
your feet knowing the path 
without conscious thought. 

3472
03:21:29,300 --> 03:21:30,900
The hall will be prepared 
against tomorrow. 

3473
03:21:30,900 --> 03:21:34,400
The fire will be relit, fresh 
wood laid on the coals that 

3474
03:21:34,400 --> 03:21:37,100
remain through the night. 
The bench is will be set out. 

3475
03:21:37,100 --> 03:21:41,000
The tables will be laid. 
The routine will continue to 

3476
03:21:41,000 --> 03:21:47,000
night it rests you rest. 
The Rhythm holds steady and 

3477
03:21:47,000 --> 03:21:49,300
reliable carrying you forward 
into sleep. 

3478
03:21:50,100 --> 03:21:52,800
Knight is not a time of disorder
or uncertainty. 

3479
03:21:53,500 --> 03:21:57,200
It is a structured as the day, 
though, the structure is quieter

3480
03:21:57,200 --> 03:22:01,800
and more internal before you 
sleep, the household is secured.

3481
03:22:01,800 --> 03:22:04,700
Doors, are barred from the 
inside heavy. 

3482
03:22:04,700 --> 03:22:06,900
Wooden beams dropped into iron 
brackets. 

3483
03:22:07,800 --> 03:22:10,700
Shutters are closed against the 
cold and fastened with simple 

3484
03:22:10,700 --> 03:22:13,400
latches. 
These actions are practical. 

3485
03:22:14,200 --> 03:22:17,000
Protecting against drafts and 
deterring any unlikely 

3486
03:22:17,000 --> 03:22:19,600
Intruders. 
But they are all so ritual, 

3487
03:22:19,600 --> 03:22:23,800
marking the transition from 
public to private time from 

3488
03:22:23,800 --> 03:22:28,600
activity to rest. 
Fire in the hall is banked. 

3489
03:22:29,300 --> 03:22:32,300
Covered with a layer of Ash so 
that it will burn low through 

3490
03:22:32,300 --> 03:22:36,400
the night glowing with barely 
visible heat, but not go out 

3491
03:22:36,400 --> 03:22:39,500
entirely. 
Keeping a fire alive. 

3492
03:22:39,500 --> 03:22:42,000
Overnight, is easier than 
starting a new one in the 

3493
03:22:42,000 --> 03:22:44,600
morning. 
The coals beneath the Ash will 

3494
03:22:44,600 --> 03:22:48,000
smolder slowly and in the 
morning a servant will remove 

3495
03:22:48,000 --> 03:22:52,200
the ash had kindling and coaxed 
the fire back in to Flame. 

3496
03:22:53,100 --> 03:22:56,900
The banked fire is a small but 
important task one that requires

3497
03:22:56,900 --> 03:23:00,700
attention to get right. 
Too much Ash and the fire dies 

3498
03:23:00,700 --> 03:23:05,400
to little and it burns Through 
the Wood to quickly. if you live

3499
03:23:05,400 --> 03:23:09,300
in a larger household or near a 
vulnerable location, close to a 

3500
03:23:09,300 --> 03:23:13,600
border near a road, frequented 
by Bandits, there may be a watch

3501
03:23:14,300 --> 03:23:17,000
Someone stays awake through 
parts of the night listening, 

3502
03:23:17,000 --> 03:23:20,900
checking the perimeter and 
ensuring that nothing unexpected

3503
03:23:20,900 --> 03:23:24,800
occurs. 
The watch rotates among the men 

3504
03:23:24,800 --> 03:23:27,600
of the household. 
Each person takes a turn, 

3505
03:23:27,600 --> 03:23:30,900
perhaps walking the walls. 
If there are walls or simply 

3506
03:23:30,900 --> 03:23:33,300
sitting in the hole near the 
door, listening to the sounds of

3507
03:23:33,300 --> 03:23:37,000
the night. 
The duty is not glamorous hours 

3508
03:23:37,000 --> 03:23:40,400
passed with nothing happening. 
The Watcher might fight sleep 

3509
03:23:40,400 --> 03:23:43,700
standing occasionally to walk 
around splashing, cold water on 

3510
03:23:43,700 --> 03:23:46,200
his face and chewing something 
to stay alert. 

3511
03:23:47,800 --> 03:23:50,700
The night is long when you are 
awake during it, each our 

3512
03:23:50,700 --> 03:23:53,100
stretching out time moving 
slowly. 

3513
03:23:54,200 --> 03:23:57,800
But the watch is necessary. 
It reassures everyone else that 

3514
03:23:57,800 --> 03:24:00,700
the Knight is managed, and that 
someone is paying attention. 

3515
03:24:01,600 --> 03:24:05,700
When you turn comes, you accept 
it without complaint, it is part

3516
03:24:05,700 --> 03:24:07,200
of the collective 
responsibility. 

3517
03:24:08,000 --> 03:24:11,200
Your sleeping chamber is small 
proportion to the scale of the 

3518
03:24:11,200 --> 03:24:14,000
manor house. 
The bed is the largest piece of 

3519
03:24:14,000 --> 03:24:19,000
furniture dominating the room. 
Chest it against one wall, its 

3520
03:24:19,000 --> 03:24:22,400
lid carved or painted holding 
clothing and personal items 

3521
03:24:22,400 --> 03:24:27,100
extra tunics hose. 
Perhaps a small pouch of coins 

3522
03:24:27,100 --> 03:24:29,600
and documents proving your land 
rights. 

3523
03:24:30,400 --> 03:24:33,500
A stool or bench provides a 
place to sit while dressing. 

3524
03:24:34,500 --> 03:24:36,900
Handle rests in a simple holder 
though. 

3525
03:24:36,900 --> 03:24:39,800
You blow it out before sleeping 
to avoid the risk of Fire. 

3526
03:24:40,500 --> 03:24:42,800
The bed itself is layered for 
warmth and comfort. 

3527
03:24:43,700 --> 03:24:45,800
At the base. 
A wooden frame support to 

3528
03:24:45,800 --> 03:24:49,600
lattice of ropes, that provide 
tension and support on top of 

3529
03:24:49,600 --> 03:24:53,400
the ropes, a straw mattress. 
A large sacks stuffed with 

3530
03:24:53,400 --> 03:24:56,700
straw, tied at the ends to keep 
the filling from escaping. 

3531
03:24:57,700 --> 03:25:00,400
The straw pokes through the 
fabric occasionally, scratching 

3532
03:25:00,400 --> 03:25:02,700
lightly but it provides a 
surface. 

3533
03:25:03,600 --> 03:25:06,800
On top of the straw mattress, a 
feather mattress, or a palette 

3534
03:25:06,800 --> 03:25:10,800
stuffed with wool adds softness.
The feather mattress is a luxury

3535
03:25:10,800 --> 03:25:14,300
indicating status. 
Wool is more common, still 

3536
03:25:14,300 --> 03:25:17,600
comfortable, but less expensive.
Linen. 

3537
03:25:17,600 --> 03:25:18,600
Sheets. 
Cover the mattress. 

3538
03:25:18,600 --> 03:25:21,500
Washed periodically to keep them
clean though. 

3539
03:25:21,500 --> 03:25:24,000
Washing his labor intensive and 
done only when necessary. 

3540
03:25:25,300 --> 03:25:28,900
Wool blanket a layered on top, 
the number depending on the 

3541
03:25:28,900 --> 03:25:32,200
season. 
In Winter, you might have three 

3542
03:25:32,200 --> 03:25:36,100
or four heavy blankets plus, 
Furs or additional layers. 

3543
03:25:36,900 --> 03:25:39,900
The weight is comforting 
pressing down, gently trapping 

3544
03:25:39,900 --> 03:25:43,000
warmth. 
In summer, a single light 

3545
03:25:43,000 --> 03:25:45,700
blanket. 
Might be enough or even just a 

3546
03:25:45,700 --> 03:25:49,000
sheet. 
The bed is enclosed by curtains 

3547
03:25:49,000 --> 03:25:51,900
hung from a wooden frame, built 
around the beds perimeter. 

3548
03:25:52,700 --> 03:25:57,400
Curtains are heavy fabric wool 
or thick linen drawn, closed on 

3549
03:25:57,400 --> 03:26:01,200
three sides and partially closed
on the fourth leaving an opening

3550
03:26:01,200 --> 03:26:05,800
for you to enter an exit. 
Curtain serve multiple purposes.

3551
03:26:05,800 --> 03:26:09,800
They trap warmth creating a 
smaller space that your body 

3552
03:26:09,800 --> 03:26:13,000
heat can fill. 
They provide privacy and a 

3553
03:26:13,000 --> 03:26:16,700
household where privacy is rare.
They block light and muffled 

3554
03:26:16,700 --> 03:26:19,500
sound creating a quieter darker 
space. 

3555
03:26:19,500 --> 03:26:24,600
Conducive to sleep, you undress 
partially how to garments are 

3556
03:26:24,600 --> 03:26:30,600
removed tunics, belts, shoes, 
and hung on pegs or folded and 

3557
03:26:30,600 --> 03:26:34,000
placed on the chest. 
You keep your linen shirt and 

3558
03:26:34,000 --> 03:26:37,900
sometimes your hose depending on
the season and the coldness of 

3559
03:26:37,900 --> 03:26:41,400
the room. 
The room is cold, especially in 

3560
03:26:41,400 --> 03:26:43,500
winter. 
Fewer layers. 

3561
03:26:43,500 --> 03:26:46,100
You remove the warmer you stay. 
And the easier. 

3562
03:26:46,100 --> 03:26:49,400
It is to rise in the morning 
without the shock of cold air on

3563
03:26:49,400 --> 03:26:53,100
bare skin. 
Climb into bed, pulling the 

3564
03:26:53,100 --> 03:26:57,000
curtains closed behind you. 
The space inside, the curtained 

3565
03:26:57,000 --> 03:27:01,600
enclosure is small intimate and 
separated from the larger room. 

3566
03:27:02,400 --> 03:27:06,700
The darkness is almost complete 
broken, only by faint light that

3567
03:27:06,700 --> 03:27:08,800
might seep through gaps in the 
curtains. 

3568
03:27:08,800 --> 03:27:12,400
If the moon is bright, or if a 
candle still Burns elsewhere in 

3569
03:27:12,400 --> 03:27:16,600
the house, Your blankets, 
pulling them up to your chin. 

3570
03:27:16,600 --> 03:27:18,800
Feeling their weights, settle 
over. 

3571
03:27:18,800 --> 03:27:21,800
You sleep comes easily after a 
full day. 

3572
03:27:21,800 --> 03:27:24,300
There is no artificial light to 
delay it. 

3573
03:27:24,300 --> 03:27:28,600
No mental stimulation to keep 
your mind active, the darkness 

3574
03:27:28,600 --> 03:27:32,600
and choir to invite sleep. 
Your body is tired from the 

3575
03:27:32,600 --> 03:27:37,200
day's work from walking riding 
lifting and standing. 

3576
03:27:38,200 --> 03:27:42,700
Your mind is settled, the days 
decisions made and the tasks 

3577
03:27:42,700 --> 03:27:44,800
completed or postponed to 
tomorrow. 

3578
03:27:44,800 --> 03:27:49,400
You close your eyes, your 
breathing slows the transition 

3579
03:27:49,400 --> 03:27:51,800
from waking to sleep is smooth 
and natural. 

3580
03:27:51,800 --> 03:27:55,600
You do not sleep through the 
night without interruption you 

3581
03:27:55,600 --> 03:27:59,700
wake once or twice to adjust 
blankets, that have shifted to 

3582
03:27:59,700 --> 03:28:03,100
turn onto your other side, or to
relieve yourself in a chamber 

3583
03:28:03,100 --> 03:28:05,300
pot kept under the bed or in a 
corner of the room. 

3584
03:28:06,300 --> 03:28:10,000
The chamber pot is simple made 
of pottery or wood and emptied 

3585
03:28:10,000 --> 03:28:14,200
in the morning by a servant. 
You wake, you shift and you 

3586
03:28:14,208 --> 03:28:17,900
settle back into sleep. 
This is normal expected. 

3587
03:28:17,900 --> 03:28:20,900
No one sleeps without waking. 
In this period. 

3588
03:28:20,900 --> 03:28:24,900
The night is long. 
The body's needs arise. 

3589
03:28:24,900 --> 03:28:27,700
You accommodate them without 
anxiety or frustration? 

3590
03:28:28,700 --> 03:28:31,800
the rhythm of night is as 
reliable as the rhythm of day 

3591
03:28:31,800 --> 03:28:36,300
dark comes at a predictable time
varying with the season but 

3592
03:28:36,300 --> 03:28:39,700
always following the same 
pattern the household settles 

3593
03:28:39,700 --> 03:28:43,700
following routines that have 
been established over years you 

3594
03:28:43,700 --> 03:28:47,200
sleep Like returns creeping in 
through gaps. 

3595
03:28:47,200 --> 03:28:51,400
In the shutters, gradual and 
gentle. the household weights, 

3596
03:28:51,400 --> 03:28:56,200
the cycle repeats, without 
variation, without surprised, if

3597
03:28:56,200 --> 03:28:59,300
you wake and cannot immediately 
return to sleep, you lice still 

3598
03:29:00,000 --> 03:29:02,900
You listen to The Quiet, the 
faint sound of the wind outside,

3599
03:29:02,900 --> 03:29:07,200
the settling of the house as 
wood and stone shift with 

3600
03:29:07,200 --> 03:29:11,700
changes in temperature, the 
distance sound of an animal, you

3601
03:29:11,700 --> 03:29:15,200
feel the weight of the blanket, 
the warmth of the enclosed bed 

3602
03:29:15,200 --> 03:29:18,600
and the softness of the mattress
beneath you, there is no. 

3603
03:29:18,600 --> 03:29:21,600
Urgency sleep will return when 
it is ready. 

3604
03:29:22,400 --> 03:29:26,400
He wait for it without anxiety 
knowing that even lying still, 

3605
03:29:26,400 --> 03:29:30,200
and resting is valuable. 
Morning begins before full 

3606
03:29:30,200 --> 03:29:32,600
light. 
You hear movement in the house 

3607
03:29:32,600 --> 03:29:36,700
servants rekindling fires their 
footsteps soft. 

3608
03:29:36,700 --> 03:29:40,600
But audible the scrape of a 
poker against the Hearth and the

3609
03:29:40,600 --> 03:29:42,800
crackle of kindling catching 
flame. 

3610
03:29:42,800 --> 03:29:45,300
You hear the sounds of the 
household beginning. 

3611
03:29:45,300 --> 03:29:50,000
Again, pulling itself, back into
the rhythm of activity, you rise

3612
03:29:50,000 --> 03:29:52,700
pushing back the curtains and 
sit on the edge of the bed, for 

3613
03:29:52,700 --> 03:29:56,200
a moment to let your body fully.
Wait, You dress following the 

3614
03:29:56,200 --> 03:30:00,300
same sequences yesterday and the
day before Lynn in shirt hose 

3615
03:30:00,300 --> 03:30:04,200
tunic belt and shoes. 
You splash water on your face 

3616
03:30:04,200 --> 03:30:06,400
from a baseman, the cold 
shocking. 

3617
03:30:06,400 --> 03:30:10,000
You into full awake fullness, 
you step back into the routine 

3618
03:30:10,000 --> 03:30:13,200
into the day into the work. 
That Waits night is not 

3619
03:30:13,200 --> 03:30:17,300
something to fear or dread. 
It is a known quantity, a 

3620
03:30:17,300 --> 03:30:20,600
structured part of life, it 
holds, no mystery, no threat. 

3621
03:30:20,600 --> 03:30:24,800
It is simply the other half of 
the cycle, the time for rest, 

3622
03:30:24,800 --> 03:30:28,700
for Stillness for the body and 
mind to recover before the work 

3623
03:30:28,700 --> 03:30:34,100
begins again. the order of night
mirrors, the order of day, Both 

3624
03:30:34,100 --> 03:30:36,200
are managed. 
Both are reliable. 

3625
03:30:36,200 --> 03:30:39,800
Both carry you forward in the 
long Rhythm Of Seasons and 

3626
03:30:39,800 --> 03:30:42,500
years. 
Knighthood is not a single, 

3627
03:30:42,500 --> 03:30:46,200
generation's achievement or 
ambition, it is passed down 

3628
03:30:46,200 --> 03:30:49,300
maintained and sustained across 
lifetimes. 

3629
03:30:50,200 --> 03:30:53,300
You're a knight because your 
father held land or because you 

3630
03:30:53,308 --> 03:30:56,900
earned land through service. 
But either way, the position is 

3631
03:30:56,900 --> 03:30:59,700
meant to continue beyond you 
your son. 

3632
03:30:59,708 --> 03:31:03,700
If you have one will train as 
you trained, he will learn the 

3633
03:31:03,700 --> 03:31:06,800
same skills. 
Fulfill the same obligations and

3634
03:31:06,800 --> 03:31:10,100
hold the same land or at least 
land of similar character and 

3635
03:31:10,100 --> 03:31:13,200
responsibility. 
The system depends on this 

3636
03:31:13,200 --> 03:31:17,100
continuity, on the predictable 
transmission of Duties and 

3637
03:31:17,100 --> 03:31:19,300
resources from one generation to
the next. 

3638
03:31:20,400 --> 03:31:23,600
This continuity is built into 
the structure of society itself.

3639
03:31:23,600 --> 03:31:28,600
Land is inherited usually by the
eldest son, the Customs vary by 

3640
03:31:28,600 --> 03:31:31,400
region. 
Titles are inherited. 

3641
03:31:32,500 --> 03:31:35,100
The social structure depends on 
knowing that the chain of 

3642
03:31:35,108 --> 03:31:38,600
service and obligation will not 
break that the network of 

3643
03:31:38,600 --> 03:31:42,000
relationships between Lords and 
vassals will remain intact. 

3644
03:31:42,800 --> 03:31:45,100
You're not trying to build 
something new or revolutionary, 

3645
03:31:45,100 --> 03:31:49,100
you're trying to maintain what 
already exists to hold your 

3646
03:31:49,100 --> 03:31:51,500
place and pass it intact. 
To those who come off after 

3647
03:31:52,600 --> 03:31:55,000
Training your son. 
Receives is the same training. 

3648
03:31:55,000 --> 03:31:59,200
You received pass down through 
generations with only minor 

3649
03:31:59,200 --> 03:32:03,100
variations. 
He begins as a page often in 

3650
03:32:03,100 --> 03:32:05,000
another household, rather than 
your own. 

3651
03:32:05,700 --> 03:32:09,300
This separation is intentional. 
He learns from someone else's 

3652
03:32:09,300 --> 03:32:13,200
example, absorbs different 
perspectives and builds 

3653
03:32:13,200 --> 03:32:15,600
relationships outside his 
immediate family. 

3654
03:32:16,800 --> 03:32:21,400
As a page, he learned manners, 
obedience, and basic skills. 

3655
03:32:22,100 --> 03:32:26,400
He serves at table cares for 
equipment, runs errands, and 

3656
03:32:26,400 --> 03:32:28,600
observes the workings of a 
nightly household. 

3657
03:32:29,600 --> 03:32:33,000
He advances to Squire taking on 
more responsibility. 

3658
03:32:33,000 --> 03:32:37,500
He cares for a knight armor and 
weapons practices with sword and

3659
03:32:37,500 --> 03:32:39,900
Lance. 
And a company is his Lord on 

3660
03:32:39,900 --> 03:32:43,700
Journeys and perhaps, and to 
service He learns by doing. 

3661
03:32:44,600 --> 03:32:47,900
By making mistakes in control 
settings where the consequences 

3662
03:32:47,900 --> 03:32:51,400
are not severe. 
He watches how disputes are 

3663
03:32:51,400 --> 03:32:54,000
settled. 
How accounts are managed and how

3664
03:32:54,000 --> 03:32:56,800
relationships between Lord and 
vassals are maintained. 

3665
03:32:57,800 --> 03:33:01,200
The learning is gradual, layered
and cumulative. 

3666
03:33:02,000 --> 03:33:06,200
Eventually he is knighted. 
Formally recognized as capable 

3667
03:33:06,200 --> 03:33:09,100
of holding land and fulfilling 
the duties that come with it. 

3668
03:33:09,800 --> 03:33:13,900
The ceremony is significant 
marking a transition in status 

3669
03:33:13,900 --> 03:33:17,500
and responsibility. 
He kneels before a lord 

3670
03:33:17,500 --> 03:33:20,500
receives. 
The Accolade a light blow to the

3671
03:33:20,500 --> 03:33:23,800
shoulder with a flat of a sword 
and speaks the words of the 

3672
03:33:23,800 --> 03:33:27,600
oath. 
He is given arms and armor often

3673
03:33:27,600 --> 03:33:31,200
pieces that have been used by 
previous generations, maintained

3674
03:33:31,200 --> 03:33:35,200
and passed down. 
He stands now a night ready to 

3675
03:33:35,200 --> 03:33:38,200
take his place in the same 
structure that shaped his father

3676
03:33:38,200 --> 03:33:42,600
and grandfather. 
This process takes years, a 

3677
03:33:42,600 --> 03:33:44,200
decade or more from page to 
night. 

3678
03:33:44,900 --> 03:33:48,300
It is deliberate and slow 
designed to ensure that each 

3679
03:33:48,300 --> 03:33:52,500
generation is prepared. 
Not just in skill, but also in 

3680
03:33:52,500 --> 03:33:56,300
temperament and understanding 
there is no shortcut, no way to 

3681
03:33:56,308 --> 03:33:59,700
buy past the training and still 
be accepted as a legitimate 

3682
03:33:59,700 --> 03:34:02,500
night. 
The system relies on this 

3683
03:34:02,500 --> 03:34:04,900
careful, transmission of 
knowledge and responsibility. 

3684
03:34:04,900 --> 03:34:08,500
Those who try to stay status 
with the proper. 

3685
03:34:08,500 --> 03:34:10,200
Preparation of viewed with 
suspicion. 

3686
03:34:10,200 --> 03:34:13,800
There are Authority questioned 
and their place in the hierarchy

3687
03:34:13,800 --> 03:34:17,200
uncertainty. 
Your own role shifts as you age.

3688
03:34:18,000 --> 03:34:20,800
You move from being the active 
participant to being the one who

3689
03:34:20,808 --> 03:34:25,400
trains others, you oversee. 
Squires either your own Sons or 

3690
03:34:25,400 --> 03:34:27,300
young men sent to you by other 
families. 

3691
03:34:27,300 --> 03:34:31,100
You teach, by example, 
demonstrating the skills, 

3692
03:34:31,100 --> 03:34:34,800
explaining the obligations and 
modeling the behavior expected 

3693
03:34:34,800 --> 03:34:37,400
of a night. 
You show them how to maintain 

3694
03:34:37,400 --> 03:34:41,000
armor, how to sit a horse 
properly, and how to speak with,

3695
03:34:41,000 --> 03:34:44,100
respect to those above them. 
And with authority to those 

3696
03:34:44,100 --> 03:34:49,100
below this too, is part of the 
duty, ensuring that the next 

3697
03:34:49,100 --> 03:34:53,000
generation is ready. 
The land itself is a form of 

3698
03:34:53,008 --> 03:34:56,200
continuity. 
The same fields are plowed and 

3699
03:34:56,208 --> 03:35:00,900
planted year after year Century 
after century. soil is the same 

3700
03:35:00,900 --> 03:35:05,000
soil, your grandfather, worked, 
your father inherited, and you 

3701
03:35:05,000 --> 03:35:09,600
now manage building buildings 
are maintained repairs and 

3702
03:35:09,600 --> 03:35:13,300
rebuilt as needed. 
A barn that collapses from ages 

3703
03:35:13,300 --> 03:35:16,600
replaced with a new barn, built 
in the same location, serving 

3704
03:35:16,600 --> 03:35:20,200
the same purpose. 
The orchard grows trees, bear 

3705
03:35:20,200 --> 03:35:24,600
fruit age and die and are 
replaced by saplings that will 

3706
03:35:24,600 --> 03:35:27,500
take years to mature, but will 
eventually produce as their 

3707
03:35:27,500 --> 03:35:31,800
predecessors did the work is 
never finished, but it is always

3708
03:35:31,800 --> 03:35:35,100
progressing and small increments
A hedge trim. 

3709
03:35:35,108 --> 03:35:38,300
This year will need trimming 
next year a ditch cleared. 

3710
03:35:38,300 --> 03:35:40,700
This Autumn will need clearing 
again, in a few years. 

3711
03:35:40,700 --> 03:35:44,700
The repetition is not futile. 
It is the nature of Maintenance 

3712
03:35:44,700 --> 03:35:47,700
things. 
Decay effort is required to 

3713
03:35:47,700 --> 03:35:50,800
slow, that decay to keep 
everything functional. 

3714
03:35:52,000 --> 03:35:55,500
The work continues across 
Generations, each adding their 

3715
03:35:55,500 --> 03:35:58,600
effort to what came before. 
The household too. 

3716
03:35:58,600 --> 03:36:02,100
Can a cross time servants grow 
old and are a replacement 

3717
03:36:02,108 --> 03:36:05,900
workers often their own children
or relatives who have grown up 

3718
03:36:05,900 --> 03:36:08,500
in the household and already 
know the routines. 

3719
03:36:09,300 --> 03:36:13,300
Children are born grow up and 
take on roles within the estate,

3720
03:36:13,300 --> 03:36:16,900
a boy who began as a stable 
hand, might become the head 

3721
03:36:16,900 --> 03:36:21,000
groom, then the stable Master 
managing all the horses and 

3722
03:36:21,000 --> 03:36:24,800
training the next generation of 
workers. a girl who helped in 

3723
03:36:24,800 --> 03:36:28,100
the kitchen, might become the 
cook, eventually overseeing 

3724
03:36:28,100 --> 03:36:32,200
others as she was once overseen,
the faces change but the 

3725
03:36:32,200 --> 03:36:36,700
structure remains Same tasks are
done by different hands, the 

3726
03:36:36,700 --> 03:36:40,000
same rhythms are followed. 
The continuity is comforting. 

3727
03:36:40,000 --> 03:36:43,900
It means that knowledge is not 
lost that skills are preserved 

3728
03:36:43,900 --> 03:36:47,600
and that the household can 
function even as individuals age

3729
03:36:47,600 --> 03:36:51,600
and are replaced Marriages are 
arranged with an eye toward 

3730
03:36:51,600 --> 03:36:54,400
continuity. 
A good match brings land 

3731
03:36:54,400 --> 03:36:57,900
connections and stability. 
Two families, join their 

3732
03:36:57,900 --> 03:37:00,300
interests their resources and 
their Futures. 

3733
03:37:00,300 --> 03:37:04,500
The marriage is not primarily 
about personal affection though.

3734
03:37:04,500 --> 03:37:08,400
Affection May grow over time. 
It is about reinforcing 

3735
03:37:08,400 --> 03:37:12,500
alliances securing the future 
and ensuring that, the next 

3736
03:37:12,500 --> 03:37:14,800
generation will have the 
resources and relationships 

3737
03:37:14,800 --> 03:37:16,500
needed to maintain their 
position. 

3738
03:37:17,500 --> 03:37:20,500
Dowries and bride. 
Prices are negotiated carefully,

3739
03:37:20,500 --> 03:37:24,400
contracts are drawn up 
specifying what each party 

3740
03:37:24,400 --> 03:37:27,500
brings to the marriage and what 
will happen if circumstances 

3741
03:37:27,500 --> 03:37:32,200
change. the marriage itself once
concluded becomes part of the 

3742
03:37:32,200 --> 03:37:36,200
fabric of continuity, Children 
arrays within the structure, 

3743
03:37:36,200 --> 03:37:40,600
they learn by observation by 
participation and by gradual 

3744
03:37:40,600 --> 03:37:44,200
Assumption of responsibility. 
They see how their parents 

3745
03:37:44,200 --> 03:37:47,900
manage the household, how they 
fulfill obligations, and how 

3746
03:37:47,900 --> 03:37:51,600
they navigate relationships. 
They absorb lessons without 

3747
03:37:51,600 --> 03:37:55,500
formal instruction, learning 
through immersion in the daily 

3748
03:37:55,500 --> 03:37:59,100
life of the estate religious, 
observance is part of this 

3749
03:37:59,100 --> 03:38:02,200
continuity as well. 
The church provides a framework,

3750
03:38:02,200 --> 03:38:06,700
that extends, Beyond individual 
lives beyond single Generations.

3751
03:38:07,600 --> 03:38:09,500
Saints days. 
Feast days. 

3752
03:38:09,500 --> 03:38:11,900
The cycle of the liturgical 
year. 

3753
03:38:12,800 --> 03:38:15,800
All of these marked time in a 
way that transcends personal 

3754
03:38:15,800 --> 03:38:18,500
experience. 
You participate in the same 

3755
03:38:18,500 --> 03:38:20,700
rituals your grandparents 
participated in. 

3756
03:38:21,400 --> 03:38:24,900
Your children will do the same, 
the prayers of the same, the 

3757
03:38:24,900 --> 03:38:27,700
stories of the same. 
The community gathers in the 

3758
03:38:27,700 --> 03:38:31,500
same building a stone church. 
That stood for generations and 

3759
03:38:31,500 --> 03:38:35,900
will stand for Generations more.
The church itself is often built

3760
03:38:35,900 --> 03:38:38,300
and maintained through the 
contributions of multiple 

3761
03:38:38,300 --> 03:38:41,000
Generations. 
Your grandfather might have 

3762
03:38:41,000 --> 03:38:42,900
funded the construction of a 
side Chapel. 

3763
03:38:42,900 --> 03:38:47,000
Your father might have donated 
funds for repairs to the roof. 

3764
03:38:47,800 --> 03:38:49,700
You can contribute to 
maintaining the fabric of the 

3765
03:38:49,700 --> 03:38:53,600
building to providing candles 
and vestments and to supporting 

3766
03:38:53,600 --> 03:38:57,200
the priest. 
Your son will do the same, the 

3767
03:38:57,200 --> 03:39:00,000
building accumulates these 
contributions becoming a 

3768
03:39:00,000 --> 03:39:03,800
physical manifestation of 
continuity, a space, where 

3769
03:39:03,800 --> 03:39:06,500
passed present and future 
intersect. 

3770
03:39:07,400 --> 03:39:08,900
Even the physical objects 
around. 

3771
03:39:08,900 --> 03:39:12,300
You carry continuity. 
A sword might be passed down 

3772
03:39:12,300 --> 03:39:15,400
through generations. 
Its blade reforged when it 

3773
03:39:15,400 --> 03:39:19,600
breaks its grip replaced when it
wears out but it's essential 

3774
03:39:19,600 --> 03:39:24,700
character maintained The sword 
becomes more than a tool, it 

3775
03:39:24,700 --> 03:39:28,900
becomes a symbol of family of 
lineage of connection to those 

3776
03:39:28,900 --> 03:39:32,500
who came before. 
A piece of land might be held by

3777
03:39:32,500 --> 03:39:37,600
the same family for 100 years or
more its boundaries defended its

3778
03:39:37,600 --> 03:39:41,900
productivity maintained and its 
management passed from father to

3779
03:39:41,900 --> 03:39:45,200
son. 
These objects and places 

3780
03:39:45,200 --> 03:39:49,500
accumulate history, become part 
of the family's identity and 

3781
03:39:49,500 --> 03:39:53,500
anchor the present to the Past. 
the system is designed to be 

3782
03:39:53,500 --> 03:39:57,800
stable, change happens, but 
slowly, New technique for 

3783
03:39:57,800 --> 03:40:01,300
farming or building are adopted 
gradually and tested over years 

3784
03:40:01,300 --> 03:40:05,400
before being widely accepted. 
New laws are introduced 

3785
03:40:05,400 --> 03:40:08,200
carefully with the tension to 
how they will affect existing 

3786
03:40:08,200 --> 03:40:11,100
Arrangements. 
The emphasis is always on 

3787
03:40:11,100 --> 03:40:14,900
preserving what works on 
avoiding disruption and on 

3788
03:40:14,900 --> 03:40:18,300
maintaining order. 
Rapid change is viewed with 

3789
03:40:18,300 --> 03:40:22,900
suspicion as dangerous and 
likely to upset the delicate 

3790
03:40:22,900 --> 03:40:25,500
balance of obligations and 
rights that keep Society 

3791
03:40:25,500 --> 03:40:28,900
functioning. 
Your daily routine is not unique

3792
03:40:28,900 --> 03:40:31,100
to you. 
It is the same routine, your 

3793
03:40:31,100 --> 03:40:34,100
father, followed the same 
routine, your son will follow 

3794
03:40:34,100 --> 03:40:37,500
you. 
Wait, you work, you eat and you 

3795
03:40:37,500 --> 03:40:41,200
rest. 
The rhythm is ancient tested 

3796
03:40:41,200 --> 03:40:43,600
across centuries and refined 
through. 

3797
03:40:43,608 --> 03:40:46,400
Countless repetitions. 
It does not need to be 

3798
03:40:46,408 --> 03:40:49,600
reinvented. 
It simply needs to be sustained 

3799
03:40:49,600 --> 03:40:54,100
practiced and passed on. 
There is wisdom in this 

3800
03:40:54,100 --> 03:40:57,100
repetition. 
A deep understanding, that some 

3801
03:40:57,100 --> 03:41:00,100
patterns work, precisely because
they have been proven over time,

3802
03:41:00,100 --> 03:41:04,400
this continuity is reassuring. 
You know, your place, you know 

3803
03:41:04,400 --> 03:41:07,100
what is expected? 
You know that the work you do 

3804
03:41:07,100 --> 03:41:10,700
today will be continued tomorrow
and the day after, and for 

3805
03:41:10,700 --> 03:41:14,300
generations to come The land, 
you manage will be managed by 

3806
03:41:14,300 --> 03:41:17,000
your son. 
The obligations you fulfill will

3807
03:41:17,000 --> 03:41:20,100
be fulfilled by your grandson 
the social order. 

3808
03:41:20,100 --> 03:41:23,900
You participate in will continue
adapting slowly to new 

3809
03:41:23,900 --> 03:41:27,100
circumstances, but never 
abandoning, its fundamental 

3810
03:41:27,100 --> 03:41:30,200
structure. 
There is a quiet satisfaction in

3811
03:41:30,200 --> 03:41:32,100
being part of something larger 
than yourself. 

3812
03:41:32,100 --> 03:41:36,600
Something that extends beyond 
your own life, you are not alone

3813
03:41:36,600 --> 03:41:40,000
in history, you're a link in a 
chain that stretches back to 

3814
03:41:40,000 --> 03:41:42,800
ancestors. 
You never knew, and forward to 

3815
03:41:42,800 --> 03:41:46,900
descendants, you will never meet
Your work matters, not because 

3816
03:41:46,900 --> 03:41:50,100
it is spectacular, but because 
it contributes to this 

3817
03:41:50,100 --> 03:41:53,800
continuity. 
You hold your place, fulfill 

3818
03:41:53,800 --> 03:41:57,600
your duties, and pass the 
responsibility to those who come

3819
03:41:57,600 --> 03:42:00,700
after. 
The evening settles, as it 

3820
03:42:00,700 --> 03:42:03,500
always does, the fire burns low 
in the hall. 

3821
03:42:04,200 --> 03:42:08,600
The last conversations Fade Into
silence. people drift away to 

3822
03:42:08,600 --> 03:42:11,600
their sleeping spaces, you 
remain for a moment, longer 

3823
03:42:11,600 --> 03:42:15,200
watching the coals Globe, 
beneath the ash feeling the 

3824
03:42:15,200 --> 03:42:19,600
warmth and thinking ahead to 
tomorrow, Tomorrow will bring 

3825
03:42:19,600 --> 03:42:22,200
the same tasks. 
The same rhythms and the same 

3826
03:42:22,200 --> 03:42:26,600
steady continuity. 
The work is never finished but 

3827
03:42:26,600 --> 03:42:29,800
it is always enough. 
You're a knight, not because of 

3828
03:42:29,800 --> 03:42:33,600
great Deeds recorded in songs or
stories, but because you hold 

3829
03:42:33,600 --> 03:42:37,600
your place, fulfill your duties.
Maintain, what has been 

3830
03:42:37,608 --> 03:42:41,300
entrusted to you and pass the 
responsibility intact to those 

3831
03:42:41,300 --> 03:42:45,000
who come after. 
The routine continues reliable 

3832
03:42:45,000 --> 03:42:48,800
and unchanging. 
The order holds generation after

3833
03:42:48,800 --> 03:42:53,200
generation and in that steady 
rhythm in that quiet continuity,

3834
03:42:53,200 --> 03:42:55,700
there is a deep and Lasting 
peace. 

3835
03:42:55,700 --> 03:43:01,600
The day ends the night arrives. 
Sleep comes tomorrow. 

3836
03:43:01,600 --> 03:43:05,900
The cycle begins again as it 
always has as it always will. 

3837
03:43:14,200 --> 03:43:17,600
Tonight, you will Journey back 
to a time when humans first 

3838
03:43:17,600 --> 03:43:20,100
looked up at the night sky and 
wondered. 

3839
03:43:20,100 --> 03:43:22,700
If Those Distant Points of 
Light, could tell them, when to 

3840
03:43:22,700 --> 03:43:26,600
plant their crops, Before 
smartphones and wall calendars. 

3841
03:43:26,600 --> 03:43:30,700
Before printed almanacs, 
mechanical, clocks people relied

3842
03:43:30,700 --> 03:43:33,300
entirely on the Heavens to Mark 
the passing seasons. 

3843
03:43:34,000 --> 03:43:36,900
What began as simple 
observations of Sunrise and 

3844
03:43:36,900 --> 03:43:38,700
moonrise. 
Eventually transformed into 

3845
03:43:38,700 --> 03:43:42,800
sophisticated astronomical 
systems that still influence, 

3846
03:43:42,800 --> 03:43:46,900
how we measure time today? 
The year is around 15,000 years 

3847
03:43:46,900 --> 03:43:50,200
before the Common Era. 
I still covers much of the 

3848
03:43:50,200 --> 03:43:52,800
northern World. 
Your people have no written 

3849
03:43:52,800 --> 03:43:55,000
language. 
They have no cities. 

3850
03:43:55,000 --> 03:43:58,100
They do not even have 
agriculture yet, but they have 

3851
03:43:58,100 --> 03:44:01,500
noticed something interesting 
about the sky every morning. 

3852
03:44:01,500 --> 03:44:05,800
The sun rises from roughly the 
same direction every evening, it

3853
03:44:05,800 --> 03:44:09,100
sets on the opposite Horizon 
during the warm months, it 

3854
03:44:09,100 --> 03:44:11,300
climbs higher in the sky and 
stays visible longer. 

3855
03:44:12,100 --> 03:44:14,500
During the cold months, it 
barely makes it above the 

3856
03:44:14,500 --> 03:44:16,300
Horizon before disappearing 
again. 

3857
03:44:16,300 --> 03:44:21,000
This pattern repeats itself with
reliable consistent, see, you 

3858
03:44:21,000 --> 03:44:24,900
cannot read or write, but you 
can count, you can observe, you 

3859
03:44:24,900 --> 03:44:28,700
can remember the oldest evidence
of astronomical, observation 

3860
03:44:28,700 --> 03:44:33,400
comes from bones in the Dourdan 
region of France, archaeologists

3861
03:44:33,400 --> 03:44:36,200
discovered, a piece of Eagle 
bone covered in tiny carved 

3862
03:44:36,200 --> 03:44:42,000
marks, The bone dates back 
roughly 32,000 years at first 

3863
03:44:42,000 --> 03:44:44,200
researchers thought these marks 
were decorative. 

3864
03:44:44,200 --> 03:44:49,300
Then someone counted them there 
were exactly 29 marks arranged 

3865
03:44:49,300 --> 03:44:52,600
in a specific pattern. 29 is not
a random number. 

3866
03:44:52,600 --> 03:44:55,500
It represents the number of days
in a lunar month. 

3867
03:44:56,300 --> 03:44:58,900
The moon goes through its 
complete cycle of phases in 

3868
03:44:58,900 --> 03:45:00,700
approximately, 29 and a half 
days. 

3869
03:45:01,800 --> 03:45:05,000
Someone carved, these marks, 
deliberately they were tracking 

3870
03:45:05,000 --> 03:45:07,900
something. 
This bone is not unique. 

3871
03:45:08,700 --> 03:45:12,000
Similar marked bones and antlers
have been found across Europe 

3872
03:45:12,000 --> 03:45:14,900
and Asia. 
Some display groups of marks 

3873
03:45:14,900 --> 03:45:18,800
that correspond to lunar cycles.
Others show patterns that might 

3874
03:45:18,800 --> 03:45:22,200
represent seasonal changes. 
The people who made these marks 

3875
03:45:22,200 --> 03:45:25,600
had no telescope's. 
They had no mathematics as we 

3876
03:45:25,600 --> 03:45:28,700
understand it. 
They simply watch the sky Knight

3877
03:45:28,700 --> 03:45:30,500
after Knight and recorded what 
they saw. 

3878
03:45:30,500 --> 03:45:34,700
You might wonder why anyone 
would bother the answer involves

3879
03:45:34,700 --> 03:45:38,000
of survival, if you live in a 
world without Supermarket or 

3880
03:45:38,000 --> 03:45:41,700
refrigerators, knowing when food
will appear become critically 

3881
03:45:41,700 --> 03:45:45,900
important, Certain plants 
produce edible roots in Spring. 

3882
03:45:46,700 --> 03:45:49,900
Specific animals migrate through
your territory during particular

3883
03:45:49,900 --> 03:45:52,700
months. 
Fish spawn in rivers are 

3884
03:45:52,700 --> 03:45:56,300
predictable times getting these 
timings wrong means going 

3885
03:45:56,300 --> 03:45:58,200
hungry. 
Getting them right. 

3886
03:45:58,200 --> 03:46:01,700
Means your family, eats the sky 
offered Clues. 

3887
03:46:01,700 --> 03:46:04,100
When certain Stars appeared on 
the horizon. 

3888
03:46:04,100 --> 03:46:07,800
At dawn spring was approaching. 
When the moon reached a 

3889
03:46:07,800 --> 03:46:10,300
particular phase, the salmon 
would start running Upstream 

3890
03:46:11,100 --> 03:46:14,100
When the sun set at a specific 
point between two distant 

3891
03:46:14,100 --> 03:46:16,700
mountains, winter was coming and
you needed to prepare. 

3892
03:46:17,700 --> 03:46:20,400
These early observers had no 
idea they were doing astronomy. 

3893
03:46:20,400 --> 03:46:22,600
They were simply trying not to 
starve. 

3894
03:46:22,600 --> 03:46:25,100
The moon, seems like it would 
make a perfect calendar. 

3895
03:46:25,100 --> 03:46:29,500
It changes in obvious ways that 
anyone can see new moon becomes 

3896
03:46:29,500 --> 03:46:32,700
Crescent becomes Half Moon, 
becomes full moon becomes Half 

3897
03:46:32,700 --> 03:46:35,400
Moon again, the cycle is clear 
and regular. 

3898
03:46:36,300 --> 03:46:39,900
Many early cultures base their 
calendars entirely on lunar 

3899
03:46:39,900 --> 03:46:42,300
months. 
Then they ran into a problem. 

3900
03:46:43,300 --> 03:46:45,300
12. 
Luna months up to approximately 

3901
03:46:45,300 --> 03:46:50,000
3504 days. 
But the solar year the time it 

3902
03:46:50,000 --> 03:46:54,200
takes earth to orbit the sun 
once last approximately 300 and 

3903
03:46:54,200 --> 03:46:58,100
65 and a quarter days. 
This means a purely lunar 

3904
03:46:58,100 --> 03:47:02,300
calendar falls short by roughly 
11 days, every year This might 

3905
03:47:02,300 --> 03:47:04,900
not seem like much, but those 
are 11 days. 

3906
03:47:04,900 --> 03:47:09,200
Accumulate after three years, 
your lunar calendar is off by an

3907
03:47:09,200 --> 03:47:12,400
entire month after 10 years. 
It is out of sync with the 

3908
03:47:12,400 --> 03:47:17,200
seasons by nearly four months. 
If you plant your crops based on

3909
03:47:17,200 --> 03:47:20,000
the lunar calendar, you will 
eventually find yourself 

3910
03:47:20,000 --> 03:47:23,200
planting wheat in Autumn when 
you should be harvesting it. 

3911
03:47:24,000 --> 03:47:27,600
Ancient cultures discover this 
discrepancy, the hard way, they 

3912
03:47:27,600 --> 03:47:31,000
would carefully track the moon, 
create a calendar based on those

3913
03:47:31,000 --> 03:47:34,400
observations and then watch and 
confusion as their calendar. 

3914
03:47:34,400 --> 03:47:36,700
Slowly drifted away from 
reality. 

3915
03:47:37,700 --> 03:47:41,000
The moon said it was planting 
seas and the weather remained 

3916
03:47:41,000 --> 03:47:44,200
cold. 
The moon indicated summer but 

3917
03:47:44,200 --> 03:47:45,900
leaves were falling from the 
trees. 

3918
03:47:46,800 --> 03:47:49,000
Something else had to be 
incorporated into the system. 

3919
03:47:49,000 --> 03:47:52,700
They needed to track both the 
moon and the sun simultaneously.

3920
03:47:53,400 --> 03:47:55,800
This turned out to be 
considerably more complicated 

3921
03:47:55,800 --> 03:47:59,500
than it sounds. 
The Babylonians eventually solve

3922
03:47:59,500 --> 03:48:01,300
this problem by adding extra 
months. 

3923
03:48:02,100 --> 03:48:05,100
When their lunar calendar 
drifted too far from the solar 

3924
03:48:05,100 --> 03:48:07,200
year. 
They simply inserted an 

3925
03:48:07,200 --> 03:48:10,200
additional month to bring 
everything back into alignment. 

3926
03:48:11,500 --> 03:48:14,800
This system required. 
Careful observation and record, 

3927
03:48:14,800 --> 03:48:18,900
keeping Someone had to track 
both calendars and determine 

3928
03:48:18,900 --> 03:48:21,400
when they had diverged enough to
require correction. 

3929
03:48:22,300 --> 03:48:26,600
The solution worked, but felt in
elegant, adding random months, 

3930
03:48:26,600 --> 03:48:29,200
whenever things got too, out of 
sync seemed like, admitting 

3931
03:48:29,200 --> 03:48:31,600
defeat Surely there was a better
way. 

3932
03:48:32,500 --> 03:48:35,400
Different cultures approach this
puzzle from different angles, 

3933
03:48:35,400 --> 03:48:40,600
some emphasized, lunar months, 
others Focus primarily on solar 

3934
03:48:40,600 --> 03:48:43,600
years. 
Few, ambitious societies, try to

3935
03:48:43,608 --> 03:48:46,300
create systems that perfectly 
balanced both. 

3936
03:48:47,100 --> 03:48:50,500
None of them. 
Founded, easy around 5,000 years

3937
03:48:50,500 --> 03:48:53,300
ago, people in various parts of 
the world started building 

3938
03:48:53,300 --> 03:48:56,100
permanent structures aligned 
with celestial events. 

3939
03:48:56,800 --> 03:48:59,800
These were not observatories in 
the modern sense, they were more

3940
03:48:59,800 --> 03:49:03,200
like gigantic 3-dimensional 
calendars carved into the 

3941
03:49:03,200 --> 03:49:06,200
landscape itself. 
The most famous of these 

3942
03:49:06,200 --> 03:49:09,800
structures sits on Saulsbury. 
Plain in Southern England, you 

3943
03:49:09,800 --> 03:49:11,600
have probably heard of 
Stonehenge. 

3944
03:49:11,600 --> 03:49:14,800
You might pick it to it. 
As a mysterious ring of massive 

3945
03:49:14,800 --> 03:49:17,500
Stones standing in a field, 
you're correct. 

3946
03:49:17,500 --> 03:49:20,800
But that description, barely 
captures what the monument 

3947
03:49:20,800 --> 03:49:24,300
actually does. 
Stonehenge was built in stages. 

3948
03:49:24,300 --> 03:49:29,000
Over roughly 1500 years, the 
earliest version consisted of a 

3949
03:49:29,000 --> 03:49:31,100
circular earthwork ditch and 
Bank. 

3950
03:49:31,800 --> 03:49:34,700
Over subsequent centuries 
Builders added Timber posts 

3951
03:49:34,700 --> 03:49:39,100
Stone monoliths and elaborate 
Arrangements of massive SARS and

3952
03:49:39,108 --> 03:49:41,900
Stones transported from 
quarries, nearly 20 miles away. 

3953
03:49:43,000 --> 03:49:47,200
the largest Stones weigh about 
25 tons, each moving them 

3954
03:49:47,200 --> 03:49:50,600
without wheels without metal 
tools and without Modern 

3955
03:49:50,600 --> 03:49:53,600
Machinery represented an 
extraordinary feat of 

3956
03:49:53,600 --> 03:49:58,000
engineering But why go to all 
that trouble if you stand in the

3957
03:49:58,000 --> 03:50:00,400
center of Stonehenge on the 
morning of the summer solstice, 

3958
03:50:00,400 --> 03:50:05,800
something remarkable happens. 
The sun rises directly over a 

3959
03:50:05,800 --> 03:50:09,000
stone called the heel stone, 
which sits outside the main 

3960
03:50:09,000 --> 03:50:11,400
Circle. 
From your Vantage Point. 

3961
03:50:11,400 --> 03:50:14,400
The Sun appears to balance 
perfectly on top of this marker.

3962
03:50:14,400 --> 03:50:17,000
This alignment is not 
coincidence. 

3963
03:50:17,000 --> 03:50:20,900
Dental, the entire structure was
designed to capture this moment.

3964
03:50:22,000 --> 03:50:24,700
The summer, solstice represents 
the longest day of the year. 

3965
03:50:25,500 --> 03:50:29,200
After this date days, gradually 
gross shorter until the winter 

3966
03:50:29,200 --> 03:50:31,500
solstice, when the process 
reverses. 

3967
03:50:32,300 --> 03:50:36,300
For Agricultural Society is 
knowing the exact date of the 

3968
03:50:36,300 --> 03:50:38,500
solstice, provided crucial 
information. 

3969
03:50:38,500 --> 03:50:42,700
It told them where they were in 
the annual cycle, it helped them

3970
03:50:42,700 --> 03:50:46,300
plan planting and harvesting it 
marked, the turning points of 

3971
03:50:46,300 --> 03:50:48,500
the year. 
Stonehenge. 

3972
03:50:48,500 --> 03:50:50,700
Also tracks. 
The winter solstice though, this

3973
03:50:50,700 --> 03:50:54,600
alignment is less famous. 
On the shortest day of the year,

3974
03:50:54,600 --> 03:50:59,500
the sun sets between two of the 
largest trilithons, the paired 

3975
03:50:59,500 --> 03:51:02,300
vertical Stones topped with 
horizontal lintels. 

3976
03:51:03,100 --> 03:51:05,100
Standing inside the circle on 
this evening. 

3977
03:51:05,100 --> 03:51:08,800
You would watch the sun descend,
precisely through this Stone 

3978
03:51:08,800 --> 03:51:11,200
Gateway. 
Other Stone circles and 

3979
03:51:11,200 --> 03:51:13,600
Earthworks, dot the British and 
Irish landscape. 

3980
03:51:13,600 --> 03:51:18,600
Newgrange in Ireland features, a
passage to build around 3,200 

3981
03:51:18,600 --> 03:51:23,500
BCE once a year on the morning 
of the winter solstice, sunlight

3982
03:51:23,500 --> 03:51:25,900
streams through a specialty, 
designed opening of the 

3983
03:51:25,900 --> 03:51:29,900
entrance, This beam of light 
travels down the 60 foot passage

3984
03:51:29,900 --> 03:51:32,000
and illuminate, the central 
chamber. 

3985
03:51:32,900 --> 03:51:36,900
For exactly seven minutes, the 
otherwise dark interior fills 

3986
03:51:36,900 --> 03:51:40,400
with gold and Light. 
Then the Sun moved and the 

3987
03:51:40,400 --> 03:51:42,700
Chamber returns to Darkness for 
another year. 

3988
03:51:43,800 --> 03:51:46,300
The structures required. 
Immense communal effort. 

3989
03:51:47,100 --> 03:51:50,100
Organizing the labor, 
transporting materials and 

3990
03:51:50,100 --> 03:51:53,100
maintaining construction over 
decades or centuries. 

3991
03:51:53,100 --> 03:51:56,700
Demanded sophisticated social 
organization. 

3992
03:51:57,700 --> 03:52:00,500
People do not invest that much 
Collective energy into projects.

3993
03:52:00,500 --> 03:52:04,300
Unless those projects server 
Central purposes, The Monuments 

3994
03:52:04,300 --> 03:52:06,400
were Not Mere art or religious 
symbolism. 

3995
03:52:06,400 --> 03:52:08,900
Though they were probably those 
things too. 

3996
03:52:08,900 --> 03:52:12,200
They were functional tools for 
tracking time. 

3997
03:52:12,900 --> 03:52:15,400
Cross the Atlantic Ocean other 
cultures built their own 

3998
03:52:15,400 --> 03:52:18,600
astronomical monuments, using 
completely different 

3999
03:52:18,600 --> 03:52:22,100
architectural styles. 
In the southwestern United 

4000
03:52:22,100 --> 03:52:26,700
States, the ancestral puebloan 
people carved spiral petroglyphs

4001
03:52:26,700 --> 03:52:30,300
into Cliff faces. 
At Chaco Canyon in New Mexico. 

4002
03:52:30,300 --> 03:52:33,100
One such spiral sits behind 
three. 

4003
03:52:33,100 --> 03:52:36,900
Stone slabs, positioned to cast 
Shadows on the summer. 

4004
03:52:36,900 --> 03:52:40,400
Solstice a dagger of sunlight 
appears vertically through the 

4005
03:52:40,400 --> 03:52:44,800
spiral Center On the winter 
solstice to daggers of light 

4006
03:52:44,800 --> 03:52:46,600
frame, the spiral on either 
side. 

4007
03:52:47,600 --> 03:52:51,700
During the equinoxes when day 
and night are equal, one dagger 

4008
03:52:51,700 --> 03:52:55,100
Cuts precisely through the 
spiral Center while another 

4009
03:52:55,100 --> 03:52:59,300
illuminates a smaller spiral 
nearby. the sun daggers 

4010
03:52:59,300 --> 03:53:01,800
demonstrated that people on 
opposite side of the planet, 

4011
03:53:01,800 --> 03:53:05,900
with no contact between them 
independently, recognized the 

4012
03:53:05,900 --> 03:53:10,500
importance of tracking solar 
Cycles, The specific methods 

4013
03:53:10,500 --> 03:53:14,100
varied, but the underlying 
motivation remained constant, 

4014
03:53:14,100 --> 03:53:16,800
everyone needed to know what 
time of year. 

4015
03:53:16,800 --> 03:53:21,400
It was around 4,000 years ago. 
In the region between the Tigris

4016
03:53:21,400 --> 03:53:24,800
and Euphrates, rivers, 
Babylonian astronomers began, 

4017
03:53:24,800 --> 03:53:27,700
creating written records of 
celestial observations. 

4018
03:53:28,500 --> 03:53:32,600
These were not casual notes, 
they were systematic detailed 

4019
03:53:32,600 --> 03:53:34,800
and maintained continuously for 
centuries. 

4020
03:53:34,800 --> 03:53:38,800
Babylonian scribes tracked, 
everything visible in the night 

4021
03:53:38,800 --> 03:53:42,900
sky, They recalled the positions
of planets, against background 

4022
03:53:42,900 --> 03:53:45,800
Stars. 
They documented lunar eclipse's 

4023
03:53:45,800 --> 03:53:48,400
with precise descriptions of 
timing and appearance. 

4024
03:53:49,400 --> 03:53:52,900
They noted, which constellations
Rose and set at particular times

4025
03:53:52,900 --> 03:53:55,300
of year. 
They measured the movements of 

4026
03:53:55,300 --> 03:53:59,600
Venus Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn 
with impressive accuracy. 

4027
03:54:00,700 --> 03:54:03,300
Most importantly, they wrote all
this information down. 

4028
03:54:03,300 --> 03:54:07,900
They used cuneiform script 
pressed into clay tablets these 

4029
03:54:07,900 --> 03:54:11,100
tablets were then baked hard 
which made them essentially 

4030
03:54:11,100 --> 03:54:14,900
indestructible. thousands of 
these astronomical tablets 

4031
03:54:14,900 --> 03:54:18,300
survived today in museum 
collections, We can read their 

4032
03:54:18,300 --> 03:54:21,400
observations and Marvel at the 
patience required to maintain 

4033
03:54:21,400 --> 03:54:24,600
such records generation after 
generation. 

4034
03:54:25,900 --> 03:54:28,900
One particular set of tablets 
called the enuma Anu. 

4035
03:54:28,900 --> 03:54:32,200
Enlil represents one of 
Humanity's first attempts at 

4036
03:54:32,200 --> 03:54:36,000
predictive astronomy. 
This series contains roughly 70 

4037
03:54:36,000 --> 03:54:38,900
tablets covering Omens 
associated with celestial 

4038
03:54:38,900 --> 03:54:42,200
events. if the moon appeared 
read at Rising certain 

4039
03:54:42,200 --> 03:54:46,100
consequences would follow if 
Venus appeared in a specific 

4040
03:54:46,100 --> 03:54:49,900
position, relative to certain 
Stars, other outcomes could be 

4041
03:54:49,900 --> 03:54:54,300
expected Modern scientists, 
sometimes dismiss these Omen 

4042
03:54:54,300 --> 03:54:57,200
texts as superstition. 
But embedded within the 

4043
03:54:57,200 --> 03:55:00,700
supposedly mystical predictions.
A genuine, astronomical 

4044
03:55:00,700 --> 03:55:04,800
observations and calculations. 
The Babylonians could predict 

4045
03:55:04,800 --> 03:55:07,200
lunar eclipse is decades in 
advance. 

4046
03:55:07,200 --> 03:55:11,100
They calculated the length of 
the solar year to within minutes

4047
03:55:11,100 --> 03:55:14,400
of the correct value. 
They identified the repeating 

4048
03:55:14,400 --> 03:55:18,400
patterns of planetary motion. 
Their calendar system became the

4049
03:55:18,400 --> 03:55:20,400
foundation for many later 
calendars. 

4050
03:55:20,400 --> 03:55:24,300
Including the one of eventually 
adopted by the Hebrews and early

4051
03:55:24,300 --> 03:55:27,900
Christians. 
The Babylonian calendar was Luna

4052
03:55:27,900 --> 03:55:32,700
consisting of 12 months, that 
alternated between 29 and 30 

4053
03:55:32,700 --> 03:55:36,200
days. to keep this lunar 
calendar synchronized with the 

4054
03:55:36,200 --> 03:55:40,100
solar year, they added an extra 
month, seven times every 19 

4055
03:55:40,100 --> 03:55:45,500
years This 19 year, cycle called
the metonic cycle works because 

4056
03:55:45,500 --> 03:55:49,400
19 solar years. 
Almost exactly equal to 235 

4057
03:55:49,400 --> 03:55:53,100
lunar months. 
The match is not perfect, but it

4058
03:55:53,100 --> 03:55:55,400
is close enough that the 
calendar stays reasonably 

4059
03:55:55,400 --> 03:55:59,300
aligned with the seasons. 
A pattern repeats reliably, 

4060
03:55:59,300 --> 03:56:01,800
which made it useful for 
long-term planning. 

4061
03:56:02,600 --> 03:56:06,100
You might recognize elements of 
this system, the Jewish calendar

4062
03:56:06,100 --> 03:56:09,500
still uses it today. 
The dates of Easter in the 

4063
03:56:09,500 --> 03:56:12,900
Christian calendar, a calculated
using a modified version of this

4064
03:56:12,900 --> 03:56:16,200
same cycle. 
The Islamic calendar by contrast

4065
03:56:16,200 --> 03:56:19,600
uses a purely lunar system 
without any solar Corrections, 

4066
03:56:19,600 --> 03:56:23,000
which is why Islamic holidays 
drift through the seasons over 

4067
03:56:23,000 --> 03:56:25,400
time. 
Babylonian astronomers. 

4068
03:56:25,400 --> 03:56:29,000
Also divided the sky into 
sections, the identified, 12 

4069
03:56:29,000 --> 03:56:32,800
constellations arranged along 
the ecliptic, the apparent path 

4070
03:56:32,800 --> 03:56:36,700
of the sun through the heavens. 
These became the Zodiac, each 

4071
03:56:36,700 --> 03:56:39,500
constellation corresponded to 
roughly one month of the year. 

4072
03:56:40,300 --> 03:56:42,300
When the sun appeared to pass 
through Aeries? 

4073
03:56:42,300 --> 03:56:45,000
Spring was beginning. 
When it moved into cancer, 

4074
03:56:45,000 --> 03:56:48,400
summer had arrived. 
These constellation names and 

4075
03:56:48,400 --> 03:56:51,400
their associations with specific
months spread throughout the 

4076
03:56:51,400 --> 03:56:55,400
ancient world. 
Greeks, Romans Persians, and 

4077
03:56:55,400 --> 03:56:58,900
Indians, all adopted modified 
versions of this system. 

4078
03:56:59,600 --> 03:57:02,200
The influence of Babylonian 
astronomy reached across 

4079
03:57:02,200 --> 03:57:04,700
continents and persisted for 
thousands of years. 

4080
03:57:05,900 --> 03:57:08,400
The Egyptian civilization 
developed along the Nile River 

4081
03:57:08,400 --> 03:57:12,000
and the Nile dictated everything
about Egyptian life. 

4082
03:57:12,800 --> 03:57:16,400
Every year the River flooded, 
these floods deposited 

4083
03:57:16,400 --> 03:57:21,300
nutrient-rich to cross the flood
plain creating extraordinarily 

4084
03:57:21,300 --> 03:57:25,500
fertile, agricultural land. 
Farmers planted crops in this 

4085
03:57:25,500 --> 03:57:29,700
fresh soil and harvested 
abundant yields without the 

4086
03:57:29,708 --> 03:57:31,700
annual. 
Flood Egypt would have been 

4087
03:57:31,700 --> 03:57:35,000
nothing but desert. 
The timing of the flooded 

4088
03:57:35,000 --> 03:57:38,000
enormously. 
If you planted two early, the 

4089
03:57:38,000 --> 03:57:41,300
water would wash away your 
seeds, if you planted too late, 

4090
03:57:41,300 --> 03:57:43,000
you missed the optimal growing 
window. 

4091
03:57:43,900 --> 03:57:46,500
Egyptian Farmers needed to 
predict when the flood would 

4092
03:57:46,500 --> 03:57:48,700
arrive. 
They discovered that a 

4093
03:57:48,700 --> 03:57:51,500
particular star provided 
reliable advanced notice? 

4094
03:57:51,500 --> 03:57:55,800
We call this star serious, but 
the Egyptians called, its sopped

4095
03:57:55,800 --> 03:58:00,000
at The Greeks called it, the dog
star, because it forms part of 

4096
03:58:00,000 --> 03:58:04,200
the constellation Canis Major, 
the great dog for several weeks.

4097
03:58:04,200 --> 03:58:06,700
Each year, serious disappears 
from the night sky. 

4098
03:58:07,400 --> 03:58:09,700
It rises too close to the Sun to
be visible. 

4099
03:58:10,400 --> 03:58:13,700
Then on one morning each year, 
it reappears briefly on the 

4100
03:58:13,708 --> 03:58:15,800
Eastern Horizon Just Before 
Sunrise. 

4101
03:58:15,800 --> 03:58:20,400
This moment called the heliacal 
rising of Sirius, marked the 

4102
03:58:20,408 --> 03:58:24,800
Egyptian New Year, the heliacal 
rising of Sirius occurred 

4103
03:58:24,800 --> 03:58:28,600
shortly before the Nile began to
flood This was not coincidence, 

4104
03:58:28,600 --> 03:58:33,100
it was a Dependable correlation.
When serious appeared at dawn, 

4105
03:58:33,100 --> 03:58:35,800
Farmers knew the flood was 
coming, they prepared their 

4106
03:58:35,800 --> 03:58:37,800
fields. 
They repaired irrigation 

4107
03:58:37,800 --> 03:58:41,900
channels, they made ready for 
the growing season. the Egyptian

4108
03:58:41,900 --> 03:58:46,500
calendar had 12 months of 30 
days each plus five extra days 

4109
03:58:46,500 --> 03:58:51,800
at the end of the year, this 
created a 3605 day year but the 

4110
03:58:51,800 --> 03:58:56,100
actual solely year lasted 
approximately 365 and a quarter 

4111
03:58:56,108 --> 03:58:59,900
days The Egyptians knew about 
that extra quarter day. 

4112
03:59:00,700 --> 03:59:03,000
They chose not to include it in 
their civil calendar. 

4113
03:59:03,800 --> 03:59:07,000
This decision seems odd until 
you consider the Alternatives 

4114
03:59:07,000 --> 03:59:10,600
adding an extra day. 
Every four years, the leap year 

4115
03:59:10,600 --> 03:59:13,900
system we use now was 
complicated for a society 

4116
03:59:13,900 --> 03:59:16,000
without extensive written 
bureaucracy. 

4117
03:59:16,000 --> 03:59:19,200
It meant some years would have 
different links than others. 

4118
03:59:20,000 --> 03:59:23,700
The Egyptian solution was 
simpler, let the calendar slowly

4119
03:59:23,700 --> 03:59:27,100
drift eventually, it would cycle
back to alignment. 

4120
03:59:27,900 --> 03:59:31,200
The Egyptian civil calendar 
drifted forward by one day every

4121
03:59:31,200 --> 03:59:37,000
four years after 1460 years it 
would complete a full cycle and 

4122
03:59:37,000 --> 03:59:40,600
realign with the seasons. 
This period became known as the 

4123
03:59:40,600 --> 03:59:43,200
suffix cycle named after 
serious. 

4124
03:59:44,000 --> 03:59:47,400
Egyptian astronomers understood 
this cycle and could calculate 

4125
03:59:47,400 --> 03:59:50,000
where their civil calendar, 
stood relative to the Natural 

4126
03:59:50,000 --> 03:59:53,900
year at any given time. 
Egyptian temples oriented 

4127
03:59:53,900 --> 03:59:56,700
themselves according to 
astronomical alignments. 

4128
03:59:57,900 --> 04:00:00,900
The Temple of Karnak at Luxor 
aligned with the winter, 

4129
04:00:00,900 --> 04:00:04,800
solstice Sunrise, the small 
Temple of Abu simbel in southern

4130
04:00:04,800 --> 04:00:08,400
Egypt, was positioned. 
So that twice each year on what 

4131
04:00:08,400 --> 04:00:11,100
a believed to be the fair's 
birth day and coronation day. 

4132
04:00:11,800 --> 04:00:14,100
Sunlight. 
Penetrates the entire length of 

4133
04:00:14,100 --> 04:00:17,900
the temple and illuminates 
statues of gods at the far end. 

4134
04:00:18,700 --> 04:00:21,800
These alignments required 
sophisticated mathematical and 

4135
04:00:21,800 --> 04:00:25,200
astronomical knowledge. 
The Architects had to calculate 

4136
04:00:25,200 --> 04:00:27,600
the sun's position at specific 
dates. 

4137
04:00:28,400 --> 04:00:31,200
They had to account for the slow
precession of Earth's axis, 

4138
04:00:31,200 --> 04:00:34,800
which causes the position of 
Sunrise to shifts slightly over 

4139
04:00:34,800 --> 04:00:38,000
centuries. 
The accomplished all this 

4140
04:00:38,000 --> 04:00:41,600
without computers without 
calculators and without modern 

4141
04:00:41,600 --> 04:00:45,800
astronomical instruments. 
Egyptian astronomy influenced 

4142
04:00:45,800 --> 04:00:47,300
later, Greek and Roman 
knowledge. 

4143
04:00:48,100 --> 04:00:51,000
When Julius Caesar needed to 
reform the Roman Calendar. 

4144
04:00:51,000 --> 04:00:55,200
He consulted with alexandrian. 
Astronomers who had inherited, 

4145
04:00:55,200 --> 04:00:57,500
Egyptian astronomical 
traditions. 

4146
04:00:58,200 --> 04:01:01,100
The result was the Julian 
calendar, which introduced the 

4147
04:01:01,100 --> 04:01:04,300
leap year concept and formed the
basis for our modern calendar. 

4148
04:01:05,500 --> 04:01:08,300
While Mediterranean and Middle 
Eastern cultures developed their

4149
04:01:08,300 --> 04:01:12,400
astronomical systems Chinese 
astronomers worked independently

4150
04:01:12,400 --> 04:01:14,600
on the same fundamental 
problems. 

4151
04:01:15,500 --> 04:01:19,100
The solutions they found were 
uniquely Chinese, but the 

4152
04:01:19,108 --> 04:01:23,000
questions were Universal. 
Chinese astronomy began as 

4153
04:01:23,000 --> 04:01:27,700
Oracle bone divination during 
the Shang Dynasty around 3,500 

4154
04:01:27,700 --> 04:01:30,700
years ago. 
Priests would inscribe questions

4155
04:01:30,700 --> 04:01:34,700
on animal bones or turtle 
shells, apply heat, and 

4156
04:01:34,700 --> 04:01:38,300
interpret the resulting cracks. 
Many of these inscribed. 

4157
04:01:38,300 --> 04:01:40,800
Questions concerned. 
Astronomical phenomena. 

4158
04:01:41,500 --> 04:01:43,600
When would the next lunar 
eclipse occur? 

4159
04:01:44,400 --> 04:01:46,300
What did the appearance of a 
comet Port 10? 

4160
04:01:46,300 --> 04:01:49,700
Where would Jupiter appear in 
the sky next month? 

4161
04:01:50,700 --> 04:01:53,800
By the time of the Joe Dynasty 
Chinese astronomers were 

4162
04:01:53,800 --> 04:01:56,900
maintaining detailed written 
records of celestial events. 

4163
04:01:57,600 --> 04:02:02,300
They documented comets, meteors 
supernovae and eclipses. 

4164
04:02:03,200 --> 04:02:07,300
A Chinese text from 10:54. 
CE provides the earliest detail 

4165
04:02:07,300 --> 04:02:10,600
description of what we now know 
was a supernova explosion in the

4166
04:02:10,600 --> 04:02:14,100
Crab Nebula. 
No European Source mentions this

4167
04:02:14,100 --> 04:02:16,800
event because apparently no one 
there bothered to write it down.

4168
04:02:17,600 --> 04:02:20,800
Chinese astronomers not only 
noticed it but recorded its 

4169
04:02:20,800 --> 04:02:23,800
position brightness and duration
with careful precision. 

4170
04:02:24,800 --> 04:02:27,700
The Chinese calendar. 
Combined lunar months with a 

4171
04:02:27,700 --> 04:02:30,300
solely year in a complex system 
that required constant 

4172
04:02:30,300 --> 04:02:33,500
adjustment. 
They used a 19 year cycle 

4173
04:02:33,500 --> 04:02:35,800
similar to the Babylonian Matic 
cycle. 

4174
04:02:35,800 --> 04:02:40,000
They also divided the solely in 
to 24 solar terms. 

4175
04:02:40,000 --> 04:02:45,000
Each solar term lasted about 15 
days and marked specific points 

4176
04:02:45,000 --> 04:02:49,400
in the agricultural cycle. 
Spring begins insects Awakening 

4177
04:02:49,400 --> 04:02:54,400
grain Falls summer solstice 
arrives, these solar terms 

4178
04:02:54,400 --> 04:02:57,500
provided Farmers with guidance. 
That did not depend on lunar 

4179
04:02:57,500 --> 04:02:59,900
months. 
Chinese astronomers were 

4180
04:02:59,900 --> 04:03:02,300
particularly interested in 
planetary motion. 

4181
04:03:02,300 --> 04:03:05,900
They calculated the orbital 
periods of the five visible 

4182
04:03:05,900 --> 04:03:07,800
planets, with remarkable, 
accuracy. 

4183
04:03:08,700 --> 04:03:11,400
They noticed that these planets 
occasionally appear to move 

4184
04:03:11,400 --> 04:03:14,800
backward against the background 
of stars a phenomenon called 

4185
04:03:14,800 --> 04:03:17,900
retrograde motion. 
They proposed mechanical 

4186
04:03:17,900 --> 04:03:20,400
explanations for this Behavior 
centuries. 

4187
04:03:20,400 --> 04:03:22,800
Before European astronomers 
tackled the same problem. 

4188
04:03:23,900 --> 04:03:27,300
The Chinese also developed 
sophisticated instruments for 

4189
04:03:27,300 --> 04:03:31,100
astronomical observation. 
Bronze are military, spheres 

4190
04:03:31,100 --> 04:03:34,100
with rotating Rings. 
Allowed astronomers to measure 

4191
04:03:34,100 --> 04:03:37,000
the positions of celestial 
objects with considerable 

4192
04:03:37,000 --> 04:03:40,300
precision. 
Water clocks, regulated timing. 

4193
04:03:41,000 --> 04:03:45,700
Nomans vertical poles, that cast
Shadows provided a simple but 

4194
04:03:45,700 --> 04:03:49,000
effective way to track the sun's
daily and seasonal movements. 

4195
04:03:49,800 --> 04:03:52,500
One particular Chinese 
invention, deserves special 

4196
04:03:52,500 --> 04:03:56,700
mention around 2000 years ago 
during the Hamptons tea. 

4197
04:03:57,300 --> 04:04:01,300
Astronomers created details star
catalogs that map the positions 

4198
04:04:01,300 --> 04:04:05,900
of over 1400 Stars. 
They organized the Stars into 

4199
04:04:05,900 --> 04:04:08,600
constellations that serve 
similar purposes to those in 

4200
04:04:08,600 --> 04:04:12,100
Babylonian and Greek systems. 
Though, the Chinese 

4201
04:04:12,100 --> 04:04:14,700
constellations had different 
names and Arrangements. 

4202
04:04:15,600 --> 04:04:18,800
These star catalogs allowed for 
the creation of sophisticated 

4203
04:04:18,800 --> 04:04:21,000
Celestial Globes and star 
charts. 

4204
04:04:21,900 --> 04:04:26,400
Unlike Babylonian clay tablets 
which recorded observations but 

4205
04:04:26,400 --> 04:04:30,400
did not provide spatial Maps. 
Chinese star charts gave viewers

4206
04:04:30,400 --> 04:04:32,900
A visual representation of the 
entire night sky. 

4207
04:04:33,800 --> 04:04:37,500
You could look at a chart, 
identify a constellation go 

4208
04:04:37,500 --> 04:04:41,500
outside and find that same 
constellation in the actual sky.

4209
04:04:42,600 --> 04:04:44,700
The Chinese government 
maintained an official 

4210
04:04:44,700 --> 04:04:48,900
astronomical Bureau staffed with
professional astronomers. these 

4211
04:04:48,900 --> 04:04:52,100
astronomers held important 
positions because the emperor's 

4212
04:04:52,100 --> 04:04:55,600
legitimacy partly depended on 
his harmony with Celestial 

4213
04:04:55,600 --> 04:04:59,500
patterns an accurately predicted
Eclipse demonstrated that the 

4214
04:04:59,500 --> 04:05:03,800
emperor understood Heaven's will
Failed predictions suggested, 

4215
04:05:03,800 --> 04:05:08,000
the opposite. stromy was not 
merely academic, it was 

4216
04:05:08,000 --> 04:05:12,900
political, Across the Pacific 
Ocean Mesoamerican cultures 

4217
04:05:12,900 --> 04:05:15,400
developed, what many scholars? 
Consider the most sophisticated 

4218
04:05:15,400 --> 04:05:18,400
pre-modern calendar systems ever
created. 

4219
04:05:19,600 --> 04:05:22,600
The Maya in particular became 
obsessed with measuring time. 

4220
04:05:23,400 --> 04:05:26,000
Maya civilization flourished in 
what is now? 

4221
04:05:26,000 --> 04:05:29,700
Southern Mexico. 
Guatemala, Belize and Honduras. 

4222
04:05:30,400 --> 04:05:33,600
They built cities with massive 
Stone pyramids and ornate 

4223
04:05:33,600 --> 04:05:37,600
palaces they developed a 
complete writing system capable 

4224
04:05:37,600 --> 04:05:41,300
of expressing complex ideas. 
They created detailed 

4225
04:05:41,300 --> 04:05:44,500
astronomical tables and 
mathematical calculations. 

4226
04:05:45,400 --> 04:05:49,500
They counted days, they counted 
every single day, the Maya 

4227
04:05:49,500 --> 04:05:52,300
actually used several different 
calendar systems simultaneously.

4228
04:05:53,400 --> 04:05:56,700
The Vulcan was a ritual calendar
of 260 days. 

4229
04:05:56,700 --> 04:06:01,100
The harbor was a solar calendar 
of 365 days. 

4230
04:06:01,100 --> 04:06:03,500
These two calendars. 
Meshed together, like 

4231
04:06:03,500 --> 04:06:07,500
interlocking gears a date 
specified in both systems such 

4232
04:06:07,500 --> 04:06:10,500
as four. 
How eight cumco would only 

4233
04:06:10,500 --> 04:06:15,000
repeat once every 52 years? 
This 52 year period was called 

4234
04:06:15,000 --> 04:06:18,300
the calendar, round it 
functions, similarly to our 

4235
04:06:18,300 --> 04:06:21,300
century. 
When a calendar round completed,

4236
04:06:21,300 --> 04:06:24,400
it was a major event worthy of 
elaborate ceremonies. 

4237
04:06:25,200 --> 04:06:27,100
But the calendar round had a 
limitation. 

4238
04:06:28,000 --> 04:06:30,800
Once it cycled back to the 
beginning, you could not 

4239
04:06:30,800 --> 04:06:34,400
distinguish between dates from 
the previous cycle and dates 

4240
04:06:34,400 --> 04:06:37,500
from the current cycle. 
The Maya solved this problem 

4241
04:06:37,500 --> 04:06:40,600
with the long count. 
A calendar that counted days 

4242
04:06:40,600 --> 04:06:43,100
from a fixed starting point in 
the distant past. 

4243
04:06:44,000 --> 04:06:48,500
The Long Count used a modified 
bass, 20 number system. 20 days 

4244
04:06:48,500 --> 04:06:53,000
made one urinal 18. 
Winners made one tune 20 tons 

4245
04:06:53,000 --> 04:06:56,300
made 1 or 220 cartoons made one 
back tune. 

4246
04:06:57,000 --> 04:07:02,600
The Long Count starting date 
corresponds to August 11th 3114 

4247
04:07:02,600 --> 04:07:07,000
BCE in our modern calendar. 
The Maya chose this date for 

4248
04:07:07,000 --> 04:07:09,900
mythological reasons related to 
their creation stories. 

4249
04:07:10,700 --> 04:07:14,300
They then counted forward from 
this point recording dates in a 

4250
04:07:14,308 --> 04:07:18,900
format that looks something like
this. 9.15 point, one, zero 

4251
04:07:18,900 --> 04:07:24,700
point zero point zero, this 
meant 9 back Toons 15s 10 tons 

4252
04:07:24,700 --> 04:07:29,000
0s and 0 days had elapsed since 
the starting point. 

4253
04:07:30,000 --> 04:07:32,800
With the Long Count, Maya, 
scribes could record dates. 

4254
04:07:32,800 --> 04:07:35,100
That would not repeat for over 
5,000 years. 

4255
04:07:36,100 --> 04:07:38,300
This allowed them to reference 
historical events. 

4256
04:07:38,300 --> 04:07:44,700
Unambiguously Dealer erected in 
731 CE could mention an event 

4257
04:07:44,700 --> 04:07:49,000
from 200 BCE and anyone reading 
that stealer would know exactly 

4258
04:07:49,000 --> 04:07:52,700
which date was meant. 
Maya astronomers May 

4259
04:07:52,700 --> 04:07:56,000
calculations that still impress,
modern researchers, they 

4260
04:07:56,000 --> 04:08:01,800
calculated the length of the 
solar year is 365.240 days. 

4261
04:08:01,800 --> 04:08:06,500
The actual length is 365.2422 
days. 

4262
04:08:06,500 --> 04:08:09,400
The Maya were more accurate than
the Julian calendar. 

4263
04:08:09,400 --> 04:08:11,100
That Europe was using at the 
same time. 

4264
04:08:11,100 --> 04:08:15,300
They tracked, Venus with 
particular care, Venus appears 

4265
04:08:15,300 --> 04:08:18,200
as both the morning star and the
evening star and early 

4266
04:08:18,200 --> 04:08:20,700
observers, sometimes mistook it 
for two different objects. 

4267
04:08:21,700 --> 04:08:23,700
The Maya understood. 
It was a single planet. 

4268
04:08:24,700 --> 04:08:28,800
They calculated its period. 
The time it takes to return to 

4269
04:08:28,800 --> 04:08:34,400
the same position and relative 
to Earth and the Sun as 583.92 

4270
04:08:34,400 --> 04:08:39,100
days. 
Modern measurements give 583.92 

4271
04:08:39,100 --> 04:08:41,500
days. 
The Maya numbers are exact. 

4272
04:08:42,200 --> 04:08:45,400
How did they achieve this 
accuracy through centuries of 

4273
04:08:45,408 --> 04:08:48,100
patients, observation and 
meticulous record-keeping? 

4274
04:08:49,300 --> 04:08:52,000
Maya astronomers did not have 
telescope's. 

4275
04:08:52,000 --> 04:08:55,900
They cited celestial objects 
using crossed sticks or 

4276
04:08:55,900 --> 04:08:59,500
architectural alignments. 
But they recorded their 

4277
04:08:59,500 --> 04:09:03,600
observations on bark paper, 
books called codices on Stone 

4278
04:09:03,600 --> 04:09:07,300
monuments, called Steely and on 
the walls of building's. 

4279
04:09:08,000 --> 04:09:11,200
Generation after generation of 
astronomers added to this 

4280
04:09:11,200 --> 04:09:14,600
Collective knowledge. 
Maya buildings, incorporated 

4281
04:09:14,600 --> 04:09:18,400
astronomical alignments at 
Chichen Itza. 

4282
04:09:18,400 --> 04:09:21,800
The pyramid called El Castillo 
creates a serpent Shadow during 

4283
04:09:21,800 --> 04:09:25,400
the Spring and Autumn equinoxes.
Sunlight illuminates, the 

4284
04:09:25,400 --> 04:09:28,800
pyramid in such a way that 
triangular Shadows descend, the 

4285
04:09:28,800 --> 04:09:32,300
stairs connecting with a carved,
serpent head at the base. 

4286
04:09:33,100 --> 04:09:36,600
This effect draws thousands of 
tourists today, but it was 

4287
04:09:36,608 --> 04:09:39,300
originally a functional 
demonstration that the Equinox 

4288
04:09:39,300 --> 04:09:43,600
had arrived. at took smile the 
governor's Palace aligns with 

4289
04:09:43,600 --> 04:09:47,800
the southernmost Rising point of
Venus Every 8 years, Venus 

4290
04:09:47,800 --> 04:09:51,000
reaches this position on the 
horizon and someone standing at 

4291
04:09:51,000 --> 04:09:53,800
a specific spot in the palace, 
doorway would see the planet 

4292
04:09:53,800 --> 04:09:56,000
rise directly over a distant 
pyramid. 

4293
04:09:56,900 --> 04:09:59,600
This alignment combined 
architectural planning with 

4294
04:09:59,600 --> 04:10:03,000
astronomical knowledge with 
long-term calendrical 

4295
04:10:03,000 --> 04:10:06,200
calculations. 
The sophistication of Maya 

4296
04:10:06,200 --> 04:10:09,700
astronomy came from practical 
necessity combined with 

4297
04:10:09,700 --> 04:10:13,000
religious significant. 
Knowing when to plant and 

4298
04:10:13,000 --> 04:10:16,400
harvest crops remained 
critically important, just as it

4299
04:10:16,400 --> 04:10:18,400
was for every Agricultural 
Society. 

4300
04:10:19,600 --> 04:10:22,700
But the Maya also believed that 
time itself was divine. 

4301
04:10:22,700 --> 04:10:26,500
The days were Gods, the calendar
Cycles were sacred 

4302
04:10:26,500 --> 04:10:29,900
understanding, the movements of 
celestial bodies meant 

4303
04:10:29,900 --> 04:10:31,600
understanding the will of the 
Gods. 

4304
04:10:32,600 --> 04:10:35,600
As different cultures expanded 
and came into contact with each 

4305
04:10:35,600 --> 04:10:39,000
other, their various calendar 
systems, began to interact. 

4306
04:10:39,800 --> 04:10:44,100
This created confusion 
frustration and occasional 

4307
04:10:44,100 --> 04:10:47,700
comedy. 
The Roman Calendar was to put a,

4308
04:10:47,700 --> 04:10:51,100
kindly, a mess. 
It started as a 10-month lunar 

4309
04:10:51,100 --> 04:10:53,300
calendar. 
A tributed to Romulus. 

4310
04:10:53,300 --> 04:10:57,400
The legendary founder of Rome. 
This calendar began in March, 

4311
04:10:57,400 --> 04:11:01,400
and ended in December. 
January, and February, did not 

4312
04:11:01,400 --> 04:11:04,700
exist yet. 
Winter was just an undefined 

4313
04:11:04,700 --> 04:11:08,600
stretch of time between years. 
Eventually the Romans added 

4314
04:11:08,600 --> 04:11:13,400
January and February creating a 
12-month year of 3505 days. 

4315
04:11:13,400 --> 04:11:19,100
But 355 days is far too short 
for a solely year, the calendar 

4316
04:11:19,100 --> 04:11:21,800
drifted badly. 
To fix this. 

4317
04:11:21,800 --> 04:11:24,700
Roman priest was supposed to 
insert extra months when 

4318
04:11:24,700 --> 04:11:27,600
necessary. 
These intercalary months were 

4319
04:11:27,600 --> 04:11:30,800
added at the whim of priests and
politicians who sometimes 

4320
04:11:30,800 --> 04:11:33,500
manipulated the calendar for 
political Advantage. 

4321
04:11:33,500 --> 04:11:36,400
Extra months, could extend a 
favored. 

4322
04:11:36,400 --> 04:11:40,300
Politicians term in office or 
delay inconvenient elections? 

4323
04:11:41,500 --> 04:11:43,500
By the time, Yulia Cesar came to
power. 

4324
04:11:43,500 --> 04:11:45,700
The Roman Calendar was a 
shambles. 

4325
04:11:45,700 --> 04:11:48,800
The months bore little 
relationship to the seasons 

4326
04:11:48,800 --> 04:11:51,200
January. 
Sometimes fell in autumn. 

4327
04:11:51,800 --> 04:11:53,800
Some are festivals occurred in 
Spring. 

4328
04:11:54,800 --> 04:11:59,400
Something had to be done. 
Caesar recruited and Alexandria,

4329
04:11:59,400 --> 04:12:01,800
and astronomer named to suggest 
to fix the problem. 

4330
04:12:02,600 --> 04:12:07,400
Sausages proposed, a solar 
calendar of 365 days with an 

4331
04:12:07,400 --> 04:12:08,900
extra day, added every four 
years. 

4332
04:12:08,900 --> 04:12:13,400
This system, which became known 
as the Julian calendar, was more

4333
04:12:13,400 --> 04:12:17,200
accurate than anything Roman 
used before but implementing it 

4334
04:12:17,200 --> 04:12:19,800
required a transitional year of 
extraordinary lengths. 

4335
04:12:20,500 --> 04:12:26,200
The air 46, BC lasted, 445 days 
while the old kalander, was 

4336
04:12:26,200 --> 04:12:29,600
brought into alignment with the 
new one Romans called it, the 

4337
04:12:29,600 --> 04:12:32,400
year of confusion. 
They were not wrong. 

4338
04:12:32,400 --> 04:12:37,200
The Julian calendar worked well,
for over 1,000 years, but it had

4339
04:12:37,200 --> 04:12:43,400
a small error The solar year is 
not exactly 3605.25 days. 

4340
04:12:43,400 --> 04:12:48,500
It is approximately 365.242 
days. 

4341
04:12:48,500 --> 04:12:52,100
This means the Julian calendar 
was about 11 minutes too long 

4342
04:12:52,108 --> 04:12:54,300
per year. 
That seems trivial. 

4343
04:12:54,300 --> 04:12:59,900
But those minutes accumulate 
after 128 years, the Julian 

4344
04:12:59,900 --> 04:13:03,500
calendar was a full day ahead of
the seasons by the 16th century.

4345
04:13:03,500 --> 04:13:07,300
This drifted become noticeable, 
the Spring Equinox which was 

4346
04:13:07,300 --> 04:13:10,800
supposed to occur around, March 
21st was happening on March 

4347
04:13:10,800 --> 04:13:14,300
11th. 
Easter which is calculated based

4348
04:13:14,300 --> 04:13:17,000
on the Spring Equinox was 
drifting earlier in the year. 

4349
04:13:17,900 --> 04:13:21,600
Church officials found this 
unacceptable Pope Gregory the 

4350
04:13:21,600 --> 04:13:24,300
13th, commissioned Scholars to 
create a better calendar. 

4351
04:13:25,200 --> 04:13:28,900
The solution they proposed was 
elegant, keep the leap year 

4352
04:13:28,900 --> 04:13:32,400
system skip three leap years, 
every 400 years. 

4353
04:13:33,600 --> 04:13:36,900
Specifically Century ears would 
only be leap years if they were 

4354
04:13:36,900 --> 04:13:43,200
divisible by 400. 
So, 1700 1800 and 1900 would not

4355
04:13:43,200 --> 04:13:45,600
be leap years, but 2000 would 
be. 

4356
04:13:47,200 --> 04:13:50,100
This adjustment brought the 
calendar almost perfectly into 

4357
04:13:50,100 --> 04:13:53,800
alignment with the solar year, 
the Gregorian calendar as it 

4358
04:13:53,808 --> 04:13:58,700
became known. 
Loses, only one day, every 3,236

4359
04:13:58,700 --> 04:14:02,300
years, That was close enough for
practical purposes. 

4360
04:14:02,300 --> 04:14:04,800
Implementing the Gregorian, 
calendar. 

4361
04:14:04,800 --> 04:14:09,800
Required another one-time 
correction on October 4th 1582. 

4362
04:14:09,800 --> 04:14:13,900
Pope Gregory declared that the 
next day would be October 15th. 

4363
04:14:14,700 --> 04:14:16,900
10 days. 
Simply disappeared from the 

4364
04:14:16,900 --> 04:14:19,600
calendar. 
People went to bed on Thursday 

4365
04:14:19,600 --> 04:14:22,400
and woke up on Friday, but it 
was somehow 10 days later. 

4366
04:14:23,300 --> 04:14:25,800
Catholic countries adopted. 
This change immediately. 

4367
04:14:26,700 --> 04:14:29,600
Protestant countries were 
suspicious of anything coming 

4368
04:14:29,600 --> 04:14:33,200
from Rome and resisted for 
decades or even centuries. 

4369
04:14:34,000 --> 04:14:38,500
Great Britain did not switch 
until 1752 by which point they 

4370
04:14:38,500 --> 04:14:40,400
had to delete 11 days to catch 
up. 

4371
04:14:41,300 --> 04:14:46,200
Russia held out until 1918 
Greece, waited, and until 1923 

4372
04:14:47,300 --> 04:14:49,800
During the transition periods, 
different countries, used 

4373
04:14:49,800 --> 04:14:53,300
different calendars, a merchant 
traveling from London to Paris 

4374
04:14:53,300 --> 04:14:57,300
in 1650 would cross the English 
Channel and suddenly find 

4375
04:14:57,300 --> 04:15:00,700
himself 10 days in the future 
letters would be dated 

4376
04:15:00,700 --> 04:15:02,100
differently. 
Depending on where they were 

4377
04:15:02,100 --> 04:15:05,600
written International diplomacy 
required carefully. 

4378
04:15:05,600 --> 04:15:08,500
Specifying, which calendar 
system was being used for any 

4379
04:15:08,500 --> 04:15:12,500
given date today. 
Almost the entire world uses the

4380
04:15:12,500 --> 04:15:14,600
Gregorian calendar for civil 
purposes. 

4381
04:15:14,600 --> 04:15:17,700
Though, many cultures maintain 
traditional calendars for 

4382
04:15:17,700 --> 04:15:19,600
religious or agricultural 
purposes. 

4383
04:15:21,100 --> 04:15:24,900
The Chinese New Year does not 
fall on January 1st Rosh, 

4384
04:15:24,900 --> 04:15:27,800
Hashanah the Jewish New Year 
occurs in September or October 

4385
04:15:27,800 --> 04:15:31,000
Diwali. 
The Hindu festival of lights 

4386
04:15:31,000 --> 04:15:34,800
shifts dates each year according
to the Hindu lunar calendar. 

4387
04:15:35,700 --> 04:15:38,100
We ended up with a global 
calendar, not because it is 

4388
04:15:38,100 --> 04:15:41,000
perfect but because 
International coordination 

4389
04:15:41,000 --> 04:15:47,000
required standardization. 
Trains ships and telegraphs made

4390
04:15:47,000 --> 04:15:50,900
time synchronization necessary. 
You cannot run an international 

4391
04:15:50,900 --> 04:15:53,700
railway system if different 
countries cannot agree on what 

4392
04:15:53,700 --> 04:15:56,700
day it is. 
You're lying on your back in a 

4393
04:15:56,700 --> 04:15:59,300
field, it is a clear night with 
no moon. 

4394
04:16:00,300 --> 04:16:04,100
Far from City Lights. 
The Stars fill the sky with such

4395
04:16:04,100 --> 04:16:07,600
density that you can barely 
distinguish individual 

4396
04:16:07,600 --> 04:16:11,300
constellations. 
The Milky Way stretches overhead

4397
04:16:11,300 --> 04:16:15,500
like a river of light. 
Thousands of years, every human 

4398
04:16:15,500 --> 04:16:17,900
who looked ups were essentially 
this same view. 

4399
04:16:17,900 --> 04:16:21,500
The stars were constant 
companions children. 

4400
04:16:21,500 --> 04:16:25,400
Learned constellation names from
their parents Farmers, navigated

4401
04:16:25,400 --> 04:16:29,700
by Celestial landmarks Sailors 
crossed Ocean's using only the 

4402
04:16:29,700 --> 04:16:33,800
stars and sun to guide them. 
Modern electric lighting has 

4403
04:16:33,800 --> 04:16:37,100
changed this relationship. 
Most people living in cities 

4404
04:16:37,100 --> 04:16:39,200
today. 
Have never seen the Milky Way. 

4405
04:16:39,900 --> 04:16:43,100
The stars are still there, of 
course, but artificial light 

4406
04:16:43,100 --> 04:16:46,100
overwhelms them. 
We have traded our connection to

4407
04:16:46,100 --> 04:16:48,500
the night sky for the 
convenience of Illumination. 

4408
04:16:49,600 --> 04:16:52,800
This represents a profound shift
in human experience. 

4409
04:16:53,800 --> 04:16:57,200
For almost all of human history.
People were intimately familiar 

4410
04:16:57,200 --> 04:17:01,000
with Celestial patterns. 
They knew which stars Rose when 

4411
04:17:01,700 --> 04:17:04,700
They recognized the phases of 
the moon without checking a 

4412
04:17:04,700 --> 04:17:07,800
calendar, the oriented 
themselves using the sun's 

4413
04:17:07,800 --> 04:17:12,600
position almost unconsciously. 
Ancient astronomical knowledge 

4414
04:17:12,600 --> 04:17:14,600
was not the domain of 
Specialists. 

4415
04:17:14,600 --> 04:17:19,200
Everyone knew the basics because
everyone needed to a farmer who 

4416
04:17:19,200 --> 04:17:23,300
could not read the sky would 
fail at farming, a traveler who 

4417
04:17:23,300 --> 04:17:26,000
could not find a North by the 
Stars would get lost? 

4418
04:17:26,800 --> 04:17:30,300
This was practical survival 
relevant information, that 

4419
04:17:30,300 --> 04:17:32,800
passed from generation to 
generation as naturally as 

4420
04:17:32,800 --> 04:17:36,200
language itself. 
The calendar systems developed 

4421
04:17:36,200 --> 04:17:38,000
by ancient astronomers 
represent. 

4422
04:17:38,000 --> 04:17:40,800
Humanity's first sustained 
scientific endeavor. 

4423
04:17:41,800 --> 04:17:44,300
Long before chemistry or physics
or biology? 

4424
04:17:44,300 --> 04:17:48,200
Existed as disciplined people 
were making careful observations

4425
04:17:48,200 --> 04:17:53,000
of natural phenomena looking for
patterns, creating models to 

4426
04:17:53,000 --> 04:17:56,400
explain those patterns and 
testing those models against 

4427
04:17:56,400 --> 04:18:00,700
reality They made mistakes, 
certainly they mixed astronomy 

4428
04:18:00,700 --> 04:18:03,200
with astrology. 
Empirical observation, with 

4429
04:18:03,200 --> 04:18:07,100
mystical interpretation. 
But the fundamental approach was

4430
04:18:07,100 --> 04:18:10,800
sound. 
Watch carefully record. 

4431
04:18:10,800 --> 04:18:13,700
What you see. 
Look for repeating patterns. 

4432
04:18:13,700 --> 04:18:18,000
Use those patterns to make 
predictions, check whether 

4433
04:18:18,000 --> 04:18:19,500
you're predictions. 
Come true. 

4434
04:18:19,500 --> 04:18:24,300
This is the scientific method in
embryonic form and it started 

4435
04:18:24,300 --> 04:18:27,200
with people looking up at the 
night sky and wondering the 

4436
04:18:27,200 --> 04:18:30,100
stone circles. 
The clay tablets the bark paper,

4437
04:18:30,100 --> 04:18:34,100
codices the star charts and 
calendar systems, all represent 

4438
04:18:34,100 --> 04:18:37,200
the same human impulse. 
We want to understand the world 

4439
04:18:37,200 --> 04:18:39,900
around us. 
We want to find all order in 

4440
04:18:39,900 --> 04:18:42,600
apparent chaos. 
We want to anticipate. 

4441
04:18:42,600 --> 04:18:46,200
What comes next? 
Calendars gave us power over 

4442
04:18:46,200 --> 04:18:49,100
time or at least the illusion of
such power. 

4443
04:18:49,900 --> 04:18:52,000
We cannot stop the seasons from 
changing. 

4444
04:18:52,000 --> 04:18:55,100
We cannot prevent the Sun from 
rising and setting. 

4445
04:18:56,300 --> 04:19:00,900
We can measure these changes, 
predict them, mark them, and 

4446
04:19:00,900 --> 04:19:03,800
organize, our lives around them.
In doing. 

4447
04:19:03,800 --> 04:19:07,300
So we transformed ourselves from
creatures who merely experience 

4448
04:19:07,300 --> 04:19:12,200
time into creatures, who could 
conceptualize it manipulated and

4449
04:19:12,200 --> 04:19:16,700
plan across it. farmer who could
predict the arrival of spring, 

4450
04:19:16,700 --> 04:19:20,400
six weeks in advance had an 
enormous advantage over the 

4451
04:19:20,400 --> 04:19:24,400
farmer who simply waited for 
warm weather The society that 

4452
04:19:24,400 --> 04:19:28,400
could schedule festivals. 
Rotate crops and organized 

4453
04:19:28,400 --> 04:19:31,500
long-term construction projects 
around a shared calendar. 

4454
04:19:31,500 --> 04:19:34,500
Could accomplish things that 
societies without calendars 

4455
04:19:34,500 --> 04:19:38,500
could not, The calendars created
by ancient astronomers. 

4456
04:19:38,500 --> 04:19:41,500
Still structure your daily life 
in ways you probably do not 

4457
04:19:41,500 --> 04:19:45,700
think about You know, there are 
seven days in a week because 

4458
04:19:45,700 --> 04:19:48,900
ancient Babylonian astronomers 
assigned each day to one of the 

4459
04:19:48,900 --> 04:19:51,600
seven celestial bodies, visible 
to the naked eye. 

4460
04:19:52,200 --> 04:19:55,600
Sunday, belongs to the Sun, 
Monday is the Moon's day. 

4461
04:19:55,600 --> 04:19:59,500
The other five days were 
assigned to Mercury, Venus Mars,

4462
04:19:59,500 --> 04:20:03,000
Jupiter, and Saturn. 
And you know, there are 12 

4463
04:20:03,000 --> 04:20:06,000
months in a year because the 
Babylonians divided the sky and 

4464
04:20:06,000 --> 04:20:11,400
12 zodiac constellations, the 
number 12 appearances, because 

4465
04:20:11,400 --> 04:20:15,600
it is mathematically convenient.
It can be evenly divided by two,

4466
04:20:15,600 --> 04:20:19,600
three, four, and six. 
This makes it useful for 

4467
04:20:19,600 --> 04:20:21,600
organizing time into smaller 
units. 

4468
04:20:21,600 --> 04:20:26,200
He celebrate New Year on January
1st because the Roman senate way

4469
04:20:26,200 --> 04:20:31,500
back in 153, BC e decided to 
move the start of the Civil year

4470
04:20:31,500 --> 04:20:35,400
from March to January, This 
allowed newly elected 

4471
04:20:35,400 --> 04:20:39,000
magistrates to take off this and
travel to their provinces before

4472
04:20:39,000 --> 04:20:40,800
the spring campaign. 
Season began. 

4473
04:20:42,000 --> 04:20:44,200
The change had nothing to do 
with astronomy. 

4474
04:20:45,000 --> 04:20:47,100
It was a purely administrative 
decision. 

4475
04:20:47,100 --> 04:20:50,600
That happened to stick. 
Your year starts in the middle 

4476
04:20:50,600 --> 04:20:53,600
of winter rather than at a 
natural Turning Point. 

4477
04:20:53,600 --> 04:20:56,800
Like the Spring Equinox or the 
winter solstice because of 

4478
04:20:56,800 --> 04:21:00,900
bureaucratic convenience 2000 
years ago, And you probably 

4479
04:21:00,900 --> 04:21:04,100
never questioned it. 
The names of the months contain 

4480
04:21:04,100 --> 04:21:08,000
their own history, September 
October, November and December. 

4481
04:21:08,000 --> 04:21:11,400
Come from the Latin words. 
For seven eight, nine and ten. 

4482
04:21:12,700 --> 04:21:17,200
But they are the 9th 10th 11th 
and 12th months. 

4483
04:21:18,700 --> 04:21:21,700
This is because the original 
Roman Calendar began in March 

4484
04:21:21,700 --> 04:21:24,800
when January and February were 
added to the beginning of the 

4485
04:21:24,800 --> 04:21:26,800
year. 
No one bothered to rename the 

4486
04:21:26,800 --> 04:21:29,500
later months. 
The name's no longer matched the

4487
04:21:29,500 --> 04:21:31,900
numbers. 
And this is caused confusion for

4488
04:21:31,900 --> 04:21:35,600
over two Millennia, July and 
August were named after Julius 

4489
04:21:35,600 --> 04:21:39,600
Caesar and Augustus, Caesar For 
that, they were called quintilis

4490
04:21:39,600 --> 04:21:42,300
and sex. 
Dilys meaning, fifth and sixth. 

4491
04:21:43,100 --> 04:21:45,900
the Emperors essentially, 
renamed months after themselves,

4492
04:21:45,900 --> 04:21:49,100
which is why you're probably 
familiar with their names, even 

4493
04:21:49,100 --> 04:21:53,500
if you have never studied Roman 
history, February has only 28 

4494
04:21:53,500 --> 04:21:56,700
days, most years because the 
Romans considered it, an unlucky

4495
04:21:56,700 --> 04:21:59,100
month, and wanted it to be a 
short as possible. 

4496
04:22:00,200 --> 04:22:03,400
When they added the leap day 
every four years, they stuck it 

4497
04:22:03,400 --> 04:22:06,000
in February because that month 
was already weird and unlucky. 

4498
04:22:06,000 --> 04:22:08,300
So one more Oddity would not 
matter. 

4499
04:22:08,300 --> 04:22:13,900
None of this is logical. 
It is historical, your calendar 

4500
04:22:13,900 --> 04:22:17,500
is not designed. 
It has a created over thousands 

4501
04:22:17,500 --> 04:22:20,500
of years. 
Picking up quirks in a 

4502
04:22:20,500 --> 04:22:22,700
regularities from dozens of 
different cultures. 

4503
04:22:22,700 --> 04:22:26,500
You live with a Roman framework.
That was adjusted by a Christian

4504
04:22:26,500 --> 04:22:30,600
Pope to fix problems, created by
a Greek astronomers in perfect 

4505
04:22:30,600 --> 04:22:33,200
measurements. 
And yet it works. 

4506
04:22:33,200 --> 04:22:36,600
You can schedule appointments 
months in advance with 

4507
04:22:36,600 --> 04:22:39,600
confidence that you and the 
other person will show up on the

4508
04:22:39,600 --> 04:22:42,200
same day. 
Airline's can publish flight 

4509
04:22:42,200 --> 04:22:44,300
schedules, that Travelers in 
different countries. 

4510
04:22:44,300 --> 04:22:48,100
Can all interpret correctly, 
International businesses, can 

4511
04:22:48,100 --> 04:22:52,100
coordinate activities, across 
continents, This coordination is

4512
04:22:52,100 --> 04:22:56,000
Possible, only because we all 
agree to use the same admittedly

4513
04:22:56,000 --> 04:23:00,000
strange calendar system. 
The ancient astronomers who 

4514
04:23:00,000 --> 04:23:03,300
first started tracking the Sun 
and Moon would be amazed by 

4515
04:23:03,300 --> 04:23:05,600
this. 
They would recognize some of 

4516
04:23:05,600 --> 04:23:08,000
what we do. 
They would understand that we 

4517
04:23:08,000 --> 04:23:11,900
still count days and months and 
years, they would not approve in

4518
04:23:11,900 --> 04:23:15,300
our continued, use of seven-day 
weeks and 12 months years. 

4519
04:23:16,400 --> 04:23:19,500
But they would be baffled by our
indifference to the actual sky. 

4520
04:23:19,500 --> 04:23:23,200
Most modern people could not 
name a single constellation. 

4521
04:23:24,100 --> 04:23:26,200
Many cannot find North by the 
Stars. 

4522
04:23:27,000 --> 04:23:30,200
The idea of using the heliacal 
rising of serious, to predict 

4523
04:23:30,200 --> 04:23:33,800
anything would seem bizarre. 
We have inherited their calendar

4524
04:23:33,800 --> 04:23:36,200
systems, while losing the 
astronomical knowledge, that 

4525
04:23:36,200 --> 04:23:39,500
created those systems. 
We use the tools without 

4526
04:23:39,500 --> 04:23:42,700
understanding how they work or 
why they were built in 

4527
04:23:42,700 --> 04:23:45,900
particular ways. 
The calendar on your wall or in 

4528
04:23:45,900 --> 04:23:49,100
your phone is a technological 
artifact separated from its 

4529
04:23:49,100 --> 04:23:52,800
technological context. 
This is not necessarily bad. 

4530
04:23:52,800 --> 04:23:56,100
You do not need to understand 
internal combustion, engines to 

4531
04:23:56,100 --> 04:23:58,000
drive a car. 
You do not need to know how 

4532
04:23:58,000 --> 04:24:01,800
transistors work to use a 
computer. division of knowledge 

4533
04:24:01,800 --> 04:24:05,200
is a feature of advanced 
civilizations, specialist 

4534
04:24:05,200 --> 04:24:09,500
handles specialized things, But 
something has been lost, the 

4535
04:24:09,500 --> 04:24:13,500
direct connection between humans
and the sky which existed for 

4536
04:24:13,500 --> 04:24:16,200
tens of thousands of years as 
weakened. 

4537
04:24:17,000 --> 04:24:20,100
We no longer need to watch the 
sunset to know what time it is. 

4538
04:24:20,100 --> 04:24:23,500
We no longer need to track the 
moon to play next month's 

4539
04:24:23,500 --> 04:24:26,600
activities. 
Clocks and smartphones provide 

4540
04:24:26,600 --> 04:24:30,200
all the temporal information. 
We require The calendar has 

4541
04:24:30,200 --> 04:24:32,700
become transparent in a way. 
It never was for ancient 

4542
04:24:32,700 --> 04:24:34,900
peoples. 
It is so much a part of the 

4543
04:24:34,900 --> 04:24:36,400
background of life that we 
hardly. 

4544
04:24:36,400 --> 04:24:40,000
Notice it We glanced at dates 
without thinking about where 

4545
04:24:40,000 --> 04:24:42,900
those dates came from or how 
they are calculated. 

4546
04:24:43,800 --> 04:24:46,800
We plan years ahead without 
marveling at our ability to 

4547
04:24:46,808 --> 04:24:49,500
project ourselves into the 
future with such confidence. 

4548
04:24:50,400 --> 04:24:53,500
Ancient astronomers would envy 
this casual relationship with 

4549
04:24:53,500 --> 04:24:56,100
time. 
They struggled for generations 

4550
04:24:56,100 --> 04:24:59,000
to create systems that would 
remain accurate for a single 

4551
04:24:59,000 --> 04:25:01,700
lifetime. 
We have systems that will remain

4552
04:25:01,700 --> 04:25:05,600
accurate for thousands of years.
They watch the sky anxiously 

4553
04:25:05,600 --> 04:25:08,700
worried, they might miss the 
crucial sign that planting 

4554
04:25:08,700 --> 04:25:12,800
season was approaching We check 
our phones and see exactly what 

4555
04:25:12,800 --> 04:25:16,400
dated is and how many days 
remain until any future of 

4556
04:25:16,400 --> 04:25:18,800
event. 
We care about but they had 

4557
04:25:18,800 --> 04:25:22,300
something we have lost. 
They had a direct unmediated 

4558
04:25:22,300 --> 04:25:25,600
relationship with the cosmos, 
they knew the rhythms of the 

4559
04:25:25,600 --> 04:25:27,700
sky, the way, you know, the 
layout of your home. 

4560
04:25:28,400 --> 04:25:31,600
They could read in the stars. 
The way you read time from a 

4561
04:25:31,600 --> 04:25:33,600
screen. 
Their knowledge was built from 

4562
04:25:33,600 --> 04:25:37,300
observation passed down through 
generations, refined over 

4563
04:25:37,300 --> 04:25:40,300
centuries. 
Every culture that created a 

4564
04:25:40,300 --> 04:25:42,800
calendar system. 
Did so by watching the same son,

4565
04:25:42,800 --> 04:25:48,300
the same Moon, the same Stars. 
They found the patterns, they 

4566
04:25:48,300 --> 04:25:51,600
figured out the Cycles, they 
built systems to track and 

4567
04:25:51,600 --> 04:25:55,100
predict astronomical events. 
They did all this without ever 

4568
04:25:55,100 --> 04:25:57,800
leaving the ground or 
understanding what celestial 

4569
04:25:57,800 --> 04:26:01,900
objects actually were. 
The sun was not understood as a 

4570
04:26:01,900 --> 04:26:05,200
massive nuclear fusion, reactor 
93 million miles away. 

4571
04:26:06,100 --> 04:26:08,800
It was simply the bright thing 
that rows and set each day. 

4572
04:26:10,100 --> 04:26:12,900
The moon was not known to be a 
rocky satellite orbiting Earth. 

4573
04:26:14,100 --> 04:26:17,300
It was the changing light that 
moved through the night sky and 

4574
04:26:17,300 --> 04:26:21,200
predictable patterns, the stars 
were not recognized as distant 

4575
04:26:21,200 --> 04:26:23,600
Sons. 
They were fixed points of light,

4576
04:26:23,600 --> 04:26:27,500
that slowly wielded overhead and
yet despite this limited 

4577
04:26:27,500 --> 04:26:30,100
physical understanding ancient 
astronomers. 

4578
04:26:30,100 --> 04:26:32,300
Created functional predictive 
models. 

4579
04:26:32,300 --> 04:26:34,700
They could tell you when the 
next eclipse were. 

4580
04:26:34,700 --> 04:26:38,100
They could predict the seasons 
years in advance. 

4581
04:26:38,100 --> 04:26:40,800
They could calculate the 
movements of planets with 

4582
04:26:40,800 --> 04:26:43,800
impressive accuracy. 
This is what makes their 

4583
04:26:43,800 --> 04:26:46,800
achievement so remarkable. 
They worked backwards from 

4584
04:26:46,800 --> 04:26:50,900
effects to cause his, they saw 
patterns in the sky and built 

4585
04:26:50,900 --> 04:26:54,300
systems to explain those 
patterns, when their systems 

4586
04:26:54,300 --> 04:26:58,700
fail to predict observations, 
they revised the systems This 

4587
04:26:58,700 --> 04:27:03,000
iterative process of observation
hypothesis and refinement is 

4588
04:27:03,000 --> 04:27:06,700
recognizably scientific. 
Even though the people doing it 

4589
04:27:06,700 --> 04:27:09,900
would not have used that word, 
you probably check the date 

4590
04:27:09,900 --> 04:27:11,800
several times a day without 
thinking about it. 

4591
04:27:12,600 --> 04:27:15,700
You glance at your phone, your 
computer, or your watch. 

4592
04:27:16,500 --> 04:27:20,800
Current date appears, instantly 
accurately, and with no effort 

4593
04:27:20,800 --> 04:27:23,800
required on your part. 
This availability would have 

4594
04:27:23,808 --> 04:27:26,900
seen miraculous to someone 
living even 200 years ago. 

4595
04:27:27,800 --> 04:27:30,500
For most of human history, 
knowing the exact date required 

4596
04:27:30,500 --> 04:27:34,600
education, access to written 
calendars and enough social 

4597
04:27:34,600 --> 04:27:36,300
standing to care about such 
things. 

4598
04:27:37,400 --> 04:27:39,600
As peasant Farmers, rarely knew 
what day of the month, it was 

4599
04:27:39,600 --> 04:27:43,500
the new the seasons, the new 
approximately, how fast through 

4600
04:27:43,500 --> 04:27:46,500
the growing cycle, they were, 
they could judge time by the 

4601
04:27:46,500 --> 04:27:50,100
sun's position. 
But specific dates those were 

4602
04:27:50,100 --> 04:27:52,600
for merchants priests and 
nobility. 

4603
04:27:53,700 --> 04:27:56,700
The spread of mechanical clocks 
in the 14th century began to 

4604
04:27:56,700 --> 04:27:59,900
change this. 
Clocks Were initially enormous 

4605
04:27:59,900 --> 04:28:04,000
expensive and installed in 
public spaces like church 

4606
04:28:04,000 --> 04:28:07,000
towers. 
These clocks rang Bells at 

4607
04:28:07,000 --> 04:28:09,800
regular intervals, marking the 
hours for everyone Within 

4608
04:28:09,800 --> 04:28:12,700
earshot. 
The bells created a shared. 

4609
04:28:12,700 --> 04:28:16,300
Temporal experience. 
Everyone in town, heard the same

4610
04:28:16,308 --> 04:28:20,100
signal at the same moment. 
As clocks became smaller and 

4611
04:28:20,100 --> 04:28:23,100
cheaper. 
They moved into homes pocket. 

4612
04:28:23,100 --> 04:28:25,400
Watches allowed individuals to 
carry time with them 

4613
04:28:25,400 --> 04:28:28,400
wristwatches. 
May time even more accessible 

4614
04:28:28,400 --> 04:28:31,400
today. 
Most people carry smartphones 

4615
04:28:31,400 --> 04:28:35,008
that display not just the time, 
but also the date the day of the

4616
04:28:35,016 --> 04:28:38,200
week and the phase of the moon. 
If you want it, this 

4617
04:28:38,200 --> 04:28:41,400
democratization of temporal 
information has changed how we 

4618
04:28:41,400 --> 04:28:46,200
think about time, Ancient people
experience time as cyclical the 

4619
04:28:46,200 --> 04:28:49,100
seasons repeated, the moon, 
waxed and waned. 

4620
04:28:49,100 --> 04:28:52,000
The sun traced the same path 
year after year. 

4621
04:28:52,000 --> 04:28:55,800
Each cycle was functionally 
identical to the previous one. 

4622
04:28:56,400 --> 04:28:59,200
Time was an endless repetition 
of familiar patterns. 

4623
04:28:59,200 --> 04:29:02,600
Modern people tend to experience
time as linear and Progressive. 

4624
04:29:03,600 --> 04:29:04,800
Today is different from 
yesterday. 

4625
04:29:04,800 --> 04:29:07,200
Tomorrow will be different from 
today. 

4626
04:29:08,800 --> 04:29:12,900
We Mark Time by dates, rather 
than by Cycle's We think about 

4627
04:29:12,900 --> 04:29:16,300
history, as a sequence of unique
events stretching from the past 

4628
04:29:16,300 --> 04:29:21,000
in the future. 
January 15th, 2024 will never 

4629
04:29:21,000 --> 04:29:24,700
happen again. 
It is a distinct Moment Forever 

4630
04:29:24,700 --> 04:29:26,800
distinguishable from every other
moment. 

4631
04:29:27,800 --> 04:29:31,100
This linear conception of time 
emerged from calendar systems 

4632
04:29:31,100 --> 04:29:34,100
that count continuously from 
fixed starting points. 

4633
04:29:35,000 --> 04:29:38,800
The Long Count of the Maya was 
one early example. the Common 

4634
04:29:38,800 --> 04:29:42,900
Era dating system used in most 
of the world today is another We

4635
04:29:42,900 --> 04:29:46,300
count years from an arbitrary 
starting point, and each year 

4636
04:29:46,300 --> 04:29:51,600
has a unique number year. 500 is
not the same as year, 1500 or 

4637
04:29:51,600 --> 04:29:54,600
year 2500. 
They are different years with 

4638
04:29:54,600 --> 04:29:57,900
different dates and history 
happened in a particular order 

4639
04:29:57,900 --> 04:30:00,700
between them. 
Ancient astronomical knowledge 

4640
04:30:00,700 --> 04:30:04,100
made this possible. 
Without calling us with without 

4641
04:30:04,100 --> 04:30:06,300
methods for tracking and 
recording dates. 

4642
04:30:06,300 --> 04:30:10,500
You cannot build a linear. 
Historical narrative, everything

4643
04:30:10,500 --> 04:30:14,300
collapses into vague 
generational, time things 

4644
04:30:14,300 --> 04:30:16,500
happened during your 
grandfather's grandfather's 

4645
04:30:16,500 --> 04:30:18,900
time. 
Other things happened in the age

4646
04:30:18,900 --> 04:30:22,300
of the great king events. 
Cannot be precisely ordered or 

4647
04:30:22,300 --> 04:30:25,700
accurately dated Written 
history, as we understand, it 

4648
04:30:25,700 --> 04:30:28,800
depends on calendars. 
When historians say, the 

4649
04:30:28,800 --> 04:30:32,900
Persians invaded Greece in 480, 
BCE or that Columbus reached. 

4650
04:30:32,900 --> 04:30:37,500
The Americas in 1492 that the 
first World War began in 1914. 

4651
04:30:37,500 --> 04:30:40,900
They are using calendar systems 
to pin of events to specific 

4652
04:30:40,900 --> 04:30:44,000
moments. 
These dates are arbitrary in 

4653
04:30:44,000 --> 04:30:46,800
that we made up the numbering 
system, but they are all so 

4654
04:30:46,800 --> 04:30:50,400
precise and universally 
interpretable by anyone using 

4655
04:30:50,400 --> 04:30:53,700
the same system. 
Imagine trying to coordinate a 

4656
04:30:53,700 --> 04:30:56,100
conference call with people in 
five different countries without

4657
04:30:56,100 --> 04:30:59,600
a shared calendar system. 
How would you specify when the 

4658
04:30:59,608 --> 04:31:02,200
call would occur? 
You could reference the sun's 

4659
04:31:02,200 --> 04:31:05,200
position but that is different, 
depending on where you are on 

4660
04:31:05,200 --> 04:31:08,800
Earth, you could say Tuesday, 
but when does Tuesday begin in 

4661
04:31:08,800 --> 04:31:12,300
each location. 
You could count days from some 

4662
04:31:12,300 --> 04:31:15,500
agreed upon starting point but 
you would need everyone to agree

4663
04:31:15,500 --> 04:31:17,800
on that point. 
First, this is the problem 

4664
04:31:17,800 --> 04:31:20,600
ancient cultures face when they 
came into contact with each 

4665
04:31:20,600 --> 04:31:23,600
other, Different calendars, 
meant different, temporal 

4666
04:31:23,600 --> 04:31:28,600
Frameworks trade, diplomacy and 
warfare all became more 

4667
04:31:28,600 --> 04:31:31,900
complicated when you could not 
even agree on what day it was. 

4668
04:31:32,800 --> 04:31:36,800
Today you can schedule a meeting
for March 15th at 3 in the 

4669
04:31:36,808 --> 04:31:41,500
afternoon and everyone knows 
exactly what you mean give or 

4670
04:31:41,500 --> 04:31:43,100
take time zone. 
Differences. 

4671
04:31:44,100 --> 04:31:47,000
This works, only because we have
all agreed to use the same 

4672
04:31:47,000 --> 04:31:51,000
calendar system for civil 
purposes. the coordination 

4673
04:31:51,000 --> 04:31:54,400
problem that played ancient 
civilization has been sold 

4674
04:31:54,400 --> 04:31:59,200
through standardization, But 
standardization came at a cost 

4675
04:31:59,200 --> 04:32:03,000
Regional calendars with their 
local variations and cultural 

4676
04:32:03,000 --> 04:32:05,700
significance have largely been 
pushed aside. 

4677
04:32:06,700 --> 04:32:09,500
The Chinese calendar is still 
used for traditional festivals 

4678
04:32:09,500 --> 04:32:13,000
but official government business
follows the Gregorian calendar. 

4679
04:32:13,900 --> 04:32:17,100
The Islamic calendar, determines
religious holidays, but 

4680
04:32:17,100 --> 04:32:20,100
international flights and 
business contracts, use Western 

4681
04:32:20,100 --> 04:32:23,300
dates. 
We gained coordination but lost 

4682
04:32:23,300 --> 04:32:26,600
diversity. 
Calendar systems developed by 

4683
04:32:26,600 --> 04:32:30,000
different cultures each 
represented unique solutions. 

4684
04:32:30,000 --> 04:32:31,600
To the problem of measuring 
time. 

4685
04:32:31,600 --> 04:32:36,100
They reflected local conditions 
cultural values and astronomical

4686
04:32:36,100 --> 04:32:39,200
priorities. 
Some emphasize lunar cycles. 

4687
04:32:39,200 --> 04:32:43,400
Others focused on solely years. 
A few tried to balance both. 

4688
04:32:44,200 --> 04:32:47,500
Some included ritual Cycles 
alongside astronomical ones. 

4689
04:32:48,300 --> 04:32:51,500
The Gregorian calendar won, not 
because it is objectively 

4690
04:32:51,500 --> 04:32:55,000
superior to all Alternatives, 
but because the cultures that 

4691
04:32:55,000 --> 04:32:57,900
used it became economically and 
politically dominant. 

4692
04:32:58,900 --> 04:33:02,000
When Europeans colonized much of
the world, they brought their 

4693
04:33:02,000 --> 04:33:05,500
calendar with them. 
Local populations had to adopt 

4694
04:33:05,500 --> 04:33:08,300
European dates for legal 
economic and administrative 

4695
04:33:08,300 --> 04:33:11,099
purposes. 
Even if they maintained 

4696
04:33:11,099 --> 04:33:13,800
traditional calendars for 
personal and religious use. 

4697
04:33:14,800 --> 04:33:17,800
This is how you ended up 
checking a Gregorian calendar on

4698
04:33:17,800 --> 04:33:21,700
your smartphone, while sitting 
in China, Brazil, Egypt or 

4699
04:33:21,700 --> 04:33:24,900
India. 
Calendar is functionally Western

4700
04:33:24,900 --> 04:33:28,599
but practically Universal. 
It is the temporal equivalent of

4701
04:33:28,599 --> 04:33:30,099
English as an international 
language. 

4702
04:33:30,900 --> 04:33:34,400
Not necessarily better than 
Alternatives but widespread 

4703
04:33:34,400 --> 04:33:38,099
enough to be useful everywhere. 
Step outside on a clear night. 

4704
04:33:38,099 --> 04:33:40,900
Give your eyes time to adjust to
the darkness. 

4705
04:33:40,900 --> 04:33:44,200
Look up. 
You're seeing almost exactly 

4706
04:33:44,200 --> 04:33:46,099
what people saw, 10,000 years 
ago. 

4707
04:33:47,099 --> 04:33:50,099
The stars of moved slightly due 
to the precession of Earth's 

4708
04:33:50,099 --> 04:33:55,000
axis, but the overall pattern 
remains recognizable, the same 

4709
04:33:55,000 --> 04:34:00,500
constellations wheel overhead. 
The moon waxes and wanes, the 

4710
04:34:00,500 --> 04:34:04,599
planets wander against the 
background of fixed Stars, every

4711
04:34:04,599 --> 04:34:07,400
person who has ever lived as 
looked up at this same sky. 

4712
04:34:08,700 --> 04:34:12,000
The Babylonian astronomer 
recording observations on Clay 

4713
04:34:12,000 --> 04:34:15,500
tabs or the Stars. 
The Egyptian farmer watching for

4714
04:34:15,500 --> 04:34:17,599
the heliacal rising of serious 
saw. 

4715
04:34:17,599 --> 04:34:21,599
This Moon, the mayor astronomer 
calculating Venus's orbit saw 

4716
04:34:21,599 --> 04:34:24,000
these planets. 
They did not understand what 

4717
04:34:24,000 --> 04:34:25,300
they were looking at the way you
do. 

4718
04:34:25,300 --> 04:34:29,000
They did not know about nuclear 
fusion or gravitational Dynamics

4719
04:34:29,000 --> 04:34:32,800
or electro-magnetic radiation. 
They did not know that light 

4720
04:34:32,800 --> 04:34:36,500
from distant Stars takes years 
or centuries to reach Earth. 

4721
04:34:36,500 --> 04:34:39,900
They did not understand that 
they were seeing the past every 

4722
04:34:39,900 --> 04:34:41,300
time they looked at the night 
sky. 

4723
04:34:42,099 --> 04:34:45,000
But they paid attention, they 
watched carefully. 

4724
04:34:45,000 --> 04:34:49,900
They noticed patterns. 
They recorded observations, they

4725
04:34:49,900 --> 04:34:52,099
developed systems to explain 
what they saw. 

4726
04:34:52,099 --> 04:34:56,200
And those systems worked, well, 
enough to predict future 

4727
04:34:56,200 --> 04:34:59,200
astronomical events with 
remarkable accuracy. 

4728
04:34:59,200 --> 04:35:02,599
The calendar you use daily is 
built on their work. 

4729
04:35:03,200 --> 04:35:07,099
The seven-day week the 12-month 
year the concept of leap years 

4730
04:35:07,099 --> 04:35:10,800
the division of day into 24 
hours, all of these structures 

4731
04:35:10,800 --> 04:35:13,800
emerged from ancient, 
astronomical observation. 

4732
04:35:14,400 --> 04:35:18,200
They were refined over Millennia
adjusted by countless cultures 

4733
04:35:18,200 --> 04:35:21,200
and eventually standardized into
the system. 

4734
04:35:21,200 --> 04:35:24,900
You now take for granted. 
You're using tools created by 

4735
04:35:24,908 --> 04:35:27,300
people who have been dead for 
thousands of years. 

4736
04:35:28,300 --> 04:35:31,300
Every time you check the date, 
your participating in a 

4737
04:35:31,300 --> 04:35:34,000
tradition that stretches back to
the very beginning of 

4738
04:35:34,000 --> 04:35:38,200
civilization. the calendars, one
of Humanity's oldest 

4739
04:35:38,200 --> 04:35:42,400
collaborative projects, and it 
is still ongoing Astronomers 

4740
04:35:42,400 --> 04:35:44,099
continued to refine their 
measurements. 

4741
04:35:44,099 --> 04:35:48,300
They track slight variations in 
Earth's rotation, in monitor, 

4742
04:35:48,300 --> 04:35:51,599
the procession of the axis, they
calculate leap second to keep 

4743
04:35:51,599 --> 04:35:54,800
atomic clocks synchronized with 
Earth, actual rotation. 

4744
04:35:55,700 --> 04:35:58,500
Calendar is not finished. 
It is not perfect. 

4745
04:35:58,500 --> 04:36:02,000
It will continue to be adjusted 
as our measurements become more 

4746
04:36:02,000 --> 04:36:06,800
precise. but the fundamental 
Insight remains unchanged by 

4747
04:36:06,800 --> 04:36:10,800
watching the sky carefully by 
recording, what we see by 

4748
04:36:10,800 --> 04:36:14,200
looking for patterns in a parent
Randomness, we can understand 

4749
04:36:14,200 --> 04:36:18,500
the rhythms of the cosmos We can
predict the future at least in 

4750
04:36:18,500 --> 04:36:23,200
this limited astronomical sense.
We can measure time, organize 

4751
04:36:23,200 --> 04:36:25,700
our lives around that 
measurement and coordinate with 

4752
04:36:25,700 --> 04:36:28,300
others using shared temporal 
Frameworks. 

4753
04:36:29,000 --> 04:36:32,599
This is what the ancient 
stargazers gave us, not just a 

4754
04:36:32,599 --> 04:36:35,800
calendar, but a way of 
approaching the unknown, not 

4755
04:36:35,800 --> 04:36:39,500
just dates and months, but a 
methodology for finding all 

4756
04:36:39,500 --> 04:36:42,700
order and complexity, not just 
seasonal markers. 

4757
04:36:42,700 --> 04:36:46,400
But comforters that the Universe
follows rules, we can discover 

4758
04:36:46,400 --> 04:36:50,400
if we are patient and observant 
enough, the next time you glance

4759
04:36:50,400 --> 04:36:53,099
at a calendar, remember that. 
You are looking at one of 

4760
04:36:53,099 --> 04:36:54,700
Humanity's greatest 
achievements. 

4761
04:36:55,900 --> 04:36:58,300
Those 12 boxes filled with 
numbers, represent. 

4762
04:36:58,300 --> 04:37:01,900
Thousands of years of careful 
observation, mathematical 

4763
04:37:01,900 --> 04:37:06,599
calculation and collaborative 
refinement. every culture that 

4764
04:37:06,599 --> 04:37:09,900
developed astronomical knowledge
contributed, something to the 

4765
04:37:09,900 --> 04:37:13,500
system, you now use without 
thinking, The ancient 

4766
04:37:13,500 --> 04:37:16,000
astronomers would be pleased, 
perhaps to know their work 

4767
04:37:16,000 --> 04:37:19,599
continues, they would recognize 
what you are doing, even if they

4768
04:37:19,599 --> 04:37:21,400
would be baffled by how you do 
it. 

4769
04:37:22,099 --> 04:37:25,000
They would understand that you 
are still in your own way, 

4770
04:37:25,000 --> 04:37:28,000
trying to make sense of time and
organize your life around 

4771
04:37:28,000 --> 04:37:31,599
Celestial cycles and they might 
encourage you to occasionally 

4772
04:37:31,599 --> 04:37:34,000
look up. 
To see the moon with your own 

4773
04:37:34,000 --> 04:37:38,300
eyes rather than, as an icon, on
a screen to watch the sun set 

4774
04:37:38,300 --> 04:37:40,099
and Mark, where it touches the 
horizon. 

4775
04:37:40,900 --> 04:37:44,099
To find a truly dark place and 
see the Milky Way, stretching 

4776
04:37:44,099 --> 04:37:47,800
overhead like it did for them. 
Because the sky is still there. 

4777
04:37:47,800 --> 04:37:52,300
The patterns still exist, the 
Cycles can continue, the 

4778
04:37:52,300 --> 04:37:54,700
calendar works because the 
cosmos is reliable. 

4779
04:37:54,700 --> 04:37:58,800
The sun will rise tomorrow, the 
moon will complete its phases. 

4780
04:37:58,800 --> 04:38:02,300
The seasons will turn these 
things will happen regardless of

4781
04:38:02,300 --> 04:38:06,000
whether you notice them, but no 
noticing them, understanding 

4782
04:38:06,000 --> 04:38:09,099
them. 
Tracking them, that is what made

4783
04:38:09,099 --> 04:38:13,000
us human in a new way. 
That is what transformed us from

4784
04:38:13,000 --> 04:38:16,900
creatures who merely experience 
time into creatures, who could 

4785
04:38:16,900 --> 04:38:21,500
measure it predict it and shape 
our lives around it. 

4786
04:38:22,800 --> 04:38:25,500
The ancient stargazers started 
something remarkable when they 

4787
04:38:25,500 --> 04:38:28,099
first scratched marks on Bones 
to track the Moon. 

4788
04:38:29,000 --> 04:38:32,599
They began a process that has 
continued unbroken for 30,000 

4789
04:38:32,599 --> 04:38:34,800
years. 
You are part of that process 

4790
04:38:34,800 --> 04:38:38,599
now. every time you make an 
appointment for next week or 

4791
04:38:38,599 --> 04:38:42,000
plan a vacation for next summer 
your exercising, a cognitive 

4792
04:38:42,000 --> 04:38:45,800
capacity that those early 
observers helped develop They 

4793
04:38:45,800 --> 04:38:49,900
looked up at the night sky and 
saw the future not in a mystical

4794
04:38:49,900 --> 04:38:52,300
sense. 
But in the Practical realization

4795
04:38:52,300 --> 04:38:55,900
that Celestial patterns could be
used to anticipate Earthly 

4796
04:38:55,900 --> 04:38:58,900
events. 
They saw that the cosmos follows

4797
04:38:58,900 --> 04:39:01,000
rules. 
They worked out some of those 

4798
04:39:01,000 --> 04:39:03,000
rules. 
They passed that knowledge 

4799
04:39:03,000 --> 04:39:06,599
forward through generations. 
And now you carry, that 

4800
04:39:06,599 --> 04:39:10,000
knowledge in your pocket, 
displayed on a screen reduced to

4801
04:39:10,000 --> 04:39:13,800
a grid of numbers that tells you
exactly where you are in the 

4802
04:39:13,800 --> 04:39:16,300
Eternal cycle of days and months
and years. 

4803
04:39:17,300 --> 04:39:19,400
The ancient astronomers would 
call that magic. 

4804
04:39:19,400 --> 04:39:23,500
We call it a calendar. 
Both descriptions are true 

4805
04:39:23,500 --> 04:39:26,700
sleep. 
Well, the sun will rise tomorrow

4806
04:39:26,700 --> 04:39:28,800
just as it always has right on 
schedule. 

4807
04:39:29,700 --> 04:39:32,400
We know because someone 
somewhere is keeping track. 

4808
04:39:41,400 --> 04:39:44,200
Imagine picking up a book. 
You have never seen before the 

4809
04:39:44,200 --> 04:39:47,300
cover is worn and supple the 
kind of surface that carries the

4810
04:39:47,300 --> 04:39:50,300
accumulated softness of many 
Hands Across many years. 

4811
04:39:51,200 --> 04:39:54,800
The spine curve slightly the way
old books curve when they have 

4812
04:39:54,800 --> 04:39:57,500
been opened and closed more 
times than anyone thought to 

4813
04:39:57,500 --> 04:40:00,900
count you turn it over. 
There is no title on the front, 

4814
04:40:00,900 --> 04:40:03,600
there is no author's. 
Name on the back, there is 

4815
04:40:03,600 --> 04:40:06,000
nothing on the outside at all to
tell you what you are holding, 

4816
04:40:06,000 --> 04:40:09,200
which is already unusual and 
already interesting in the 

4817
04:40:09,208 --> 04:40:11,700
specific way. 
That a locked box without a key 

4818
04:40:11,708 --> 04:40:13,800
is interesting, when you find it
on a table. 

4819
04:40:13,800 --> 04:40:16,500
So you open it. 
The first thing you notice is 

4820
04:40:16,500 --> 04:40:19,100
the smell old. 
Vellum has a particular scent. 

4821
04:40:19,100 --> 04:40:21,500
Something between dried Autumn 
Leaves and the interior of a 

4822
04:40:21,500 --> 04:40:25,200
wooden chest that has been 
sitting in a cool undisturbed 

4823
04:40:25,200 --> 04:40:28,800
room for a very long time. 
It is not an unpleasant smell, 

4824
04:40:28,800 --> 04:40:33,000
it is the smell of age, which is
a different thing entirely from 

4825
04:40:33,000 --> 04:40:35,600
the smell of Decay. 
Something here is endured 

4826
04:40:35,600 --> 04:40:39,100
genuinely and stubbornly. 
Endured, you can sense that 

4827
04:40:39,100 --> 04:40:41,100
before you have even looked at a
single word. 

4828
04:40:41,900 --> 04:40:44,900
Before your eyes of focused on a
single mark on a single page, 

4829
04:40:44,900 --> 04:40:49,100
then you look at the words. 
They are written in Browning in 

4830
04:40:49,100 --> 04:40:52,500
a neat and flowing hand, and 
they arrange themselves across 

4831
04:40:52,500 --> 04:40:55,200
the page with the ease and 
confidence of language that 

4832
04:40:55,200 --> 04:40:58,700
knows where it is going. 
There are letters or at least 

4833
04:40:58,708 --> 04:41:02,100
shapes that function as letters.
There are spaces between groups 

4834
04:41:02,100 --> 04:41:04,700
of those shapes. 
The same way words have spaces 

4835
04:41:04,700 --> 04:41:07,400
between them, there are a lot of
peer to be sentences and 

4836
04:41:07,400 --> 04:41:09,500
paragraphs a general settled 
sense. 

4837
04:41:09,500 --> 04:41:11,700
That someone sat down a very 
long time ago. 

4838
04:41:11,700 --> 04:41:15,200
With something genuinely 
important to say and said it 

4839
04:41:15,200 --> 04:41:18,600
methodically and without 
apparent hurry across page after

4840
04:41:18,600 --> 04:41:22,900
page of carefully ruled vellum, 
The problem is that not one of 

4841
04:41:22,908 --> 04:41:24,900
these letters. 
Matches any alphabet you have 

4842
04:41:24,908 --> 04:41:29,900
ever seen, not Latin, not Greek,
not Arabic not Hebrew. 

4843
04:41:29,900 --> 04:41:32,600
Not any of the hundreds of 
historical scripts that 

4844
04:41:32,600 --> 04:41:35,300
Specialists carry in their 
heads, alongside the more 

4845
04:41:35,308 --> 04:41:39,200
ordinary contents of daily life?
Characters are their own 

4846
04:41:39,200 --> 04:41:43,100
invention entirely looping and 
deliberate consistent across 

4847
04:41:43,100 --> 04:41:47,200
every single page, precise 
without being stiff unhurried, 

4848
04:41:47,200 --> 04:41:50,200
without being loose. 
They look like language the way 

4849
04:41:50,200 --> 04:41:53,500
of very convincing dream. 
Looks like reality familiar 

4850
04:41:53,500 --> 04:41:56,900
enough instruction to see almost
legible strange enough in 

4851
04:41:56,900 --> 04:42:00,300
substance to stay permanently 
Out Of Reach, you flip forward 

4852
04:42:00,300 --> 04:42:02,600
through the pages. 
Hoping that context will 

4853
04:42:02,600 --> 04:42:06,400
gradually produce, meaning it 
does not produce meaning what it

4854
04:42:06,400 --> 04:42:09,700
produces instead are the 
illustration, The Voynich 

4855
04:42:09,700 --> 04:42:13,000
manuscript is not simply a text.
It is a heavily Illustrated 

4856
04:42:13,000 --> 04:42:16,400
document and the illustrations 
are in their own quiet way. 

4857
04:42:16,400 --> 04:42:19,000
As remarkable as the script 
accompanying them. 

4858
04:42:19,700 --> 04:42:23,100
The first large section of the 
book is devoted to plants dozens

4859
04:42:23,100 --> 04:42:26,600
and dozens of plants rendered 
with genuine care and Botanical,

4860
04:42:26,600 --> 04:42:30,800
attention roots, and stems, and 
leaves and sometimes what appear

4861
04:42:30,800 --> 04:42:34,400
to be seed pods or flowers drawn
by a hand, that clearly 

4862
04:42:34,400 --> 04:42:37,700
understood something about 
depicting living things. the 

4863
04:42:37,700 --> 04:42:40,900
proportions are observed, the 
structural details of specific, 

4864
04:42:40,900 --> 04:42:45,300
The Roots, reach downward with 
purpose, Someone was depicting 

4865
04:42:45,300 --> 04:42:48,000
something they had looked at 
carefully or at least something 

4866
04:42:48,000 --> 04:42:51,200
they had imagined looking at 
carefully, which turns out to be

4867
04:42:51,208 --> 04:42:55,200
a meaningful thing. 
The problem and this is where 

4868
04:42:55,200 --> 04:42:58,400
the politely strange tips over 
into the genuinely unsettling, 

4869
04:42:58,400 --> 04:43:00,700
is that these plants do not 
exist. 

4870
04:43:01,800 --> 04:43:04,600
Not one of the major Botanical 
species Illustrated in. 

4871
04:43:04,600 --> 04:43:07,300
The Voynich manuscript has been 
convincingly matched to any 

4872
04:43:07,300 --> 04:43:10,200
plant that grows or has grown in
the natural world. 

4873
04:43:11,200 --> 04:43:14,400
Some of the illustrations are 
closed, you can squint at a page

4874
04:43:14,400 --> 04:43:16,800
and think yes. 
That is almost certainly related

4875
04:43:16,800 --> 04:43:19,600
to Something in the mint family 
or possibly the carrot family 

4876
04:43:19,600 --> 04:43:23,600
and then the root system begins 
and the root system is wrong in 

4877
04:43:23,600 --> 04:43:26,800
a way that feels deliberate 
rather than accidental the route

4878
04:43:26,800 --> 04:43:30,100
spiral in a Arrangements that no
root has ever made in recorded 

4879
04:43:30,100 --> 04:43:32,800
bottomley. 
The leaf branching follows 

4880
04:43:32,800 --> 04:43:36,300
patterns that real leaves do not
follow not because the artist 

4881
04:43:36,300 --> 04:43:38,900
lacked skill but because the 
artist appears to have been 

4882
04:43:38,908 --> 04:43:41,800
depicting a plant from a world 
that runs on nearly the same 

4883
04:43:41,800 --> 04:43:45,200
rules as ours but with small and
specific differences that were 

4884
04:43:45,200 --> 04:43:48,100
introduced on purpose. 
They are plants from somewhere 

4885
04:43:48,100 --> 04:43:50,600
else, somewhere. 
Not too far away but 

4886
04:43:50,600 --> 04:43:53,400
definitively not here. 
There are also what appear to be

4887
04:43:53,408 --> 04:43:57,800
cosmological or astronomical? 
Diagrams, large circular designs

4888
04:43:57,800 --> 04:44:00,900
concentric Rings. 
Radial markings along the outer 

4889
04:44:00,900 --> 04:44:02,900
edges. 
What might be symbols for 

4890
04:44:02,900 --> 04:44:05,700
celestial bodies? 
What might be a schematic? 

4891
04:44:05,700 --> 04:44:07,900
Representation of a cosmological
system? 

4892
04:44:07,900 --> 04:44:10,500
Known curriculum has ever 
taught. 

4893
04:44:11,600 --> 04:44:14,700
These diagrams have an 
instructional quality, they look

4894
04:44:14,700 --> 04:44:18,100
like figures from a scientific 
text intended to illustrate to 

4895
04:44:18,100 --> 04:44:20,000
system. 
The reader is expected to study 

4896
04:44:20,000 --> 04:44:23,700
and apply They are organized 
with the seriousness of someone 

4897
04:44:23,700 --> 04:44:26,500
who considers the information in
the important and wants it to be

4898
04:44:26,500 --> 04:44:29,400
correctly. 
Understood and then in a section

4899
04:44:29,400 --> 04:44:32,000
that researchers have taken to 
calling the balcony illogical 

4900
04:44:32,000 --> 04:44:35,200
section, which is simply the 
formal scholarly term for the 

4901
04:44:35,200 --> 04:44:37,800
bathing section. 
There are small human figures, 

4902
04:44:37,800 --> 04:44:40,800
they appear to be women. 
They are depicted without 

4903
04:44:40,800 --> 04:44:43,600
clothing which sounds alarming. 
But carries approximately the 

4904
04:44:43,600 --> 04:44:46,700
same erotic atmosphere as a 
diagram of Municipal Plumbing 

4905
04:44:46,700 --> 04:44:51,200
which is to say none at all. 
They float in pools connected by

4906
04:44:51,200 --> 04:44:53,600
tubing. 
They stand in circular tubs. 

4907
04:44:53,600 --> 04:44:56,800
They are carried Along by what 
might be water or might be 

4908
04:44:56,800 --> 04:44:58,900
something conceptually adjacent 
to water. 

4909
04:44:59,700 --> 04:45:02,500
They have the calm undisturbed 
expressions of people who are 

4910
04:45:02,500 --> 04:45:06,400
completely at ease and entirely 
unbothered by the fact that six 

4911
04:45:06,400 --> 04:45:08,500
centuries of Scholars. 
Will eventually spend 

4912
04:45:08,500 --> 04:45:11,800
considerable professional time 
staring at them and failing to 

4913
04:45:11,800 --> 04:45:15,200
understand what they are doing. 
Good for them, honestly. 

4914
04:45:16,300 --> 04:45:20,200
The manuscript is approximately 
240 pages long though. 

4915
04:45:20,200 --> 04:45:22,700
There are gaps where Pages 
appear to have gone missing at 

4916
04:45:22,700 --> 04:45:24,700
some point in its Long Journey 
Through Time. 

4917
04:45:25,600 --> 04:45:28,600
The pages that remain. 
A Vellum made from animal skin. 

4918
04:45:28,600 --> 04:45:32,600
Almost certainly calf. 
Vellum prepared carefully has a 

4919
04:45:32,600 --> 04:45:36,900
slight translucency, a quality 
of refined thinness and the 

4920
04:45:36,900 --> 04:45:39,600
voyage manuscripts Pages, carry 
this quality. 

4921
04:45:40,400 --> 04:45:42,800
Someone knew what good Vellum 
felt like and made sure they 

4922
04:45:42,800 --> 04:45:45,900
were working with it. 
The text is organized into 

4923
04:45:45,900 --> 04:45:49,000
distinct sections each with its 
own visual character. 

4924
04:45:49,000 --> 04:45:53,600
The Botanical section with those
remarkable invented plants, the 

4925
04:45:53,600 --> 04:45:56,300
cosmological section with its 
concentric diagrams. 

4926
04:45:56,300 --> 04:45:59,600
The Bounty illogical section 
with its contented, bathing 

4927
04:45:59,600 --> 04:46:02,100
figures, then a section 
sometimes called the 

4928
04:46:02,100 --> 04:46:05,100
pharmaceutical section, which 
contains drawings of small 

4929
04:46:05,100 --> 04:46:07,900
containers and vessels alongside
what appear to be selected 

4930
04:46:07,900 --> 04:46:10,900
portions of plant material as if
someone were cataloging 

4931
04:46:10,900 --> 04:46:14,200
ingredients with care. 
And finally, a section of dense 

4932
04:46:14,200 --> 04:46:18,300
text alone paragraph after 
paragraph uninterrupted, by 

4933
04:46:18,300 --> 04:46:21,600
illustration, with small 
decorative star, shapes marked 

4934
04:46:21,600 --> 04:46:24,400
in the margins, at regular 
intervals, like, careful, 

4935
04:46:24,400 --> 04:46:27,400
notation in a document, where 
someone needed to locate certain

4936
04:46:27,400 --> 04:46:31,200
passages quickly. 
A list of what, no one has been 

4937
04:46:31,200 --> 04:46:34,100
able to establish. 
What strikes, almost every 

4938
04:46:34,100 --> 04:46:37,200
person who looks at this book 
carefully even before they have 

4939
04:46:37,200 --> 04:46:39,700
any knowledge of its history or 
the efforts made to understand, 

4940
04:46:39,700 --> 04:46:44,100
it is the sense of genuine 
purpose, IT projects, this is 

4941
04:46:44,100 --> 04:46:47,200
not a decorative book. 
There is no gold leaf along the 

4942
04:46:47,200 --> 04:46:49,100
margins. 
There is no elaborate 

4943
04:46:49,100 --> 04:46:52,400
illuminated Capital at the start
of each section of the kind that

4944
04:46:52,400 --> 04:46:54,100
monastic. 
Scribes used to turn the 

4945
04:46:54,100 --> 04:46:56,700
beginning of a chapter into a 
small piece of art. 

4946
04:46:57,600 --> 04:46:59,700
The illustrations are careful 
but functional. 

4947
04:46:59,700 --> 04:47:03,200
The writing is even and 
businesslike, whoever made this 

4948
04:47:03,200 --> 04:47:05,700
book was not trying to impress 
anyone with its appearance. 

4949
04:47:05,700 --> 04:47:08,800
They were trying to transmit 
something, whether that's 

4950
04:47:08,800 --> 04:47:12,300
something is real information 
encoded in an unknown system or 

4951
04:47:12,300 --> 04:47:15,000
a brilliant and elaborate 
performance of information is 

4952
04:47:15,000 --> 04:47:17,600
the question that is occupied 
more professional and amateur 

4953
04:47:17,600 --> 04:47:20,700
attention than almost any other 
unresolved puzzle in the history

4954
04:47:20,700 --> 04:47:23,800
of writing. 
Linguists have devoted careers 

4955
04:47:23,800 --> 04:47:25,900
to it. 
Cryptographers have applied 

4956
04:47:25,900 --> 04:47:29,400
wartime intelligence methods to 
it computer scientists have, run

4957
04:47:29,408 --> 04:47:32,800
machine learning models on it. 
Historians have traced every 

4958
04:47:32,800 --> 04:47:35,500
lead through archives across a 
dozen European countries. 

4959
04:47:35,500 --> 04:47:38,800
None of them have cracked it. 
All of them found it interesting

4960
04:47:38,800 --> 04:47:42,000
enough to keep going. 
There is also something worth 

4961
04:47:42,000 --> 04:47:45,600
noting about the scale of the 
thing. 240 pages. 

4962
04:47:45,600 --> 04:47:48,600
From edge to edge is not a 
casual production. 

4963
04:47:48,600 --> 04:47:52,900
It is not a weekend project or a
brief experiment, it is months 

4964
04:47:52,900 --> 04:47:56,700
of work, possibly longer it. 
Implies a commitment to the task

4965
04:47:56,700 --> 04:47:59,800
and a sustained sense of purpose
that you can feel even before 

4966
04:47:59,800 --> 04:48:03,600
you can explain it, whoever sat 
down to make this book sat down 

4967
04:48:03,600 --> 04:48:07,300
with the intention of finishing 
it and they did fit it which is 

4968
04:48:07,300 --> 04:48:10,300
more than can be said for most 
ambitious projects undertaken by

4969
04:48:10,300 --> 04:48:15,400
most human beings across any 
period of History The writing is

4970
04:48:15,408 --> 04:48:18,300
also notably beautiful. 
In the specific way that 

4971
04:48:18,300 --> 04:48:21,500
purposeful writing is beautiful,
rather than the way decorative 

4972
04:48:21,500 --> 04:48:24,400
writing is beautiful. 
There is no flourish for its own

4973
04:48:24,400 --> 04:48:28,200
sake, no curling terminal stroke
performed purely to demonstrate 

4974
04:48:28,200 --> 04:48:31,400
skill, the characters move 
across the page the way an 

4975
04:48:31,400 --> 04:48:34,700
experienced crafts person moves 
through their work with economy 

4976
04:48:34,700 --> 04:48:38,000
and Direction and a complete 
absence of the kind of visible 

4977
04:48:38,000 --> 04:48:39,500
effort. 
That marks, someone still 

4978
04:48:39,500 --> 04:48:42,000
learning what they are doing. 
Someone made this. 

4979
04:48:42,800 --> 04:48:44,800
Someone cared enough about it to
make it well. 

4980
04:48:45,400 --> 04:48:48,000
You however, are under no 
obligation to crack anything 

4981
04:48:48,000 --> 04:48:49,700
tonight, you're only here to 
look. 

4982
04:48:50,700 --> 04:48:53,400
Right. 
At its most fundamental is a 

4983
04:48:53,400 --> 04:48:57,400
technology for storing sound. 
You take the noise, a human 

4984
04:48:57,400 --> 04:48:59,400
mouth makes and you find a mark 
for it. 

4985
04:48:59,400 --> 04:49:02,400
And then you put the mark on a 
surface, that will Outlast the 

4986
04:49:02,400 --> 04:49:05,700
noise and suddenly the sound can
travel across distances that 

4987
04:49:05,700 --> 04:49:08,700
voices, cannot cover and, 
through stretches of time that 

4988
04:49:08,700 --> 04:49:11,400
voices cannot survive. 
That is the whole Arrangement, 

4989
04:49:11,400 --> 04:49:15,500
every writing system in human 
history, from cuneiform marks 

4990
04:49:15,500 --> 04:49:18,500
pressed into Sumerian clay, 
tablets to the letters, your 

4991
04:49:18,500 --> 04:49:21,800
eyes are moving across right now
is an attempt to do this same 

4992
04:49:21,800 --> 04:49:23,500
essential thing in a slightly 
different way. 

4993
04:49:23,500 --> 04:49:27,500
The Voynich script appears to 
understand this Arrangement, it 

4994
04:49:27,500 --> 04:49:29,600
behaves like a writing system 
from the outside. 

4995
04:49:29,600 --> 04:49:33,000
It has the Rhythm and the 
regularity of a writing system 

4996
04:49:33,000 --> 04:49:37,100
linguists and cryptographers who
have spent substantial portions 

4997
04:49:37,100 --> 04:49:40,100
of serious careers examining it 
arrived at a consistent early 

4998
04:49:40,100 --> 04:49:42,800
conclusion, which is that what 
ever this script is? 

4999
04:49:42,800 --> 04:49:45,900
It is not random. 
Something is operating 

5000
04:49:45,900 --> 04:49:47,800
underneath it? 
There are structures. 

5001
04:49:47,800 --> 04:49:50,800
There are patterns there are 
what look very much like 

5002
04:49:50,800 --> 04:49:54,900
grammatical regularities running
consistently across all 240 

5003
04:49:54,900 --> 04:49:57,600
Pages, as if rules exist and are
being followed. 

5004
04:49:57,600 --> 04:50:01,200
Even though those rules have not
been shared with us, this 

5005
04:50:01,200 --> 04:50:04,000
observation is either thrilling 
or maddening, depending on what 

5006
04:50:04,000 --> 04:50:06,100
you are hoping to find. 
When you sat down with the 

5007
04:50:06,100 --> 04:50:08,100
manuscript, the alphabet as 
best. 

5008
04:50:08,100 --> 04:50:11,300
As researchers have been able to
catalog, it contains somewhere 

5009
04:50:11,300 --> 04:50:15,000
between 20 and 30 distinct 
characters depending on which 

5010
04:50:15,000 --> 04:50:17,700
scholar you consult and how they
handle certain variants. 

5011
04:50:17,700 --> 04:50:21,400
That might be separate letters 
or might be contextual forms of 

5012
04:50:21,400 --> 04:50:23,600
the same letter. 
The kind of variation that 

5013
04:50:23,600 --> 04:50:25,900
appears in many historical 
scripts without causing 

5014
04:50:25,900 --> 04:50:30,200
confusion for fluent readers. 20
to 30 characters is a modest 

5015
04:50:30,200 --> 04:50:33,400
number on the smallest side, 
compared to many writing systems

5016
04:50:33,400 --> 04:50:36,900
which might suggest a language 
with a limited range of distinct

5017
04:50:36,900 --> 04:50:41,000
sounds or a highly efficient in 
coding method or any number of 

5018
04:50:41,008 --> 04:50:43,000
other things that remain open 
questions. 

5019
04:50:44,000 --> 04:50:46,900
The characters themselves around
it and fluid, they would not 

5020
04:50:46,900 --> 04:50:49,300
fight to trained hand. 
Writing them. 

5021
04:50:49,300 --> 04:50:52,100
If you were to take a pen and 
attempt to copy a page of the 

5022
04:50:52,100 --> 04:50:55,100
voyage script would feel 
natural, the shape fit, the 

5023
04:50:55,100 --> 04:50:58,200
motion of a hand moving across a
smooth surface in the way that 

5024
04:50:58,200 --> 04:51:01,400
well-developed writing systems, 
always do as though, they were 

5025
04:51:01,400 --> 04:51:04,900
arrived at through refinement, 
over time, rather than invented 

5026
04:51:04,900 --> 04:51:06,300
all at once on a single 
occasion. 

5027
04:51:07,700 --> 04:51:10,600
They feel practiced as if 
whoever made them had been 

5028
04:51:10,600 --> 04:51:13,000
making them for long enough that
the hand no longer thinks 

5029
04:51:13,000 --> 04:51:16,000
consciously about the shapes. 
It simply moves. 

5030
04:51:17,200 --> 04:51:19,700
One of the most striking 
qualities of the text visible 

5031
04:51:19,700 --> 04:51:22,300
immediately on any page is the 
near total absence of 

5032
04:51:22,308 --> 04:51:26,200
Corrections medieval manuscripts
were corrected monks and 

5033
04:51:26,200 --> 04:51:28,800
scriptoria made errors and 
scratch the mouth or wrote over 

5034
04:51:28,808 --> 04:51:31,400
them or added marginal notes. 
Indicating something had been 

5035
04:51:31,408 --> 04:51:32,400
caught. 
And addressed. 

5036
04:51:32,400 --> 04:51:35,100
The Voynich manuscript has 
almost none of this. 

5037
04:51:36,000 --> 04:51:38,800
The text moves across its Pages,
cleanly without the visible, 

5038
04:51:38,800 --> 04:51:41,700
hesitation and repairs that Mark
every other manuscript of 

5039
04:51:41,700 --> 04:51:43,100
comparable length from this 
period. 

5040
04:51:43,100 --> 04:51:46,100
The Scribe either never made 
errors which would be 

5041
04:51:46,100 --> 04:51:49,600
extraordinary by any standard of
human performance or worked from

5042
04:51:49,600 --> 04:51:52,900
a rough draft that no longer 
survives, which would itself be 

5043
04:51:52,900 --> 04:51:55,900
significant and interesting, 
what was producing texts through

5044
04:51:55,900 --> 04:51:59,100
some method that did not involve
the ordinary compositional 

5045
04:51:59,100 --> 04:52:00,700
uncertainty of original 
composition. 

5046
04:52:00,700 --> 04:52:04,000
Each of these possibilities 
points in a different direction,

5047
04:52:04,000 --> 04:52:06,800
none of them points clearly 
toward an answer. 

5048
04:52:06,800 --> 04:52:10,500
This is, as you may be noticing 
a recurring theme throughout the

5049
04:52:10,500 --> 04:52:14,100
evening, a researcher at Keel 
University named Gordon, rug 

5050
04:52:14,100 --> 04:52:18,100
spent considerable time in the 
early 2000s analyzing the 

5051
04:52:18,100 --> 04:52:21,700
statistical properties of the 
voyage, Tex with the specific 

5052
04:52:21,700 --> 04:52:25,000
goal of understanding whether 
those properties were consistent

5053
04:52:25,000 --> 04:52:28,200
with a natural human language or
with something constructed to 

5054
04:52:28,208 --> 04:52:32,100
resemble one, what he found was 
that word lengths and letter 

5055
04:52:32,100 --> 04:52:33,700
frequencies across the 
manuscript? 

5056
04:52:33,700 --> 04:52:36,500
Follow patterns, broadly 
similar, To those found in 

5057
04:52:36,508 --> 04:52:40,000
natural languages but with 
anomalies that do not appear in 

5058
04:52:40,000 --> 04:52:43,800
natural languages as reliably or
as consistently as they appear 

5059
04:52:43,800 --> 04:52:46,600
in the Voynich. 
Text certain word, forms appear 

5060
04:52:46,600 --> 04:52:49,600
with high frequency throughout 
others appear, only once or 

5061
04:52:49,600 --> 04:52:52,900
twice across all the pages. 
The relationship between word 

5062
04:52:52,900 --> 04:52:55,800
frequency and word length, 
follow something close to what 

5063
04:52:55,800 --> 04:52:59,900
linguists call Zip's law, a 
mathematical regularity found in

5064
04:52:59,900 --> 04:53:03,600
virtually, all natural languages
describing how the most common 

5065
04:53:03,600 --> 04:53:06,900
words in any language tend to be
very common and the rarest 

5066
04:53:06,900 --> 04:53:09,900
words, very rare with a 
predictable, curve across the 

5067
04:53:09,900 --> 04:53:12,200
middle. 
The Voynich text follows 

5068
04:53:12,200 --> 04:53:15,900
something like this law, but not
quite exactly close enough to 

5069
04:53:15,900 --> 04:53:19,200
suggest underlying structure. 
Not close enough to confirm. 

5070
04:53:19,200 --> 04:53:21,700
That the structure is the 
structure of natural human 

5071
04:53:21,700 --> 04:53:23,800
language. 
Specifically, there is something

5072
04:53:23,808 --> 04:53:27,000
else that researchers notice 
about the text something that 

5073
04:53:27,000 --> 04:53:29,600
takes a moment longer to 
articulate, but that feel 

5074
04:53:29,600 --> 04:53:31,600
significant once you have 
identified it. 

5075
04:53:32,400 --> 04:53:35,600
The vocabulary appears to shift 
meaningfully across sections, 

5076
04:53:35,600 --> 04:53:38,900
certain word forms that appear 
frequently in the Botanical 

5077
04:53:38,900 --> 04:53:41,800
section do not appear frequently
in the cosmological section. 

5078
04:53:42,700 --> 04:53:46,300
The dense final text section has
clusters of word forms that are 

5079
04:53:46,308 --> 04:53:48,200
relatively uncommon elsewhere in
the book. 

5080
04:53:48,200 --> 04:53:51,000
This is the pattern you 
encounter in a real reference 

5081
04:53:51,000 --> 04:53:54,200
work where the terminology 
appropriate to one subject 

5082
04:53:54,200 --> 04:53:57,500
differs from the terminology 
appropriate to another way. 

5083
04:53:57,500 --> 04:54:00,100
A book about medicine uses 
different language than a book 

5084
04:54:00,108 --> 04:54:03,400
about astronomy, even when both 
are written in the same script, 

5085
04:54:04,400 --> 04:54:06,800
This topical vocabulary 
clustering, could mean the 

5086
04:54:06,800 --> 04:54:10,700
Voynich text is a real organized
reference document with actual 

5087
04:54:10,700 --> 04:54:14,300
subject specific terminology 
waiting to be understood along 

5088
04:54:14,300 --> 04:54:16,700
with everything else. 
It could equally mean that 

5089
04:54:16,700 --> 04:54:18,900
whoever created it understood 
reference books. 

5090
04:54:18,900 --> 04:54:21,700
Well, enough to build this kind 
of topical variation into a 

5091
04:54:21,700 --> 04:54:25,100
fabrication because it is 
exactly the quality that makes a

5092
04:54:25,100 --> 04:54:27,400
false document convincing to 
educated readers. 

5093
04:54:28,100 --> 04:54:31,000
These two explanations look 
completely identical from the 

5094
04:54:31,000 --> 04:54:33,600
outside, you cannot separate 
them without reading. 

5095
04:54:33,600 --> 04:54:36,900
The text and reading the text is
precisely, the thing. 

5096
04:54:36,900 --> 04:54:40,400
No one has managed to do. 
One further quality of the 

5097
04:54:40,400 --> 04:54:42,900
script that is attracted. 
Consistent attention from 

5098
04:54:42,900 --> 04:54:45,500
information. 
Theorists is its entropy which 

5099
04:54:45,500 --> 04:54:48,200
refers in this context to the 
information density of the 

5100
04:54:48,200 --> 04:54:52,000
character sequence, a measure of
how much unpredictable variation

5101
04:54:52,000 --> 04:54:53,800
exists from one character to the
next. 

5102
04:54:54,700 --> 04:54:57,200
Natural language has a 
characteristic entropy range. 

5103
04:54:57,200 --> 04:55:02,000
Very repetitive text has lower 
entropy affectively random text 

5104
04:55:02,000 --> 04:55:05,200
has higher entropy. 
Natural language sits between 

5105
04:55:05,200 --> 04:55:07,800
them in a Range that is fairly 
consistent across different 

5106
04:55:07,800 --> 04:55:10,500
languages. 
The text tends to sit at the 

5107
04:55:10,508 --> 04:55:13,200
lower end of the natural 
language range meaning, it is 

5108
04:55:13,200 --> 04:55:15,500
slightly more repetitive than 
most natural languages. 

5109
04:55:16,400 --> 04:55:19,300
This might mean the underlying 
language has fewer distinct 

5110
04:55:19,300 --> 04:55:20,800
sounds than most human 
languages. 

5111
04:55:20,800 --> 04:55:24,400
It might mean the encoding 
method introduced controlled 

5112
04:55:24,400 --> 04:55:26,900
repetition. 
As a structural feature it might

5113
04:55:26,900 --> 04:55:29,200
mean something else entirely 
that has not yet been 

5114
04:55:29,200 --> 04:55:32,400
identified. 
What it does not mean according 

5115
04:55:32,400 --> 04:55:35,400
to the most careful researchers 
who have examined this question 

5116
04:55:35,400 --> 04:55:39,900
specifically is that the text is
Pure Noise, whatever it 

5117
04:55:39,900 --> 04:55:43,200
contains, it is not random, 
something was placed there with 

5118
04:55:43,200 --> 04:55:46,800
deliberate intention by someone 
who understood how structure 

5119
04:55:46,800 --> 04:55:48,600
works. 
And that's something has been 

5120
04:55:48,608 --> 04:55:51,300
waiting for another mine to 
recognize it for a very long 

5121
04:55:51,300 --> 04:55:53,400
time. 
The waiting has been 

5122
04:55:53,400 --> 04:55:57,800
extraordinarily patient. 600 
years of patients is by any 

5123
04:55:57,800 --> 04:56:01,000
standard you care to apply quite
a remarkable amount. 

5124
04:56:01,000 --> 04:56:04,300
There is one additional quality 
of the Voynich techs, that does 

5125
04:56:04,300 --> 04:56:07,300
not fit neatly into any of the 
Frameworks, researchers of tried

5126
04:56:07,300 --> 04:56:10,000
to apply to it. 
And that quality is its range. 

5127
04:56:10,000 --> 04:56:13,600
Real languages have words that 
appear in many different lengths

5128
04:56:13,600 --> 04:56:16,200
and shapes. 
They have short common particles

5129
04:56:16,200 --> 04:56:18,900
medium-length common nouns 
longer. 

5130
04:56:18,900 --> 04:56:23,100
Specialized terms, the text has 
its own distribution of word 

5131
04:56:23,100 --> 04:56:26,000
links and while this 
distribution roughly resembles, 

5132
04:56:26,000 --> 04:56:28,800
those found in natural 
languages, there are now owners 

5133
04:56:28,800 --> 04:56:30,900
to it. 
A sense that the vocabulary is 

5134
04:56:30,900 --> 04:56:34,100
operating within a tighter range
of forms than most natural 

5135
04:56:34,100 --> 04:56:37,300
languages, allow themselves, 
whether this narrow in US is a 

5136
04:56:37,308 --> 04:56:40,100
feature of the underlying 
language, a consequent of the 

5137
04:56:40,100 --> 04:56:43,700
encoding method or an artifact 
of the relatively limited Corpus

5138
04:56:43,700 --> 04:56:45,500
size researchers of not yet, 
agreed. 

5139
04:56:46,200 --> 04:56:49,800
What they do agree on returning 
to the one shared conclusion 

5140
04:56:49,800 --> 04:56:53,100
that has survived every 
challenge, is that the text was 

5141
04:56:53,100 --> 04:56:56,400
not produced carelessly. 
It was not scribbled, it was not

5142
04:56:56,400 --> 04:56:58,700
improvised. 
It was written by someone who 

5143
04:56:58,700 --> 04:57:01,800
had a clear model in mind. 
Whether that model was a natural

5144
04:57:01,800 --> 04:57:05,200
language, a philosophical 
language and encoded reference 

5145
04:57:05,200 --> 04:57:07,500
system or something else. 
Entirely that none of the 

5146
04:57:07,500 --> 04:57:11,300
current Frameworks adequately 
describe, Before anyone can 

5147
04:57:11,300 --> 04:57:14,200
argue productively about what 
the Voynich manuscript contains,

5148
04:57:14,200 --> 04:57:17,600
there is a more fundamental 
question to settle first which 

5149
04:57:17,600 --> 04:57:19,400
is how old the thing actually 
is. 

5150
04:57:20,500 --> 04:57:23,400
People argued about this without
rigorous tools for a long time, 

5151
04:57:23,400 --> 04:57:27,400
relying on careful, observation 
and learned comparison and 

5152
04:57:27,400 --> 04:57:29,600
careful of observation. 
Combined with learned comparison

5153
04:57:29,600 --> 04:57:32,800
turns out to produce a wide 
range of confident answers. 

5154
04:57:32,800 --> 04:57:36,000
That do not all agree with one 
another which is inconvenient 

5155
04:57:36,000 --> 04:57:39,400
but not surprising. 
For most of the 20th century, 

5156
04:57:39,400 --> 04:57:42,700
the dating rested on Paleo 
graphic and code analysis. 

5157
04:57:42,700 --> 04:57:46,900
Paleography specialists in 
historical, handwriting people 

5158
04:57:46,900 --> 04:57:49,300
who have trained themselves to 
recognize the period 

5159
04:57:49,300 --> 04:57:53,700
characteristics of letter forms 
and scribble conventions across 

5160
04:57:53,700 --> 04:57:55,900
centuries of European manuscript
production. 

5161
04:57:56,800 --> 04:58:00,400
To look at a page of handwriting
and say, with calibrated 

5162
04:58:00,400 --> 04:58:03,900
confidence, that this was 
produced around 1420 in Central.

5163
04:58:03,900 --> 04:58:06,800
Europe is a real and hard one 
skill. 

5164
04:58:07,700 --> 04:58:10,300
Code, ecologists, study the 
physical construction of books, 

5165
04:58:10,300 --> 04:58:13,400
the preparation of materials, 
and the methods by which 

5166
04:58:13,400 --> 04:58:16,400
manuscripts were assembled, from
loose sheets into bound objects.

5167
04:58:17,600 --> 04:58:20,200
Both groups looked at the 
Voynich manuscript and placed it

5168
04:58:20,200 --> 04:58:23,600
with reasonable confidence in 
the early to Middle 15th 

5169
04:58:23,600 --> 04:58:25,900
century. 
The character of The Script. 

5170
04:58:26,700 --> 04:58:28,400
Quality and preparation of the 
Vellum. 

5171
04:58:28,400 --> 04:58:31,500
The conventions of the page, 
layout, the style of the 

5172
04:58:31,500 --> 04:58:33,800
illustrations. 
All of these pointed towards 

5173
04:58:33,800 --> 04:58:37,000
Central Europe Somewhere In the 
period roughly between 1400 and 

5174
04:58:37,000 --> 04:58:39,600
14660. 
The problem was that these 

5175
04:58:39,600 --> 04:58:42,200
assessments. 
However, learned and carefully 

5176
04:58:42,200 --> 04:58:46,100
reasoned were ultimately 
arguments from resemblance, the 

5177
04:58:46,100 --> 04:58:48,900
manuscript looked like something
from a particular time and place

5178
04:58:48,900 --> 04:58:51,800
that is not the same as being 
from that time in place. 

5179
04:58:52,700 --> 04:58:55,200
Skilled forges have been 
preparing aged development and 

5180
04:58:55,200 --> 04:58:58,400
imitating historical scripts for
as long as a marketing existed 

5181
04:58:58,400 --> 04:59:01,700
for old manuscripts, and that 
market has existed for a very 

5182
04:59:01,708 --> 04:59:04,200
long time. 
The possibility that the 

5183
04:59:04,200 --> 04:59:06,300
manuscript was an elaborate 
later fabrication. 

5184
04:59:06,300 --> 04:59:09,600
Sat alongside every other open 
question quietly and 

5185
04:59:09,600 --> 04:59:12,600
persistently like a small pebble
in a shoe that you keep 

5186
04:59:12,600 --> 04:59:14,400
forgetting about until you take 
a step. 

5187
04:59:15,200 --> 04:59:18,200
Then radiocarbon dating became 
precise enough to settle the 

5188
04:59:18,200 --> 04:59:21,200
question of the physical 
material in 2009. 

5189
04:59:21,200 --> 04:59:24,400
Researchers from the University 
of Arizona, took small samples 

5190
04:59:24,400 --> 04:59:27,700
from four separate locations, 
within the manuscript Vellum, 

5191
04:59:27,700 --> 04:59:29,600
and subjected them to 
accelerate. 

5192
04:59:29,600 --> 04:59:32,800
A mass spectrometry, a technique
that measures the ratio of 

5193
04:59:32,800 --> 04:59:35,400
carbon Isotopes. 
Inorganic material to determine 

5194
04:59:35,400 --> 04:59:37,200
when the organism from which the
material was. 

5195
04:59:37,200 --> 04:59:39,900
Derived was alive. 
The results were published in 

5196
04:59:39,900 --> 04:59:44,200
2011, the Vellum, the analysis 
confirmed with a high degree of 

5197
04:59:44,200 --> 04:59:46,800
statistical. 
Confidence came from animals, 

5198
04:59:46,800 --> 04:59:50,000
that lived and died between 1404
and 1438. 

5199
04:59:50,800 --> 04:59:53,400
The range reflects the natural 
variation inherent in 

5200
04:59:53,400 --> 04:59:57,300
radiocarbon analysis that the 
center of that range sits firmly

5201
04:59:57,300 --> 05:00:00,100
in the early 15th century and 
the outer boundaries of the 

5202
05:00:00,100 --> 05:00:02,100
range. 
Do not come close to any era in 

5203
05:00:02,100 --> 05:00:05,500
which modern fabrication for a 
20th century audience would be a

5204
05:00:05,500 --> 05:00:08,600
plausible motive. 
No one working in the 20th 

5205
05:00:08,600 --> 05:00:11,300
century was using Vellum 
produced from cars that grazed 

5206
05:00:11,300 --> 05:00:14,100
during the reign of Henry, the 
5th of England, the physical 

5207
05:00:14,100 --> 05:00:16,600
material of the manuscript is 
genuinely medieval. 

5208
05:00:16,600 --> 05:00:21,000
This was significant, it did not
answer the main questions, but 

5209
05:00:21,000 --> 05:00:24,000
it removed one large category of
explanation from serious 

5210
05:00:24,000 --> 05:00:26,700
consideration. 
And let's subsequent discussions

5211
05:00:26,700 --> 05:00:29,900
proceed on firmer footing, the 
inks required separate 

5212
05:00:29,900 --> 05:00:33,200
investigation. 
Firm called macron Associates, 

5213
05:00:33,200 --> 05:00:36,500
which specializes in the 
microscopic materials analysis 

5214
05:00:36,500 --> 05:00:40,000
of historical objects and which 
sounds like exactly the kind of 

5215
05:00:40,000 --> 05:00:42,800
organization that would 
eventually end up examining the 

5216
05:00:42,800 --> 05:00:46,800
Voynich manuscript, studied the 
inks in the 1990s, their 

5217
05:00:46,800 --> 05:00:49,600
analysis found them consistent 
with medieval preparation 

5218
05:00:49,600 --> 05:00:53,700
methods carbon-based and iron. 
Goal-based compounds of the 

5219
05:00:53,700 --> 05:00:57,100
kinds routinely used in European
manuscript production During the

5220
05:00:57,100 --> 05:00:59,900
period. 
The Vellum date suggests No 

5221
05:00:59,900 --> 05:01:02,400
modern synthetic compounds 
appeared in the samples. 

5222
05:01:02,400 --> 05:01:05,500
No materials were identified. 
That would indicate later 

5223
05:01:05,500 --> 05:01:07,500
alteration or addition to the 
text itself. 

5224
05:01:07,500 --> 05:01:09,900
The pigments used in the 
illustrations. 

5225
05:01:09,900 --> 05:01:12,700
Offered another layer of 
physical evidence, they appear 

5226
05:01:12,700 --> 05:01:16,100
in several sections of the 
manuscript to have been applied 

5227
05:01:16,100 --> 05:01:18,200
after the ink. 
Text was already dry on the page

5228
05:01:18,200 --> 05:01:21,400
indicating that the writing and 
the coloring were not completed 

5229
05:01:21,400 --> 05:01:24,900
in the same session. 
Someone wrote first allowed the 

5230
05:01:24,900 --> 05:01:27,100
ink to set and then returned to 
add color. 

5231
05:01:28,100 --> 05:01:30,800
The pigments are modest and 
consistent with a 15th century 

5232
05:01:30,800 --> 05:01:34,400
European working palette, a 
muted blue green in portion of 

5233
05:01:34,400 --> 05:01:36,900
the Botanical section A brownish
red. 

5234
05:01:36,900 --> 05:01:40,400
Elsewhere, a restrained yellow 
in certain cosmological 

5235
05:01:40,400 --> 05:01:43,100
diagrams. 
None of these colors is 

5236
05:01:43,100 --> 05:01:45,100
extravagant or unusual for the 
period. 

5237
05:01:45,100 --> 05:01:48,300
The coloring was applied with 
practical intent rather than 

5238
05:01:48,300 --> 05:01:51,300
decorative ambition which is 
consistent with everything else 

5239
05:01:51,300 --> 05:01:54,600
about the book. 
Yale University is boneka rare 

5240
05:01:54,600 --> 05:01:57,300
book and manuscript library has 
been the manuscripts 

5241
05:01:57,300 --> 05:02:01,500
institutional home since 1969. 
And it is a worthy home by any 

5242
05:02:01,500 --> 05:02:03,500
measure. 
The bennets is one of the great 

5243
05:02:03,500 --> 05:02:05,900
repositories for rare books and 
manuscripts in the world. 

5244
05:02:05,900 --> 05:02:09,700
Housed in a building on Yale 
central campus whose exterior 

5245
05:02:09,700 --> 05:02:12,400
walls are constructed from 
translucent marble panels. 

5246
05:02:12,400 --> 05:02:15,800
Thin enough to filter natural 
light into the reading room in a

5247
05:02:15,800 --> 05:02:18,100
way that makes the space feel 
perpetually and softly 

5248
05:02:18,100 --> 05:02:21,000
illuminated from within. 
As if the building itself 

5249
05:02:21,000 --> 05:02:24,100
understands that the things kept
inside it, deserve a gentle 

5250
05:02:24,100 --> 05:02:27,600
quality of light, the library 
maintains its collections under 

5251
05:02:27,600 --> 05:02:31,000
carefully, managed environmental
conditions temperature, and 

5252
05:02:31,000 --> 05:02:34,100
humidity held within ranges that
conservators regard with the 

5253
05:02:34,100 --> 05:02:36,900
protective attention. 
Most people reserved for things,

5254
05:02:36,900 --> 05:02:40,400
they care about very much. 
The manuscript lives there under

5255
05:02:40,400 --> 05:02:43,900
the catalog. 
Designation Ms. 4808. 

5256
05:02:44,500 --> 05:02:46,900
This is a name of notable 
understatement for one of the 

5257
05:02:46,900 --> 05:02:50,400
most discussed unsolved, puzzles
in the history of human writing 

5258
05:02:50,400 --> 05:02:53,500
but library's organized their 
Holdings according to systems 

5259
05:02:53,500 --> 05:02:56,500
rather than drama and their 
system serve them. 

5260
05:02:56,500 --> 05:03:00,000
Well in 2004 the Bennett 
produced high, resolution 

5261
05:03:00,000 --> 05:03:03,200
digital scams of the entire 
manuscript and made them 

5262
05:03:03,200 --> 05:03:06,300
available first to researchers 
and eventually to anyone with an

5263
05:03:06,300 --> 05:03:08,300
internet connection and an 
interest. 

5264
05:03:09,200 --> 05:03:12,400
The quality of these scans is 
extraordinary at high 

5265
05:03:12,400 --> 05:03:15,800
magnification, you can examine 
the slight variations in pain 

5266
05:03:15,800 --> 05:03:17,500
pressure within individual 
letter. 

5267
05:03:17,500 --> 05:03:20,700
Strokes the places where the 
pain moved, quickly and the ink 

5268
05:03:20,700 --> 05:03:23,400
thinned the places where it 
paused and the ink pooled 

5269
05:03:23,400 --> 05:03:26,200
slightly before moving on, you 
can see the hand behind the 

5270
05:03:26,200 --> 05:03:29,500
hand, the specific physical 
person, who sat somewhere in 

5271
05:03:29,500 --> 05:03:32,400
early 15th century, Europe, and 
wrote These pages with 

5272
05:03:32,400 --> 05:03:35,800
consistency and apparent 
confidence, the structure of the

5273
05:03:35,800 --> 05:03:37,900
book itself. 
Provides one further layer of 

5274
05:03:37,900 --> 05:03:41,500
evidence, the manuscript is 
organized into wires which are 

5275
05:03:41,500 --> 05:03:44,000
groups of folded. 
Sheets forming the basic 

5276
05:03:44,000 --> 05:03:46,000
structural units of a bound 
manuscript. 

5277
05:03:46,800 --> 05:03:50,100
It has 17 choirs and they are 
not all assembled the same way, 

5278
05:03:50,100 --> 05:03:54,100
some follow standard conventions
for the period, others deviate, 

5279
05:03:54,100 --> 05:03:56,700
in ways that Scholars have noted
and debated without reaching 

5280
05:03:56,700 --> 05:04:00,700
consensus. several choirs 
contain gaps where pages are 

5281
05:04:00,700 --> 05:04:04,200
apps and interruptions in the 
sequence of content that pick up

5282
05:04:04,200 --> 05:04:07,500
again at an unknown distance 
later, Whether those missing 

5283
05:04:07,500 --> 05:04:10,700
pages were removed, deliberately
fell away through ordinary 

5284
05:04:10,700 --> 05:04:13,700
physical deterioration across 
the centuries, or were simply 

5285
05:04:13,700 --> 05:04:15,400
never filled in. 
When the manuscript was 

5286
05:04:15,400 --> 05:04:18,100
assembled is a question. 
The object as not answered 

5287
05:04:18,100 --> 05:04:20,700
directly. 
The gaps might be accidental, 

5288
05:04:20,700 --> 05:04:24,600
they might carry significant, 
they maintain the same perfectly

5289
05:04:24,600 --> 05:04:28,000
calibrated quality as everything
else about this document, which 

5290
05:04:28,000 --> 05:04:31,500
is that they provide just enough
information to sustain interest 

5291
05:04:31,500 --> 05:04:33,600
and not quite enough to support 
a conclusion. 

5292
05:04:34,800 --> 05:04:37,900
What the physical evidence 
assembled carefully and 

5293
05:04:37,900 --> 05:04:40,400
considered together, establishes
Beyond reasonable. 

5294
05:04:40,400 --> 05:04:44,400
Dispute is a sequence of events 
in the early Decades of the 15th

5295
05:04:44,400 --> 05:04:47,500
century somewhere in Central 
Europe, someone obtained, a 

5296
05:04:47,500 --> 05:04:49,300
quantity of high quality car 
Vellum. 

5297
05:04:49,300 --> 05:04:53,100
They ruled its Pages they wrote 
a cross it with steady hands and

5298
05:04:53,100 --> 05:04:56,000
period appropriate inks. 
They added pigment to the 

5299
05:04:56,008 --> 05:04:58,600
illustrations in a second pass 
after the ink dried. 

5300
05:04:58,600 --> 05:05:01,700
They organized the pages into 
choirs and have them bound. 

5301
05:05:02,500 --> 05:05:06,300
And then this small careful 
purposeful object into the world

5302
05:05:06,300 --> 05:05:10,100
and began the very long journey 
that would eventually carry it 

5303
05:05:10,100 --> 05:05:13,700
to a shelf in New Haven, where 
it sits tonight as closed. 

5304
05:05:13,700 --> 05:05:17,500
And as present as it has always 
been What the physical evidence 

5305
05:05:17,500 --> 05:05:19,100
does not. 
Tell us and what? 

5306
05:05:19,100 --> 05:05:22,200
No, physical analysis is likely 
to tell us is why. 

5307
05:05:23,000 --> 05:05:27,100
Why this system of writing, why 
these impossible plants, why the

5308
05:05:27,100 --> 05:05:29,500
bathing figures? 
Why are book of this length? 

5309
05:05:29,500 --> 05:05:32,200
And this organization was 
produced at all, by someone 

5310
05:05:32,200 --> 05:05:35,500
working with this level of care 
in a notation system, they 

5311
05:05:35,500 --> 05:05:37,000
apparently never explained to 
anyone. 

5312
05:05:37,000 --> 05:05:39,300
The why is the thing that keeps 
people up at night? 

5313
05:05:39,300 --> 05:05:43,200
You at least are making a more 
productive Choice, The Binding 

5314
05:05:43,200 --> 05:05:45,300
that holds the quiet together as
a later replacement. 

5315
05:05:45,300 --> 05:05:47,900
Meaning the original binding did
not survive. 

5316
05:05:47,900 --> 05:05:50,900
This is common in Old 
manuscripts, binding. 

5317
05:05:50,900 --> 05:05:54,600
Take the most physical stress of
any part of a book and they wear

5318
05:05:54,600 --> 05:05:55,800
out before the pages. 
Do. 

5319
05:05:56,600 --> 05:05:59,800
The current binding was added at
some point after the manuscripts

5320
05:05:59,800 --> 05:06:02,800
medieval creation and it holds 
the pages in The order they have

5321
05:06:02,800 --> 05:06:05,500
been in for centuries. 
An order that may or may not be 

5322
05:06:05,500 --> 05:06:08,000
the order in which they were 
originally intended to be read 

5323
05:06:08,000 --> 05:06:11,700
objects, Do not, sit still 
across centuries, they travel 

5324
05:06:11,700 --> 05:06:15,800
between hands cross-borders 
arrive in libraries and depart 

5325
05:06:15,800 --> 05:06:19,100
from them get given as gifts and
sold as commercial assets and 

5326
05:06:19,100 --> 05:06:22,600
left in Wills to heirs who find 
them confusing and donate them 

5327
05:06:22,600 --> 05:06:25,200
to institutions better equipped 
to care for them properly. 

5328
05:06:25,200 --> 05:06:28,600
The Voynich manuscript has done 
all of these things across a 

5329
05:06:28,600 --> 05:06:31,100
span of time that covers the 
full distance from the Italian 

5330
05:06:31,100 --> 05:06:34,100
Renaissance to the present day 
and tracing its route. 

5331
05:06:34,100 --> 05:06:36,700
From whoever first made it to 
the climate controlled shell 

5332
05:06:36,700 --> 05:06:40,100
where it now rests requires 
following a trail of surviving 

5333
05:06:40,100 --> 05:06:43,000
letters. 
Institutional records faded 

5334
05:06:43,000 --> 05:06:46,400
inscription examined under 
ultraviolet light and a few 

5335
05:06:46,400 --> 05:06:48,500
carefully placed educated 
guesses. 

5336
05:06:48,500 --> 05:06:51,800
The oldest film documentary 
evidence of the manuscripts. 

5337
05:06:51,800 --> 05:06:54,200
Existence is a letter written in
1666. 

5338
05:06:54,200 --> 05:06:58,100
It was composed by a bohemian. 
Physician named Johannes Marcus 

5339
05:06:58,100 --> 05:07:00,600
Marcy. 
Addressed to address scholar in 

5340
05:07:00,608 --> 05:07:05,300
Rome named athanasius Kershaw. 
Was elderly when he wrote it he 

5341
05:07:05,300 --> 05:07:07,900
described himself in the letter 
as a man at the very end of his 

5342
05:07:07,900 --> 05:07:11,400
intellectual faculty, which is 
disarmingly candidate opening 

5343
05:07:11,400 --> 05:07:13,900
for a letter to one of the most 
celebrated scholars in Europe. 

5344
05:07:13,900 --> 05:07:17,100
He was sending Church of the 
manuscript itself along with the

5345
05:07:17,100 --> 05:07:20,800
letter hoping that accomplish 
what Marcy, and every owner 

5346
05:07:20,800 --> 05:07:24,200
before him had to do, which was 
to make the book intelligible, 

5347
05:07:25,500 --> 05:07:28,600
Athanasius kircher was a 
sensible person to approach with

5348
05:07:28,600 --> 05:07:31,400
this particular hope. 
He was one of the most famous 

5349
05:07:31,400 --> 05:07:33,900
and broadly learned Scholars of 
the 17th century. 

5350
05:07:33,900 --> 05:07:37,300
The Jesuit priest who had 
published substantial, works on 

5351
05:07:37,300 --> 05:07:41,800
topics ranging, from Egyptian 
Antiquities to music theory to 

5352
05:07:41,800 --> 05:07:45,300
the geology of volcanoes to 
Chinese language and culture. 

5353
05:07:46,400 --> 05:07:49,300
His reputation rested 
substantially on a claimed 

5354
05:07:49,300 --> 05:07:52,000
ability to read things that 
other Scholars could not read. 

5355
05:07:52,800 --> 05:07:55,600
His progress on Egyptian 
hieroglyphics was celebrated 

5356
05:07:55,600 --> 05:07:57,900
across the Learned world of his 
era, though. 

5357
05:07:57,900 --> 05:08:00,500
Later generations of 
egyptologist would evaluate his 

5358
05:08:00,500 --> 05:08:03,900
translations with considerably 
more skepticism than his 

5359
05:08:03,900 --> 05:08:06,700
contemporaries extended. 
His willingness to attempt 

5360
05:08:06,700 --> 05:08:10,200
difficult and unusual problems 
was genuine and his network of 

5361
05:08:10,200 --> 05:08:13,600
Correspondence included, curious
people from across Europe, who 

5362
05:08:13,600 --> 05:08:16,500
regularly sent him, strange 
objects, and strange texts and 

5363
05:08:16,500 --> 05:08:20,000
asked for his opinion. 
Marcy's letter mentioned a 

5364
05:08:20,000 --> 05:08:22,400
tradition he had received from 
an early owner of the manuscript

5365
05:08:22,400 --> 05:08:25,000
the tributing it to the Holy 
Roman Emperor. 

5366
05:08:25,000 --> 05:08:28,600
Rudolph, the second who had 
reportedly paid. 600 gold 

5367
05:08:28,600 --> 05:08:33,400
ducketts for it. 600 ducketts 
was a meaningful sum not merely 

5368
05:08:33,400 --> 05:08:37,300
expensive, but can speculatively
expensive, the kind of price 

5369
05:08:37,300 --> 05:08:40,100
that signals the buyer believe. 
They were acquiring something of

5370
05:08:40,100 --> 05:08:43,200
extraordinary significant, 
whether that significant was 

5371
05:08:43,200 --> 05:08:47,000
historical, scientific or simply
the significance of genuine, 

5372
05:08:47,000 --> 05:08:49,800
scarcity. 
And genuine mystery is not 

5373
05:08:49,800 --> 05:08:51,900
recorded in any surviving 
source. 

5374
05:08:52,700 --> 05:08:54,700
Rudolph. 
The second who held the Imperial

5375
05:08:54,700 --> 05:08:59,100
title and ruled from his court 
in Prague between 1576 and 1612 

5376
05:08:59,100 --> 05:09:02,200
was one of the stranger figures 
ever to occupy that particular 

5377
05:09:02,200 --> 05:09:06,300
office, he was withdrawn, prone 
to prolonged Melancholy and 

5378
05:09:06,300 --> 05:09:08,800
often Paralyzed by the 
administrative obligations of 

5379
05:09:08,800 --> 05:09:11,900
Empire, but his interest in the 
contents of his personal 

5380
05:09:11,900 --> 05:09:15,100
collections was passionate and 
sustained across his whole 

5381
05:09:15,100 --> 05:09:18,100
reign. 
He filled rooms in Prague castle

5382
05:09:18,100 --> 05:09:21,400
with paintings. 
Mechanical Devices, natural 

5383
05:09:21,400 --> 05:09:24,700
specimens, instruments of 
mathematical and astronomical 

5384
05:09:24,700 --> 05:09:29,000
measurement and manuscripts from
many parts of the world and many

5385
05:09:29,000 --> 05:09:32,500
centuries of History. 
His court in Prague became one 

5386
05:09:32,500 --> 05:09:35,000
of the great cabinets of 
curiosity in European history. 

5387
05:09:35,000 --> 05:09:38,800
The kind of environment where an
unusual book with an unreadable 

5388
05:09:38,800 --> 05:09:41,900
script would have found an owner
who appreciated it on exactly 

5389
05:09:41,900 --> 05:09:45,100
those terms. 
Rudolph apparently received the 

5390
05:09:45,100 --> 05:09:46,700
manuscript along with an 
attribution. 

5391
05:09:46,700 --> 05:09:49,700
Claiming it had been written by 
Roger Baker and the 13th 

5392
05:09:49,700 --> 05:09:52,700
century, English philosopher, 
and Friar who had a persistent 

5393
05:09:52,700 --> 05:09:56,200
posthumous reputation for having
understood things that ordinary 

5394
05:09:56,200 --> 05:09:59,400
scholarly methods could not 
account for attributing a 

5395
05:09:59,400 --> 05:10:02,200
mysterious manuscript to bacon 
was an effective way to elevate 

5396
05:10:02,200 --> 05:10:05,800
its apparent significant. 
And whether Rudolph accepted 

5397
05:10:05,800 --> 05:10:08,508
this attribution, out of genuine
belief or out of the 

5398
05:10:08,516 --> 05:10:11,300
collector's, useful habit of 
extending generous, benefit of 

5399
05:10:11,300 --> 05:10:14,300
the doubt to a compelling story.
The Record does not settle 

5400
05:10:14,300 --> 05:10:17,400
definitively. 
Before Rudolph, the documentary 

5401
05:10:17,400 --> 05:10:20,700
Trail disappears, The 
radiocarbon Dating places. 

5402
05:10:20,700 --> 05:10:23,500
The Vellum firmly in the early 
Decades of the 15th century, 

5403
05:10:23,500 --> 05:10:27,000
creating a gap of roughly 150 
years during which the 

5404
05:10:27,000 --> 05:10:30,200
manuscripts location, and the 
identities of its owners are 

5405
05:10:30,200 --> 05:10:33,700
simply unknown. 
After Rudolf, the chain become 

5406
05:10:33,700 --> 05:10:36,700
partially traceable. 
Again, the manuscript appears to

5407
05:10:36,700 --> 05:10:40,300
have passed to a man named 
Jacobus horse, detect who served

5408
05:10:40,300 --> 05:10:43,600
as Rudolph's, personal physician
and operated a substantial 

5409
05:10:43,600 --> 05:10:47,100
distilling Enterprise producing,
herbal preparations, a 

5410
05:10:47,100 --> 05:10:49,000
background that makes him an 
interesting figure to have 

5411
05:10:49,000 --> 05:10:51,100
possessed and apparently 
Botanical manuscript. 

5412
05:10:51,100 --> 05:10:54,400
His name was found written 
inside the manuscript in script 

5413
05:10:54,400 --> 05:10:57,300
that had faded to near 
invisibility and was recovered 

5414
05:10:57,300 --> 05:11:00,900
only under ultraviolet light. 
Finding that name was itself. 

5415
05:11:00,900 --> 05:11:04,000
A small piece of careful, 
detective work and finding it 

5416
05:11:04,000 --> 05:11:06,400
mattered because it placed 
another figure in the 

5417
05:11:06,400 --> 05:11:09,400
manuscripts chain and helped 
anchor certain phases of its 

5418
05:11:09,400 --> 05:11:11,800
travels. 
From Tepper, neck the manuscript

5419
05:11:11,800 --> 05:11:14,100
pass to an alchemist and 
collector in Prague named 

5420
05:11:14,100 --> 05:11:18,000
Georges who spent years studying
it without success and 

5421
05:11:18,000 --> 05:11:20,200
eventually wrote to coach her 
asking for guidance. 

5422
05:11:21,100 --> 05:11:24,200
He described the manuscript in 
terms that convey genuine 

5423
05:11:24,200 --> 05:11:27,800
Fascination and genuine 
weariness the tone of someone 

5424
05:11:27,800 --> 05:11:31,300
who has been puzzling over the 
same unanswerable question for 

5425
05:11:31,300 --> 05:11:34,800
much longer than they initially 
intended kircher's response to 

5426
05:11:34,808 --> 05:11:37,600
bearish. 
If he sent one has not survived 

5427
05:11:37,600 --> 05:11:39,900
or was not the kind of response 
that helped. 

5428
05:11:40,900 --> 05:11:44,100
After bearish died, the 
manuscript went to Marcy and 

5429
05:11:44,100 --> 05:11:48,500
from Marcy to kercher along with
the 1666 letter after kercher, 

5430
05:11:48,500 --> 05:11:51,500
it entered the collections of 
the collegio Romano, in Rome, 

5431
05:11:51,500 --> 05:11:55,300
the Jesuit college where kircher
had spent his career and there 

5432
05:11:55,300 --> 05:11:57,200
it remained through the 
succeeding centuries. 

5433
05:11:57,200 --> 05:11:59,700
While the history of Europe, 
reorganized itself around it. 

5434
05:12:00,600 --> 05:12:04,700
The suppression of the Jesuit 
order in 1773 the restoration of

5435
05:12:04,700 --> 05:12:08,300
the order in 18414 the political
transformation of Italian 

5436
05:12:08,300 --> 05:12:11,000
unification. 
All of these upheavals came and 

5437
05:12:11,000 --> 05:12:13,700
went without the small 
handwritten book from its 

5438
05:12:13,700 --> 05:12:18,300
institutional shelter and then 
in 1912 a Polish Lithuanian, 

5439
05:12:18,300 --> 05:12:21,000
Bookseller with a history of 
finding remarkable, things 

5440
05:12:21,000 --> 05:12:24,000
arrived at Jesuit. 
Villa in the Hills about Roam 

5441
05:12:24,000 --> 05:12:27,700
and reached into a box, it is 
worth Paul's in here before we 

5442
05:12:27,700 --> 05:12:28,900
follow him. 
Inside to note. 

5443
05:12:28,900 --> 05:12:31,400
How many different kinds of 
puzzled people this manuscript 

5444
05:12:31,400 --> 05:12:33,200
collected across those five 
centuries? 

5445
05:12:34,300 --> 05:12:37,600
Marcy's letter to kercher 
mentions that various Scholars, 

5446
05:12:37,600 --> 05:12:40,200
had already attempted to read 
the manuscript before it reached

5447
05:12:40,200 --> 05:12:43,700
him and that all of them had 
abandoned the effort, bearish in

5448
05:12:43,700 --> 05:12:46,700
his own letter to Kershaw, 
describe the manuscript as 

5449
05:12:46,700 --> 05:12:49,500
taking up a large part of his 
mental life while yielding 

5450
05:12:49,500 --> 05:12:52,800
nothing in return. 
Rudolf if the tradition is 

5451
05:12:52,800 --> 05:12:55,600
accurate, paid the price of a 
minor estate for it and then 

5452
05:12:55,600 --> 05:12:58,000
apparently showed it to people 
without being able to explain 

5453
05:12:58,000 --> 05:13:00,700
what it was. 
This is a consistent pattern. 

5454
05:13:00,700 --> 05:13:04,400
The manuscript comes to. 
Someone intelligent that person 

5455
05:13:04,400 --> 05:13:06,900
recognizes immediately that it 
is significant. 

5456
05:13:07,800 --> 05:13:10,100
They commit real time and real 
attention to it. 

5457
05:13:10,100 --> 05:13:13,700
They fail to understand it. 
They passed it on either 

5458
05:13:13,700 --> 05:13:16,400
deliberately or by dying and 
having their estate dispersed. 

5459
05:13:17,300 --> 05:13:18,900
There is a gentlest to this 
pattern. 

5460
05:13:18,900 --> 05:13:22,000
None of these owners lost their 
dignity to the manuscript. 

5461
05:13:22,000 --> 05:13:25,000
None of them appears to have 
been driven to destructive. 

5462
05:13:25,000 --> 05:13:28,400
Frustration, they simply looked 
at it engaged with it. 

5463
05:13:28,400 --> 05:13:32,100
Honestly did not understand it 
and moved on or moved away. 

5464
05:13:32,100 --> 05:13:36,300
The manuscript took nothing from
the accept time and in exchange,

5465
05:13:36,300 --> 05:13:38,700
it gave them the specific 
pleasure of spending time. 

5466
05:13:38,700 --> 05:13:41,800
With a very interesting thing, 
there are worse Arrangements. 

5467
05:13:42,600 --> 05:13:45,300
Wilfred Voynich was the kind of 
person who makes other people 

5468
05:13:45,300 --> 05:13:48,500
Alert in the best possible way. 
The kind of presents that 

5469
05:13:48,500 --> 05:13:50,300
suggests. 
Someone has survived things, you

5470
05:13:50,300 --> 05:13:53,300
have not and emerge from them 
with the particular shop. 

5471
05:13:53,300 --> 05:13:56,500
Miss that is not aggression, but
is unmistakably attention. 

5472
05:13:57,400 --> 05:14:00,700
He was polish Lithuanian by 
birth and his early life had 

5473
05:14:00,700 --> 05:14:03,300
followed a trajectory that would
have ended the Ambitions of most

5474
05:14:03,300 --> 05:14:06,400
people well before middle age. 
He was involved in Polish 

5475
05:14:06,400 --> 05:14:09,900
revolutionary politics in the 
1880s arrested by the Russian 

5476
05:14:09,900 --> 05:14:14,100
imperial authorities and sent to
Siberia where he spent time in 

5477
05:14:14,100 --> 05:14:16,800
forced Exile. 
Developing the kind of patients 

5478
05:14:16,800 --> 05:14:19,600
that, either breaks a person 
entirely or teaches them. 

5479
05:14:19,600 --> 05:14:22,500
Something Irreplaceable, he 
escaped from Siberia. 

5480
05:14:22,500 --> 05:14:25,500
He made his way of eventually to
London, which in the late. 

5481
05:14:25,500 --> 05:14:28,500
Victorian period was a city 
hospital to people who needed to

5482
05:14:28,500 --> 05:14:31,500
reinvent themselves if they had 
the Constitution, and the 

5483
05:14:31,500 --> 05:14:34,800
intelligence to do it well and 
he reinvented himself as a 

5484
05:14:34,800 --> 05:14:37,800
dealer in rare books. 
This is not a trivial thing to 

5485
05:14:37,800 --> 05:14:41,000
become dealing in rare books. 
At a serious level requires, 

5486
05:14:41,000 --> 05:14:43,200
genuine learning alongside 
commercial instinct. 

5487
05:14:44,000 --> 05:14:45,300
You need to know what you're 
looking at. 

5488
05:14:45,300 --> 05:14:48,300
When you hold an old manuscript,
which means knowing something 

5489
05:14:48,300 --> 05:14:51,300
about the history of the period 
that might have produced it, the

5490
05:14:51,300 --> 05:14:55,100
materials of its production, the
convention of its script, the 

5491
05:14:55,100 --> 05:14:57,900
context that shaped what people 
were writing about and why 

5492
05:14:58,900 --> 05:15:01,800
Voiced developed, all of these 
competences and added to them. 

5493
05:15:01,800 --> 05:15:05,300
And I for exceptional material, 
the kind of judgment that 

5494
05:15:05,300 --> 05:15:07,400
operates faster than conscious 
analysis. 

5495
05:15:07,400 --> 05:15:11,100
In people who have spent enough 
years handling old objects, he 

5496
05:15:11,100 --> 05:15:13,700
traveled frequently through 
Europe visiting private 

5497
05:15:13,700 --> 05:15:15,900
Collections and institutional 
libraries, that were 

5498
05:15:15,900 --> 05:15:19,200
periodically willing to sell 
holding to Reliable buyers with 

5499
05:15:19,200 --> 05:15:20,700
the funds to pay for them 
properly. 

5500
05:15:21,400 --> 05:15:25,000
In 1912, he traveled to the 
Villa Mondragon in the Alban 

5501
05:15:25,000 --> 05:15:27,900
Hills, southeast of Rome near 
the town of frascati. 

5502
05:15:28,700 --> 05:15:31,400
The Jesuits maintained this 
Villa as a college and Retreat 

5503
05:15:31,400 --> 05:15:34,300
and they were in the quiet 
process of raising money by 

5504
05:15:34,300 --> 05:15:36,800
selling portions of their 
manuscript collection to trusted

5505
05:15:36,800 --> 05:15:39,500
dealers. 
The Villa was the kind of place 

5506
05:15:39,500 --> 05:15:42,600
that makes a steer philosophy. 
Feel both, very appropriate and 

5507
05:15:42,600 --> 05:15:45,400
completely impossible to sustain
for more than a few minutes. 

5508
05:15:46,400 --> 05:15:50,200
Long terrorist Gardens falling 
away down the hillside views 

5509
05:15:50,200 --> 05:15:52,100
toward the Roman plane on clear 
days. 

5510
05:15:52,100 --> 05:15:56,000
Architecture of the substantial 
assured kind that belongs to 

5511
05:15:56,000 --> 05:15:59,500
institutions with centuries of 
continuous presence behind them.

5512
05:16:00,500 --> 05:16:03,600
Voynich arrived and examined. 
What was on offer among the 

5513
05:16:03,600 --> 05:16:06,100
books and manuscripts set aside 
for possible sale. 

5514
05:16:06,100 --> 05:16:09,300
He found one that appeared to 
have sat undisturbed for a 

5515
05:16:09,300 --> 05:16:12,700
considerable period. 
He opened it He encountered the 

5516
05:16:12,700 --> 05:16:15,500
text and illustration you've 
been spending this evening with.

5517
05:16:15,500 --> 05:16:19,100
He was a man who could navigate 
several languages with ease and 

5518
05:16:19,100 --> 05:16:21,800
who had handled thousands of 
historical manuscripts in his 

5519
05:16:21,800 --> 05:16:24,800
professional career and he could
not read a word of it. 

5520
05:16:25,500 --> 05:16:28,800
He bought it without a parent, 
hesitation the exact price. 

5521
05:16:28,800 --> 05:16:32,300
He paid was not recorded in any 
document that has survived which

5522
05:16:32,300 --> 05:16:34,500
is one of the smaller 
frustrations attached to this 

5523
05:16:34,500 --> 05:16:37,600
object in its history and which 
would be intensely interesting 

5524
05:16:37,600 --> 05:16:40,900
to know. 
What is completely clear is that

5525
05:16:40,900 --> 05:16:43,900
he recognized immediately that 
the manuscript was exceptional. 

5526
05:16:43,900 --> 05:16:46,600
And that from the point of 
purchase forward, he committed 

5527
05:16:46,600 --> 05:16:50,100
himself to establishing what it 
was his theory aligned with the 

5528
05:16:50,100 --> 05:16:52,500
attribution that had apparently 
accompanied the manuscript. 

5529
05:16:52,500 --> 05:16:55,300
Since at least the time of 
Rudolph the second, which was 

5530
05:16:55,300 --> 05:16:57,400
that the book had been written 
by Roger Bacon. 

5531
05:16:58,100 --> 05:16:59,600
Voynich, pursued this 
conviction. 

5532
05:16:59,600 --> 05:17:02,500
With the focused energy, he 
appears to have applied to 

5533
05:17:02,508 --> 05:17:04,400
problems that genuinely engaged 
him. 

5534
05:17:05,100 --> 05:17:08,200
He circulated photographs of the
manuscript to Scholars across 

5535
05:17:08,200 --> 05:17:12,500
Europe and America engaged 
paleography linguists and 

5536
05:17:12,500 --> 05:17:16,900
specialists in medieval science.
He corresponded extensively and 

5537
05:17:16,900 --> 05:17:19,400
persistently with anyone who 
might be positioned to confirm 

5538
05:17:19,400 --> 05:17:22,200
the attribution or provide 
compelling alternatives. 

5539
05:17:22,900 --> 05:17:25,600
The results were varied 
sometimes, encouraging, and 

5540
05:17:25,600 --> 05:17:29,300
ultimately inconclusive. 
Some Scholars found the bacon 

5541
05:17:29,300 --> 05:17:32,400
Theory, plausible, others, 
founded, unconvincing for 

5542
05:17:32,400 --> 05:17:34,500
reasons they were willing to 
articulate at length. 

5543
05:17:34,500 --> 05:17:37,500
None of them could read the 
text, which meant none of them 

5544
05:17:37,500 --> 05:17:40,000
could have evaluate the theory 
on the base of the thing that 

5545
05:17:40,000 --> 05:17:43,000
would actually settle it, which 
was the content of the book 

5546
05:17:43,000 --> 05:17:47,100
itself. 
His wife Ethel was herself, a 

5547
05:17:47,100 --> 05:17:49,400
figure of considerable and quite
separate interests. 

5548
05:17:49,400 --> 05:17:53,000
She was a novelist whose book 
published in 1897 under the 

5549
05:17:53,000 --> 05:17:54,900
title. 
The gadfly had a literary 

5550
05:17:54,900 --> 05:17:57,600
afterlife. 
That neither She nor anyone else

5551
05:17:57,600 --> 05:18:00,400
could have anticipated. 
When it first appeared, the 

5552
05:18:00,400 --> 05:18:04,000
novel found a moderate audience 
in English, it then found in 

5553
05:18:04,000 --> 05:18:07,700
China during the Republican era 
and the decades that followed an

5554
05:18:07,700 --> 05:18:10,700
enormous audience that made it. 
One of the most beloved foreign 

5555
05:18:10,700 --> 05:18:14,000
novels in Chinese literary 
culture. millions of Chinese 

5556
05:18:14,000 --> 05:18:17,600
readers felt deeply about Ethel 
voyages characters at a time 

5557
05:18:17,608 --> 05:18:20,500
when her name had largely faded 
from English-speaking awareness,

5558
05:18:21,300 --> 05:18:24,400
she out lived Wilfred by more 
than 30 years maintained 

5559
05:18:24,400 --> 05:18:27,600
possession of the manuscript 
after his death in 1930 and 

5560
05:18:27,600 --> 05:18:30,500
eventually sold it to a New York
dealer named Hans Krause. 

5561
05:18:30,500 --> 05:18:34,200
Spent years looking for a 
private buyer willing to pay 

5562
05:18:34,200 --> 05:18:37,300
what the manuscript was worth 
and eventually concluded. 

5563
05:18:37,300 --> 05:18:41,000
This was not a realistic project
after which he donated the 

5564
05:18:41,000 --> 05:18:43,600
manuscript to Yale University in
1969. 

5565
05:18:44,700 --> 05:18:48,000
Yale accepted it, cataloged it 
as ms-48. 

5566
05:18:48,000 --> 05:18:52,200
And how did the boneka library? 
Where it has remained since in 

5567
05:18:52,200 --> 05:18:54,600
conditions considerably more 
stable than anything at 

5568
05:18:54,600 --> 05:18:56,500
experience in the previous five,
centuries. 

5569
05:18:57,800 --> 05:19:00,400
Wilfred Voynich died. 
Still believing the manuscript. 

5570
05:19:00,400 --> 05:19:03,300
Was Roger Bacon's, work and 
still unable to demonstrate it. 

5571
05:19:03,300 --> 05:19:06,100
He had found the thing. 
He had given it. 

5572
05:19:06,100 --> 05:19:09,200
The name it carries today the 
name by which it appears in 

5573
05:19:09,200 --> 05:19:12,100
every article and documentary 
and late night internet search. 

5574
05:19:12,100 --> 05:19:15,400
He had spent a significant 
portion of the last years of a 

5575
05:19:15,400 --> 05:19:18,800
life that had already included, 
Siberian, Exile, and escape, and

5576
05:19:18,800 --> 05:19:21,400
reinvention. 
And genuine professional success

5577
05:19:21,400 --> 05:19:23,800
in trying to make one small book
speak. 

5578
05:19:24,700 --> 05:19:27,600
It did not speak to him. 
The manuscript is patient with 

5579
05:19:27,600 --> 05:19:30,100
him as it had been with everyone
before him and everyone after 

5580
05:19:30,100 --> 05:19:34,900
kept its own counsel entirely. 
The story of the manuscript 

5581
05:19:34,900 --> 05:19:38,300
between voyages purchase and 
Yale's acquisition is not 

5582
05:19:38,300 --> 05:19:39,700
without its own quiet. 
Drama. 

5583
05:19:41,100 --> 05:19:44,300
During the years that Voynich 
was seeking a decipherment, he 

5584
05:19:44,300 --> 05:19:46,600
showed the manuscript to a 
number of people, he considered 

5585
05:19:46,600 --> 05:19:50,200
capable of helping, and a number
of those people became genuinely

5586
05:19:50,200 --> 05:19:53,000
absorbed by it. 
The manuscript had a quality 

5587
05:19:53,000 --> 05:19:56,400
that it still has, which is that
looking at its seriously, for 

5588
05:19:56,400 --> 05:19:59,800
more than a few minutes, makes 
it very hard to put down, not 

5589
05:19:59,800 --> 05:20:03,200
because it offers rewards, but 
because it seems perpetually on 

5590
05:20:03,200 --> 05:20:06,300
the verge of offering them 
several people who examined it 

5591
05:20:06,300 --> 05:20:09,700
at voyages, invitation reported 
the same experience that every 

5592
05:20:09,700 --> 05:20:12,500
serious researchers. 
Since has described, which is 

5593
05:20:12,500 --> 05:20:14,300
the feeling that you are very 
close to something. 

5594
05:20:15,100 --> 05:20:18,300
That the structure you can see 
is almost familiar enough that 

5595
05:20:18,300 --> 05:20:21,000
the next page or the next 
section or the next analytical 

5596
05:20:21,000 --> 05:20:23,600
approach might be the one that 
makes the whole thing resolved. 

5597
05:20:23,600 --> 05:20:26,700
This feeling does not diminish 
with prolonged exposure. 

5598
05:20:26,700 --> 05:20:30,900
If anything, it strengthens the 
manuscript is extraordinarily 

5599
05:20:30,900 --> 05:20:33,500
good at generating, it after 
voyages. 

5600
05:20:33,500 --> 05:20:37,000
Death in 1930 is a state held 
the manuscript for several 

5601
05:20:37,000 --> 05:20:39,200
years. 
While the question of what to do

5602
05:20:39,200 --> 05:20:43,100
with it was settled And nil who 
had been voyages, assistant 

5603
05:20:43,100 --> 05:20:46,400
cared for the book until it was 
eventually sold and she 

5604
05:20:46,400 --> 05:20:49,100
corresponded with researchers 
and curious people throughout 

5605
05:20:49,100 --> 05:20:53,100
that period serving as a kind of
informal curator of something 

5606
05:20:53,100 --> 05:20:55,000
that had no obvious 
institutional. 

5607
05:20:55,000 --> 05:20:58,500
Home, the 20th century took, 
codebreaking more seriously than

5608
05:20:58,500 --> 05:21:01,900
any previous Century. 
Had for reasons that required no

5609
05:21:01,900 --> 05:21:06,600
academic justification. 
Two world wars had made clear in

5610
05:21:06,600 --> 05:21:09,800
terms that translated directly 
into lives and territory, and 

5611
05:21:09,800 --> 05:21:12,800
the political shape of the world
that the ability to read 

5612
05:21:12,800 --> 05:21:15,500
messages and enemy believed to a
private could change the 

5613
05:21:15,500 --> 05:21:19,300
outcomes of military campaigns. 
The people who did this, work 

5614
05:21:19,300 --> 05:21:23,000
was serious, and accomplished 
Minds trained specifically to 

5615
05:21:23,000 --> 05:21:26,500
locate pattern within apparent 
Randomness and extract meaning 

5616
05:21:26,500 --> 05:21:28,900
from sequences that were 
designed to look meaningless. 

5617
05:21:29,700 --> 05:21:32,000
Several of these people turn 
their full professional 

5618
05:21:32,000 --> 05:21:35,500
attention to the Voynich, 
manuscript of various points in 

5619
05:21:35,500 --> 05:21:37,400
their careers and their efforts 
form. 

5620
05:21:37,400 --> 05:21:40,400
One of the stranger footnotes in
the history of 20th century 

5621
05:21:40,400 --> 05:21:43,600
intelligence work. 
William Friedman was the most 

5622
05:21:43,600 --> 05:21:46,600
celebrated American crypto, 
analyst of the first half of the

5623
05:21:46,600 --> 05:21:48,700
century. 
He had built the foundations of 

5624
05:21:48,708 --> 05:21:51,300
American Military cryptography. 
During the first world war 

5625
05:21:51,300 --> 05:21:54,000
organized. 
The analytical operations that 

5626
05:21:54,000 --> 05:21:57,000
contributed to Allied signals 
intelligence advantages. 

5627
05:21:57,000 --> 05:22:00,700
In the second world war and laid
conceptual groundwork for the 

5628
05:22:00,700 --> 05:22:03,300
organization that would 
eventually become the National 

5629
05:22:03,300 --> 05:22:06,400
Security Agency. 
He received a distinguished 

5630
05:22:06,400 --> 05:22:09,000
service medal. 
He was regarded with genuine. 

5631
05:22:09,000 --> 05:22:11,500
Admiration by people who 
understood what his work at 

5632
05:22:11,500 --> 05:22:14,100
accomplished. 
He was also in the quieter 

5633
05:22:14,100 --> 05:22:17,100
intervals, between historical, 
crises, genuinely and 

5634
05:22:17,100 --> 05:22:19,800
persistently fascinated by the 
Voynich manuscript. 

5635
05:22:20,800 --> 05:22:24,400
Beginning in the late 1940s, 
Freedman assembled and informal 

5636
05:22:24,400 --> 05:22:27,600
group of colleagues and applied.
The formal analytical methods, 

5637
05:22:27,600 --> 05:22:30,300
he had developed across a career
in military Captain analysis to 

5638
05:22:30,300 --> 05:22:32,200
the Voynich. 
Tex he was drawn. 

5639
05:22:32,200 --> 05:22:34,700
Particularly to a theory that 
the manuscript might represent 

5640
05:22:34,700 --> 05:22:37,000
what philosophers of the 
Renaissance called a 

5641
05:22:37,000 --> 05:22:40,500
philosophical language a 
constructed notation system 

5642
05:22:40,500 --> 05:22:45,000
designed to represent Concepts 
directly rather than to encode 

5643
05:22:45,000 --> 05:22:48,600
the sounds of a spoken natural 
language The appeal of this 

5644
05:22:48,608 --> 05:22:51,300
theory was that it offered a 
possible explanation for the 

5645
05:22:51,300 --> 05:22:54,600
statistical anomalies in the 
text that were hard to account 

5646
05:22:54,600 --> 05:22:56,100
for. 
If you assumed you were looking 

5647
05:22:56,100 --> 05:22:59,600
at an encoded natural language, 
A philosophical language. 

5648
05:22:59,600 --> 05:23:02,500
Built on a different organizing 
logic might naturally produce 

5649
05:23:02,500 --> 05:23:06,300
exactly those anomalies as a 
consequence of its structure. 

5650
05:23:07,000 --> 05:23:09,500
Friedman believed he found 
evidence consistent with this 

5651
05:23:09,500 --> 05:23:12,700
interpretation. 
He was never able to produce a 

5652
05:23:12,700 --> 05:23:14,900
decipherment that he found 
convincing enough to publish 

5653
05:23:14,900 --> 05:23:18,000
fully his working notes which 
became accessible through 

5654
05:23:18,000 --> 05:23:20,900
National Security Agency 
archives decades after his death

5655
05:23:20,900 --> 05:23:24,600
show a formidable and careful 
intelligence working patiently 

5656
05:23:24,600 --> 05:23:27,800
on a problem that did not 
respond to the methods that had 

5657
05:23:27,800 --> 05:23:30,300
served it on every previous 
problem. 

5658
05:23:31,100 --> 05:23:34,300
The National Security, Agency 
itself, produced an internal 

5659
05:23:34,300 --> 05:23:37,400
assessment of the manuscript. 
A document that remained 

5660
05:23:37,400 --> 05:23:41,200
classified for years before its 
declassification and public 

5661
05:23:41,200 --> 05:23:45,300
release in the 1970s. 
The assessment concluded that 

5662
05:23:45,300 --> 05:23:48,400
the manuscript represented an 
unsolved, cryptologic problem of

5663
05:23:48,400 --> 05:23:50,700
historical significance, read 
carefully. 

5664
05:23:50,700 --> 05:23:55,100
This is a remarkable statement 
from a remarkable source The 

5665
05:23:55,100 --> 05:23:58,200
organization offering that 
assessment was like the time it 

5666
05:23:58,200 --> 05:24:01,500
offered, it arguably the most 
resource-rich and analytically 

5667
05:24:01,500 --> 05:24:04,400
capable signals intelligence 
organization in human history. 

5668
05:24:05,700 --> 05:24:08,800
The fact that they classified 
the problem as unsolved rather 

5669
05:24:08,800 --> 05:24:13,500
than solved is worth sitting 
with, for a moment, Gordon rug a

5670
05:24:13,500 --> 05:24:15,900
researcher at Keeler university,
in England approached the 

5671
05:24:15,900 --> 05:24:18,600
manuscript from a different 
direction in the early 2000s. 

5672
05:24:19,400 --> 05:24:23,000
Rather than attempting to decode
the text, he set out to test, 

5673
05:24:23,000 --> 05:24:26,200
whether the text could have been
generated artificially using 

5674
05:24:26,200 --> 05:24:28,300
tools available in the early 
15th century. 

5675
05:24:29,100 --> 05:24:32,400
His Focus was a device called a 
cardan grill, a card with 

5676
05:24:32,408 --> 05:24:35,600
rectangular cutout windows. 
That when placed over a prepared

5677
05:24:35,600 --> 05:24:39,600
table of syllables and moved in 
a systematic sequence, selects 

5678
05:24:39,600 --> 05:24:42,200
character combinations that can 
be transcribed to produce 

5679
05:24:42,200 --> 05:24:44,400
sequences resembling word like 
structures. 

5680
05:24:45,400 --> 05:24:48,700
Rug demonstrated that a grilled 
method could generate text with 

5681
05:24:48,700 --> 05:24:51,100
statistical properties. 
Meaningfully. 

5682
05:24:51,100 --> 05:24:53,800
Similar to those of the Voynich 
manuscript in a matter of weeks.

5683
05:24:54,700 --> 05:24:57,900
He characterized his result 
carefully describing it as a 

5684
05:24:57,908 --> 05:25:00,900
demonstration of feasibility 
rather than a proof of 

5685
05:25:00,900 --> 05:25:03,400
fabrication. 
The distinction is important. 

5686
05:25:04,300 --> 05:25:07,000
Showing that a hoax was possible
is not the same as showing that 

5687
05:25:07,000 --> 05:25:09,500
a hoax occurred. 
His work established, that the 

5688
05:25:09,500 --> 05:25:12,900
bar for this kind of fabrication
was achievable with period 

5689
05:25:12,900 --> 05:25:15,800
appropriate tools, which had 
previously been less clear than 

5690
05:25:15,800 --> 05:25:18,700
it perhaps should have been In 
more recent decades, 

5691
05:25:18,700 --> 05:25:21,700
computational Linguistics, and 
machine learning have brought 

5692
05:25:21,700 --> 05:25:24,400
new categories of analytical 
capability to the problem. 

5693
05:25:25,300 --> 05:25:28,100
Statistical models trained on 
large collections of historical 

5694
05:25:28,100 --> 05:25:31,500
texts have been tested against 
the Voynich script in attempts 

5695
05:25:31,500 --> 05:25:34,200
to identify structural 
similarities to known language 

5696
05:25:34,200 --> 05:25:36,900
families. 
The results have been varied, 

5697
05:25:36,900 --> 05:25:41,400
genuinely interesting and 
persistently inconclusive a team

5698
05:25:41,408 --> 05:25:44,400
at the University of Alberta 
applied information theoretic 

5699
05:25:44,400 --> 05:25:48,800
methods in 2013 and concluded 
that the text properties were 

5700
05:25:48,800 --> 05:25:51,600
more consistent with natural 
language than with artificial 

5701
05:25:51,600 --> 05:25:54,300
construction. 
While acknowledging the evidence

5702
05:25:54,300 --> 05:25:56,100
was insufficient to close the 
question. 

5703
05:25:57,100 --> 05:26:00,000
A separate analysis. 
Published in 2019, using 

5704
05:26:00,000 --> 05:26:03,300
different methods. 
Concluded, the opposite in 2018,

5705
05:26:03,300 --> 05:26:06,300
a researcher announced, the text
was a form of Hebrew written 

5706
05:26:06,300 --> 05:26:09,600
without vowels, and with letters
rearranged according to a 

5707
05:26:09,600 --> 05:26:12,400
systematic rule The announcement
was widely. 

5708
05:26:12,400 --> 05:26:15,300
Covered other researchers, 
examined, the proposed 

5709
05:26:15,300 --> 05:26:18,800
translation and found they did 
not produce coherent Hebrew and 

5710
05:26:18,800 --> 05:26:22,400
the coverage gradually subsided.
Each of these approaches 

5711
05:26:22,400 --> 05:26:25,300
produces genuine insight into 
the structure of the manuscript.

5712
05:26:25,300 --> 05:26:29,600
The text is an extraordinary 
generator of interesting 

5713
05:26:29,600 --> 05:26:32,500
research questions. 
Is considerably less 

5714
05:26:32,500 --> 05:26:35,600
accommodating when it comes to 
satisfying research conclusions.

5715
05:26:36,500 --> 05:26:39,800
What each successive generation 
of researchers notices and what 

5716
05:26:39,800 --> 05:26:43,300
no method has fully explained is
the combination of qualities. 

5717
05:26:43,300 --> 05:26:45,700
That makes the manuscript feel 
simultaneously close to 

5718
05:26:45,700 --> 05:26:48,400
comprehension and permanently 
Out Of Reach. 

5719
05:26:49,300 --> 05:26:51,300
Text is too consistent to be 
random. 

5720
05:26:51,300 --> 05:26:54,900
The vocabulary clustering is two
purposeful to be accidental. 

5721
05:26:54,900 --> 05:26:58,500
The organization into distinct 
sections is too systematic to 

5722
05:26:58,500 --> 05:27:02,300
have happened without intention,
something was built here by 

5723
05:27:02,300 --> 05:27:05,100
someone who understood what 
building it required, and the 

5724
05:27:05,108 --> 05:27:07,200
knowledge of what they build 
left, the world with them 

5725
05:27:07,200 --> 05:27:10,000
completely and without a 
surviving copy anywhere. 

5726
05:27:11,400 --> 05:27:13,700
There is one more thing worth 
noting about the history of 

5727
05:27:13,700 --> 05:27:16,800
attempts to decode the 
manuscript, which is how many of

5728
05:27:16,800 --> 05:27:18,600
the people who worked on it 
returned to it. 

5729
05:27:18,600 --> 05:27:22,200
Repeatedly over the course of 
years or decades Friedman, was 

5730
05:27:22,200 --> 05:27:24,200
not done with it. 
After his first study group, 

5731
05:27:24,200 --> 05:27:27,600
disbanded he came back 
Researchers who published 

5732
05:27:27,600 --> 05:27:30,200
inconclusive results came back 
with new methods. 

5733
05:27:30,200 --> 05:27:34,300
The pattern of return is itself,
a kind of evidence evidence, not

5734
05:27:34,300 --> 05:27:37,100
about the manuscripts content, 
but about its character as an 

5735
05:27:37,100 --> 05:27:39,500
object. 
It retains attention, it's 

5736
05:27:39,500 --> 05:27:42,500
sustained interest. 
It gives back just enough with 

5737
05:27:42,500 --> 05:27:44,400
each examination to make putting
it down. 

5738
05:27:44,400 --> 05:27:47,600
Permanently feel like a mistake.
That quality. 

5739
05:27:47,600 --> 05:27:50,500
What ever produces? 
It has kept the manuscript in 

5740
05:27:50,500 --> 05:27:53,300
active study for over a century 
of organized, scholarly 

5741
05:27:53,300 --> 05:27:56,600
attention which is in the 
history of unsolved problems. 

5742
05:27:56,600 --> 05:28:00,400
Quite a good run. 
The manuscript weights with the 

5743
05:28:00,408 --> 05:28:03,200
Equanimity of something that has
been waiting long enough to 

5744
05:28:03,200 --> 05:28:07,400
develop a kind of ease about it.
Elizabeth Friedman, Williams 

5745
05:28:07,400 --> 05:28:10,000
wife was her self. 
One of the most accomplished 

5746
05:28:10,000 --> 05:28:11,600
crypto analysts of the 20th 
century. 

5747
05:28:11,600 --> 05:28:15,900
A person who cracked rumrunner 
codes during prohibition, and 

5748
05:28:15,900 --> 05:28:18,900
Nazi spy network communications,
during the second World War. 

5749
05:28:20,100 --> 05:28:23,400
Her work was classified for 
decades and her contributions 

5750
05:28:23,400 --> 05:28:26,700
were long under acknowledged in 
ways that have since been 

5751
05:28:26,700 --> 05:28:30,000
partially corrected. 
She too looked at the Voynich 

5752
05:28:30,000 --> 05:28:33,100
manuscript and found it 
interesting and intractable and 

5753
05:28:33,100 --> 05:28:35,700
her combination of rigorous 
training and extraordinary, 

5754
05:28:35,700 --> 05:28:38,800
intuition did not produce a 
breakthrough, any more than her 

5755
05:28:38,800 --> 05:28:41,800
husband's dead. 
This is not a small thing to say

5756
05:28:41,800 --> 05:28:44,400
about a problem. 
When two people of that quality 

5757
05:28:44,400 --> 05:28:47,400
working independently and 
together cannot find a way in 

5758
05:28:47,400 --> 05:28:49,500
the problem is genuinely 
difficult. 

5759
05:28:50,400 --> 05:28:53,300
It is not a problem that would 
yield to Casual effort or clever

5760
05:28:53,300 --> 05:28:56,200
guessing all the simple 
application of standard methods.

5761
05:28:56,200 --> 05:29:00,000
It requires something that does 
not yet been invented all the 

5762
05:29:00,008 --> 05:29:02,900
rediscovery of something that 
was once known and is now 

5763
05:29:02,900 --> 05:29:06,000
entirely gone. 
More recent work has included 

5764
05:29:06,000 --> 05:29:09,400
the application of neural 
network language models trained 

5765
05:29:09,400 --> 05:29:12,500
on large collections of 
historical texts submitted to 

5766
05:29:12,500 --> 05:29:15,600
the task of identifying. 
Whether the text Bears closer, 

5767
05:29:15,600 --> 05:29:19,500
structural similarity to any 
known language family, These 

5768
05:29:19,500 --> 05:29:22,600
models are extraordinarily 
sensitive to patterns that human

5769
05:29:22,600 --> 05:29:25,400
analysts might miss and they 
have found things that are 

5770
05:29:25,400 --> 05:29:27,300
genuinely suggestive, but 
nothing conclusive. 

5771
05:29:27,300 --> 05:29:30,000
The most careful researchers 
working with these tools 

5772
05:29:30,000 --> 05:29:31,900
described their results as 
narrowing. 

5773
05:29:31,900 --> 05:29:35,300
The field of possibilities 
rather than identifying an 

5774
05:29:35,300 --> 05:29:37,900
answer, which is Meaningful 
progress that still leaves. 

5775
05:29:37,900 --> 05:29:42,700
The fundamental question open. 
By this point in the evening you

5776
05:29:42,700 --> 05:29:45,300
have probably arrived at a 
particular kind of tiredness. 

5777
05:29:45,300 --> 05:29:48,600
Not the Restless variety 
produced by too many unresolved 

5778
05:29:48,600 --> 05:29:51,100
demands but the good settled 
heaviness. 

5779
05:29:51,100 --> 05:29:53,800
That follows a long journey 
through unfamiliar territory, 

5780
05:29:53,800 --> 05:29:57,300
the feeling of having covered 
real distance without rushing 

5781
05:29:57,300 --> 05:30:01,000
anything. the Voynich, 
manuscript reliably produces 

5782
05:30:01,000 --> 05:30:04,400
this feeling and people who 
spent time with its seriously It

5783
05:30:04,400 --> 05:30:07,100
is a very long walk with no 
destination at the far end, 

5784
05:30:07,100 --> 05:30:10,900
which sounds like a criticism 
but is not not at the right out.

5785
05:30:10,900 --> 05:30:13,400
When the room is warm, and there
is no way you need to arrive 

5786
05:30:13,400 --> 05:30:16,900
until morning. 
Let us settle then into what the

5787
05:30:16,900 --> 05:30:19,500
accumulated weight of five 
centuries of puzzlement. 

5788
05:30:19,500 --> 05:30:22,500
Actually suggests about what 
this manuscript might be. 

5789
05:30:22,500 --> 05:30:26,400
The theory is divided into two 
broad camps before subdividing 

5790
05:30:26,400 --> 05:30:29,300
in ways that keep academic 
conversations reliably alive. 

5791
05:30:30,200 --> 05:30:33,400
The first Camp holds that the 
manuscript contains real 

5792
05:30:33,400 --> 05:30:36,200
information that it was created 
to communicate something 

5793
05:30:36,200 --> 05:30:39,000
meaningful to a reader who 
possessed the necessary key. 

5794
05:30:39,000 --> 05:30:42,600
The second holds that it is in 
some fundamental sense of 

5795
05:30:42,600 --> 05:30:45,500
fabrication constructed to 
produce the appearance of 

5796
05:30:45,500 --> 05:30:50,300
meaningful communication without
actually containing any Within 

5797
05:30:50,300 --> 05:30:53,200
each Camp, the positions 
fragment further and between the

5798
05:30:53,200 --> 05:30:56,600
camps there is a respectful and 
unresolved ongoing conversation 

5799
05:30:56,600 --> 05:30:58,900
that shows. 
No signs of concluding. 

5800
05:31:00,000 --> 05:31:02,800
Within the genuine document 
Camp, the most durable and 

5801
05:31:02,800 --> 05:31:06,100
consistently Revisited theory is
that the manuscript is a medical

5802
05:31:06,100 --> 05:31:09,400
or herbal reference work. 
The Botanical illustrations even

5803
05:31:09,400 --> 05:31:12,700
accounting for their imaginary 
Flora follow the organizational 

5804
05:31:12,700 --> 05:31:16,300
conventions of European, herbals
from the period books that used 

5805
05:31:16,300 --> 05:31:19,600
plant illustrations, alongside 
descriptive text, covering 

5806
05:31:19,600 --> 05:31:22,600
medicinal properties, 
preparation methods, and the 

5807
05:31:22,600 --> 05:31:25,600
astrological, and Elemental 
association's that medieval and 

5808
05:31:25,600 --> 05:31:28,200
early modern medical thinking, 
considered therapeutically 

5809
05:31:28,200 --> 05:31:30,600
relevant. 
The section with the bathing 

5810
05:31:30,600 --> 05:31:35,200
figures corresponds to Bali the 
therapeutic use of mineral baths

5811
05:31:35,200 --> 05:31:38,000
which was a legitimate and 
widely practiced treatment 

5812
05:31:38,000 --> 05:31:41,200
during this period and one that 
generated its own dedicated 

5813
05:31:41,200 --> 05:31:44,600
literature. 
The dense final section with its

5814
05:31:44,600 --> 05:31:48,500
marginal star markers could be a
catalog of Remedies or compound 

5815
05:31:48,500 --> 05:31:50,900
preparations, organized for 
practical retrieval. 

5816
05:31:51,700 --> 05:31:54,400
This Theory accounts, well, for 
the organizational logic of the 

5817
05:31:54,408 --> 05:31:57,900
manuscript it explains why the 
book has distinct sections with 

5818
05:31:57,900 --> 05:32:01,500
distinct visual vocabularies. 
Why the overall character of the

5819
05:32:01,500 --> 05:32:05,300
work is practical rather than 
decorative, by the illustrations

5820
05:32:05,300 --> 05:32:08,500
appear to serve the text rather 
than exists independently of it.

5821
05:32:09,500 --> 05:32:12,000
Difficulty is the Botanical 
illustrations themselves. 

5822
05:32:12,000 --> 05:32:14,900
Even the most inaccurate, 
herbals from this period, 

5823
05:32:14,900 --> 05:32:17,400
depicted plants with some 
recognizable connection to 

5824
05:32:17,400 --> 05:32:20,500
actual species. 
The systematic impossibility of 

5825
05:32:20,508 --> 05:32:23,100
the voic plants. 
The consistent way, each one 

5826
05:32:23,100 --> 05:32:26,500
fails to correspond to anything.
In the known natural world is 

5827
05:32:26,500 --> 05:32:30,100
harder to explain as accumulated
error or artistic simplification

5828
05:32:30,100 --> 05:32:31,900
than something that was 
intended. 

5829
05:32:33,000 --> 05:32:35,700
A related Theory, places the 
manuscript in an alchemical 

5830
05:32:35,700 --> 05:32:39,100
tradition rather than a strictly
medical one alchemical writing 

5831
05:32:39,100 --> 05:32:42,100
from the 15th through 17th. 
Centuries was routinely obscure 

5832
05:32:42,100 --> 05:32:45,400
by design using symbolic injury 
and deliberately indirect 

5833
05:32:45,400 --> 05:32:48,800
language to Vail its contents 
from unauthorized readers while 

5834
05:32:48,800 --> 05:32:51,200
remaining accessible to those 
who knew the vocabulary. 

5835
05:32:52,000 --> 05:32:54,800
The Impossible plants might be 
philosophical symbols rather 

5836
05:32:54,800 --> 05:32:58,500
than Botanical observations. 
Coded through natural imagery in

5837
05:32:58,500 --> 05:33:01,300
the way, alchemical texts, 
regularly coded their meaning 

5838
05:33:01,300 --> 05:33:04,300
through Visual metaphor. 
The bathing figures might 

5839
05:33:04,300 --> 05:33:07,500
represent the purification and 
transformation stages of an 

5840
05:33:07,500 --> 05:33:11,400
alchemical process stages in a 
system rather than depictions of

5841
05:33:11,408 --> 05:33:14,400
actual bathing. 
This Theory draws on genuine 

5842
05:33:14,400 --> 05:33:16,600
historical practices and has 
real coherence. 

5843
05:33:17,300 --> 05:33:20,600
Its limitation is the same 
limitation that constrains every

5844
05:33:20,600 --> 05:33:23,700
theory about this manuscript, 
which is that without being able

5845
05:33:23,700 --> 05:33:26,100
to read the text. 
It is not possible to confirm 

5846
05:33:26,100 --> 05:33:28,500
whether the images and the words
are doing what the theory 

5847
05:33:28,500 --> 05:33:31,500
proposes they are doing. 
The theory fits the evidence of 

5848
05:33:31,500 --> 05:33:34,000
available but the available 
evidence was designed. 

5849
05:33:34,000 --> 05:33:37,200
If it was designed at all to fit
a very wide range of theories. 

5850
05:33:38,600 --> 05:33:41,200
The constructed language theory,
has attracted serious and 

5851
05:33:41,200 --> 05:33:43,300
sustained attention across 
several decades. 

5852
05:33:43,300 --> 05:33:46,500
It is grounded in a genuine 
intellectual tradition. 

5853
05:33:47,400 --> 05:33:50,800
During the Renaissance into the 
early, modern period significant

5854
05:33:50,800 --> 05:33:54,200
philosophical effort, went into 
the project of Designing, what 

5855
05:33:54,200 --> 05:33:56,500
thinkers of the time called a 
universal language. 

5856
05:33:56,500 --> 05:33:59,800
A notation system that would 
represent ideas directly 

5857
05:33:59,800 --> 05:34:03,500
bypassing the ambiguity and 
contingents of any particular 

5858
05:34:03,500 --> 05:34:06,900
natural language. 
Francais bacon, theorized about 

5859
05:34:06,900 --> 05:34:11,000
such a system John Wilkins built
one and published it in the 17th

5860
05:34:11,000 --> 05:34:13,000
century. 
A complete philosophical 

5861
05:34:13,000 --> 05:34:15,000
language with his own vocabulary
and grammar. 

5862
05:34:15,900 --> 05:34:18,300
Gottfried leibnitz spent 
portions of his career on 

5863
05:34:18,300 --> 05:34:21,000
related projects. 
If someone in the early Decades 

5864
05:34:21,000 --> 05:34:24,000
of the 15th century had 
independently attempted a 

5865
05:34:24,000 --> 05:34:27,000
precursor to these better 
documented later efforts working

5866
05:34:27,000 --> 05:34:30,900
out of a tradition, we no longer
have direct access to the result

5867
05:34:30,900 --> 05:34:33,500
might exhibit exactly the 
statistical properties. 

5868
05:34:33,500 --> 05:34:36,000
That make the Voynich. 
Text hard to classify as either 

5869
05:34:36,000 --> 05:34:38,100
natural language or conventional
Cypher. 

5870
05:34:38,800 --> 05:34:42,600
Then there is the hoax this word
carries a slightly pejorative 

5871
05:34:42,600 --> 05:34:46,100
weight in most contexts. 
As if fabrication was simply a 

5872
05:34:46,100 --> 05:34:49,800
lesser than genuine content but 
the craftsmanship implied by The

5873
05:34:49,800 --> 05:34:52,900
hoax Theory applied to the 
specific object is honestly 

5874
05:34:52,900 --> 05:34:55,500
impressive. 
Someone producing a false 

5875
05:34:55,500 --> 05:34:57,400
document capable of resisting 
serious. 

5876
05:34:57,400 --> 05:35:01,100
Analytical scrutiny from some of
the most skilled cryptanalysts 

5877
05:35:01,100 --> 05:35:03,900
of the 20th century while 
working in the early 15th 

5878
05:35:03,900 --> 05:35:05,700
century. 
Without any knowledge that such 

5879
05:35:05,700 --> 05:35:08,700
analysts would eventually exist 
would have been doing something 

5880
05:35:08,700 --> 05:35:11,600
that required real intelligence.
And genuine technical 

5881
05:35:11,600 --> 05:35:14,900
sophistication, Gordon rugs card
and grilled demonstration 

5882
05:35:14,900 --> 05:35:16,700
established. 
The production method was 

5883
05:35:16,700 --> 05:35:20,300
feasible, with period tools. 
What it did not address was 

5884
05:35:20,300 --> 05:35:23,200
motive, 600 ducketts from 
Rudolph's. 

5885
05:35:23,200 --> 05:35:26,500
Treasury is one possible motive,
but it requires the manuscript 

5886
05:35:26,500 --> 05:35:29,300
to have been fabricated, 
specifically for sale to Rudolph

5887
05:35:29,300 --> 05:35:32,400
or someone in his collecting 
Network which implies a level of

5888
05:35:32,408 --> 05:35:35,700
advanced planning that pushes 
the scenario in specific and 

5889
05:35:35,700 --> 05:35:37,500
increasingly constrained 
Direction's. 

5890
05:35:38,300 --> 05:35:40,700
Private motive, a philosophical 
experiment. 

5891
05:35:40,700 --> 05:35:44,100
An elaborate personal project 
undertaken for reasons that had 

5892
05:35:44,100 --> 05:35:48,200
meaning only to its creator is 
equally possible and equally 

5893
05:35:48,200 --> 05:35:51,800
Beyond verification. 
What sits most uncomfortably 

5894
05:35:51,800 --> 05:35:54,800
with the hoax theory is the 
sheer scale and quality of the 

5895
05:35:54,800 --> 05:35:57,500
effort. 
The manuscript is long and 

5896
05:35:57,500 --> 05:36:01,500
meticulous and internally 
consistent across 240 Pages. 

5897
05:36:01,500 --> 05:36:05,300
Producing it using any known 
method would have required 

5898
05:36:05,300 --> 05:36:08,800
months of sustained and focused 
work, that kind of commitment. 

5899
05:36:08,800 --> 05:36:12,200
Usually implies that someone has
something they need to say the 

5900
05:36:12,200 --> 05:36:15,200
conviction deeper enough to 
justify the investment of time. 

5901
05:36:16,000 --> 05:36:18,600
People who feel that strongly 
about a project tend to fill it 

5902
05:36:18,600 --> 05:36:21,600
with actual content. 
There is also the question of 

5903
05:36:21,600 --> 05:36:24,300
audience. 
A hoax needs a Target. 

5904
05:36:24,300 --> 05:36:28,300
If the manuscript was made to 
see, Rudolph it needed to be 

5905
05:36:28,300 --> 05:36:31,300
convincing enough to pass 
scrutiny from the scholars and 

5906
05:36:31,300 --> 05:36:33,800
advisors at one of the most 
intellectually sophisticated 

5907
05:36:33,800 --> 05:36:37,500
courts in Europe. 
If it was made to see bearish or

5908
05:36:37,500 --> 05:36:41,100
master your cursor, it needed to
sustain interest across years of

5909
05:36:41,100 --> 05:36:43,400
examination by men who are not 
easily fooled. 

5910
05:36:44,200 --> 05:36:46,700
Any of these targets would have 
required the fabrication to be 

5911
05:36:46,700 --> 05:36:49,300
very, very good. 
And the manuscript is, whatever 

5912
05:36:49,300 --> 05:36:50,800
else. 
It is very, very good. 

5913
05:36:50,800 --> 05:36:54,100
And here, as in every other 
direction from which you 

5914
05:36:54,100 --> 05:36:56,700
approach, this question, you 
arrive at the place where the 

5915
05:36:56,700 --> 05:37:00,300
manuscript lives, which is the 
place where certainty yields to 

5916
05:37:00,300 --> 05:37:03,400
possibility and possibility 
yields to the honest 

5917
05:37:03,400 --> 05:37:05,800
acknowledgment that you simply 
do not know. 

5918
05:37:06,800 --> 05:37:09,600
That acknowledgment reached 
honestly after following the 

5919
05:37:09,600 --> 05:37:12,500
evidence, as far as it goes, is 
not a failure. 

5920
05:37:12,500 --> 05:37:16,300
It is the accurate thing. 
The bay Necker Library will be 

5921
05:37:16,300 --> 05:37:19,200
there tomorrow. 
Ms, 408 will be there on its 

5922
05:37:19,200 --> 05:37:21,600
climate controlled shelf its 
Pages. 

5923
05:37:21,600 --> 05:37:24,800
The color of old cream. 
It's impossible plants growing 

5924
05:37:24,800 --> 05:37:26,800
in their permanent quiet 
incorrectness. 

5925
05:37:26,800 --> 05:37:30,400
It's bathing figures floating 
with undisturbed expressions, in

5926
05:37:30,400 --> 05:37:34,000
their mysterious pools, it's 
unknown script moving across the

5927
05:37:34,000 --> 05:37:37,000
pages in The even confident, 
hand of someone who knew 

5928
05:37:37,000 --> 05:37:39,900
precisely, what they were 
writing, whatever that was the 

5929
05:37:39,900 --> 05:37:43,100
radiocarbon clock stopped in the
early 15th century somewhere in 

5930
05:37:43,100 --> 05:37:46,100
Central Europe. 
In a room that no longer exists.

5931
05:37:46,800 --> 05:37:50,400
At a table where a person. 
Now, 600 years gone sat down 

5932
05:37:50,400 --> 05:37:52,500
with a rule sheet of Vellum and 
a pen and began. 

5933
05:37:53,300 --> 05:37:55,200
They wrote for what must have 
been along time. 

5934
05:37:55,200 --> 05:37:58,600
They returned to add color to 
the illustration, when the Inca 

5935
05:37:58,600 --> 05:38:02,300
tried, they organized the pages 
and had them bound and then the 

5936
05:38:02,300 --> 05:38:05,000
book entered the world and the 
world carried, it forward, 

5937
05:38:05,000 --> 05:38:07,900
through Rudolph's, Prague and 
bearish, frustrated, library, 

5938
05:38:07,900 --> 05:38:12,500
and Marcy's elderly, hands, and 
coaches, Jesse at shells, and a 

5939
05:38:12,500 --> 05:38:15,400
villa in the Hills above Rome 
and a dealer's shop in London 

5940
05:38:15,400 --> 05:38:19,900
and the quiet reading rooms of 
Yale, where it sits tonight as 

5941
05:38:19,900 --> 05:38:21,800
closed. 
And as present as it is, always 

5942
05:38:21,800 --> 05:38:25,100
been, This object is outlasted 
the Empire that may have 

5943
05:38:25,100 --> 05:38:27,400
purchased it. 
It has outlasted the college 

5944
05:38:27,400 --> 05:38:30,500
where it spent two centuries 
undisturbed, it has outlasted 

5945
05:38:30,500 --> 05:38:33,400
the Bookseller, who found it on 
a shelf in the Hills about Roam 

5946
05:38:33,400 --> 05:38:35,400
and gave it the name, the whole 
world. 

5947
05:38:35,400 --> 05:38:39,500
Now uses it has outlasted two 
World Wars, The Invention of 

5948
05:38:39,500 --> 05:38:42,500
computing, the development of 
machine learning, and the 

5949
05:38:42,500 --> 05:38:45,100
application of the most 
sophisticated, analytical 

5950
05:38:45,100 --> 05:38:47,800
methods, that human civilization
has so far produced. 

5951
05:38:48,600 --> 05:38:51,500
It has been examined by some of 
the sharpest and most dedicated 

5952
05:38:51,500 --> 05:38:55,400
minds of the past Century and it
has kept its secret from all of 

5953
05:38:55,400 --> 05:38:58,400
them, not through inertness, but
through a Kind of Perfect 

5954
05:38:58,400 --> 05:39:01,100
calibration. 
Close enough to understanding 

5955
05:39:01,100 --> 05:39:02,700
that every new method seems 
promising. 

5956
05:39:03,600 --> 05:39:07,100
Far enough away that every new 
method Falls just short whether 

5957
05:39:07,100 --> 05:39:10,100
someone built that quality into 
it deliberately or whether it 

5958
05:39:10,100 --> 05:39:12,600
arrived at that position through
the compounded, accident of 

5959
05:39:12,600 --> 05:39:15,200
history and survival and the 
current limits of human 

5960
05:39:15,200 --> 05:39:17,600
knowledge is itself. 
An open question. 

5961
05:39:18,400 --> 05:39:20,600
Both possibilities are 
interesting in different ways. 

5962
05:39:20,600 --> 05:39:23,700
What is not in question? 
Is that it is a human object 

5963
05:39:23,700 --> 05:39:28,400
made by human hands, with human 
Tools, in human time in a 

5964
05:39:28,408 --> 05:39:32,300
specific room on a specific day 
in a city, somewhere in the 

5965
05:39:32,300 --> 05:39:35,200
early 15th century. 
Someone ruled those pages, 

5966
05:39:35,200 --> 05:39:39,000
someone dipped a pen and wrote 
the first character of the first

5967
05:39:39,000 --> 05:39:42,000
word of the first line, with 
whatever purpose, They Carried, 

5968
05:39:42,000 --> 05:39:45,500
whatever it was. 
That person is as far from you. 

5969
05:39:45,500 --> 05:39:48,500
Now, as the light of a star, you
have never learned the name of 

5970
05:39:49,400 --> 05:39:52,600
But they left something that 
came all the way here to tonight

5971
05:39:52,600 --> 05:39:55,700
to this room to the comfortable 
edge of your sleep. 

5972
05:39:56,900 --> 05:39:58,700
You've traveled a long way 
through these Pages. 

5973
05:39:58,700 --> 05:40:02,100
You followed a small book 
through Botanical sections 

5974
05:40:02,100 --> 05:40:05,000
filled with impossible, plants 
through the statistical, 

5975
05:40:05,000 --> 05:40:07,900
paradoxes of an alphabet that 
behaves like language without 

5976
05:40:07,900 --> 05:40:11,000
yielding its meaning through 
radiocarbon Laboratories and 

5977
05:40:11,000 --> 05:40:14,400
Jesuit Villas and the careful 
working papers of the greatest 

5978
05:40:14,400 --> 05:40:16,200
cryptanalysts of the 20th 
century. 

5979
05:40:16,200 --> 05:40:18,800
You have sat with the 
uncertainty honestly and 

5980
05:40:18,800 --> 05:40:21,500
followed it without needing it 
become something other than what

5981
05:40:21,500 --> 05:40:23,600
it is. 
That is enough for tonight. 

5982
05:40:24,700 --> 05:40:27,500
The page turns quiet. 
Now the ink goes still. 

5983
05:40:28,300 --> 05:40:30,500
The boneka library will be there
in the morning and the 

5984
05:40:30,508 --> 05:40:33,600
manuscript with it and the 
Mystery patient inside the 

5985
05:40:33,600 --> 05:40:36,200
manuscript. 
And the early 15th Century City 

5986
05:40:36,200 --> 05:40:40,300
inside the mystery has still and
warm and unreachable as the 

5987
05:40:40,300 --> 05:40:43,300
center of a very old dream that 
someone else began. 

5988
05:40:43,300 --> 05:40:46,800
And no one has yet finished. 
You already know the only 

5989
05:40:46,800 --> 05:40:50,000
language that matters right now.
Your body has been fluent in it 

5990
05:40:50,000 --> 05:40:53,300
since before you had words for 
anything, it requires, no, 

5991
05:40:53,300 --> 05:40:55,900
decipherment, it requires no 
key. 

5992
05:40:55,900 --> 05:40:59,600
Just let it carry you. 
There is a detail about the 

5993
05:40:59,600 --> 05:41:02,100
manuscript that is easy to 
overlook when you're focused on 

5994
05:41:02,108 --> 05:41:04,500
the questions. 
It raises and that detail is 

5995
05:41:04,500 --> 05:41:07,100
this. 
Whoever made it worked for a 

5996
05:41:07,100 --> 05:41:10,100
very long time to make something
they clearly believed was worth 

5997
05:41:10,100 --> 05:41:13,400
making. 600 years later. 
That belief has been Vindicated 

5998
05:41:13,400 --> 05:41:15,300
in ways. 
They could not have anticipated.

5999
05:41:16,400 --> 05:41:19,500
The manuscript is consulted by 
Scholars on every continent. 

6000
05:41:19,500 --> 05:41:23,500
It has been the subject of peer 
reviewed research in fields, 

6001
05:41:23,500 --> 05:41:27,200
ranging from computational 
Linguistics to art history, to 

6002
05:41:27,200 --> 05:41:30,700
Material Science, it is been 
digitized and made freely 

6003
05:41:30,700 --> 05:41:32,500
available to anyone who wants to
look at it. 

6004
05:41:32,500 --> 05:41:36,100
It is generated more genuine 
intellectual effort per page. 

6005
05:41:36,100 --> 05:41:39,300
The most any other manuscript in
any library in the world, 

6006
05:41:39,300 --> 05:41:41,600
whatever purpose it was made 
for. 

6007
05:41:41,600 --> 05:41:45,200
It has become over the 
centuries, a different kind of 

6008
05:41:45,200 --> 05:41:48,200
object than it started. 
As It has become a gathering 

6009
05:41:48,200 --> 05:41:51,300
point for human curiosity. 
A shared puzzle. 

6010
05:41:51,300 --> 05:41:54,000
That connects everyone who has 
ever spent an evening with it 

6011
05:41:54,000 --> 05:41:57,900
from Gayle barish and his Prague
study to William Friedman at his

6012
05:41:57,900 --> 05:42:01,000
government desk to the 
researcher somewhere tonight who

6013
05:42:01,000 --> 05:42:04,200
was running one more analysis on
the character frequences and 

6014
05:42:04,200 --> 05:42:06,300
trying again to find the 
pattern. 

6015
05:42:06,300 --> 05:42:09,000
That unlocks everything. 
Your part of that long chain now

6016
05:42:09,000 --> 05:42:10,600
too. 
Simply by having spent this 

6017
05:42:10,600 --> 05:42:14,500
evening here, you have not sold.
It neither has anyone else? 

6018
05:42:15,500 --> 05:42:17,900
But you have looked at it 
honestly followed it strange 

6019
05:42:17,900 --> 05:42:21,200
path through history with 
genuine attention and sat with 

6020
05:42:21,208 --> 05:42:23,900
the mystery without demanding, 
that it be something other than 

6021
05:42:23,900 --> 05:42:26,500
what it is. 
That is its own kind of 

6022
05:42:26,500 --> 05:42:29,800
understanding. 
The page turns quiet. 

6023
05:42:29,800 --> 05:42:33,300
Now the ink goes still. 
The banitsa library will be 

6024
05:42:33,300 --> 05:42:36,100
there in the morning and the 
manuscript with it and the 

6025
05:42:36,100 --> 05:42:39,500
Mystery patient inside the 
manuscript and the early 15th 

6026
05:42:39,500 --> 05:42:42,700
century sitting inside the 
mystery as still and warm and 

6027
05:42:42,700 --> 05:42:45,700
unreachable as the center of a 
very old dream that someone else

6028
05:42:45,700 --> 05:42:47,900
began and no one has yet 
finished. 

6029
05:42:48,600 --> 05:42:50,700
You already know the only 
language that matters right now.

6030
05:42:51,500 --> 05:42:54,200
Your body has been fluent in it 
since before you had words for 

6031
05:42:54,200 --> 05:42:56,400
anything. 
It requires, no, decipherment. 

6032
05:42:56,400 --> 05:42:59,400
It requires no key. 
Just let it carry you. 

6033
05:42:59,400 --> 05:43:02,800
That is your story for tonight 
to my tired, little archivists. 

6034
05:43:02,800 --> 05:43:05,700
If this corner of the universe, 
we have built together is the 

6035
05:43:05,700 --> 05:43:07,900
kind of place that puts you 
peacefully out before the 

6036
05:43:07,900 --> 05:43:10,500
credits roll. 
The kindest thing you can do is 

6037
05:43:10,500 --> 05:43:13,100
hit subscribe. 
So the next mystery is already 

6038
05:43:13,100 --> 05:43:14,400
here waiting when you wake up.