Edu-Kit Catalogue: Medieval Times Artifact Penny of William I (1086-1070) and Penny of Eustace (1138-1153) These replica coins include information about the historical context in which they were minted. Silver Penny (William I The Conqueror 1066-1087) This replica coin includes information about William the Conqueror. Playing Cards Used for a variety of different games such as Piquet a game for two players using only sixes to aces. Wax Seal Wax seals were used to mark important letters to show whether or not someone had already opened them and read the contents. The seals would be in different designs to indicate who had sent the letter. Metal Cup A metal cup like this one would be used for drinking or for measuring when cooking a meal.
Quill pen and ink well Before modern day pens and pencils, people would write by dipping a feather into ink and using it as a pen. Knitting Materials These modern day knitting supplies give an idea of what it was like to make clothing or other pieces of fabric in medieval times. Child s Doll Simple dolls of this style would have belonged to a child. Silver Belt This decorative piece of clothing would have been worn by a noble or royal woman around her waist. Fleece, Carder, and Wooden Spool Fleece is a sheep s wool after it has been sheared. Using a carder to run the fleece out was one of the first step in making wool clothing
Emerald necklace, bracelet and ring People in medieval times wore stones as they believed they possessed special powers as outlined in Lapidaries (books about the properties of stone). Such powers could be of healing, or that of warding off demons. Some stones were regarded above others, such as rubies and emeralds, and were collected by royalty. Silver necklace Jewelry made from precious metals was very valuable and usually only worn by nobles and royalty. Unicorn Necklace In medieval mythology, a unicorn was a rare creature that could only be tamed by a maiden. For this reason, this necklace likely would have been worn by a young unmarried woman. Imp Pin The imp statue was originally found in a Medieval church in England. It is said that an angel turned the imp to stone for causing mischief in a church. An identical statue was built in a St. Catharines church. Wearing a pin version of this mischievous imp is believed to be good luck. Clay Marbles Playing marbles was a popular children s activity. Instead of the glass marbles we use today, children in Medieval times would use marbles made out of clay.
White Hat Men and women both wore a wide variety of headpieces during Medieval Times. Hats like this one which are more decorative than functional would have likely been worn by nobles. Flower Crown This type of decorative headwear that would have most likely been worn by a young girl from a noble family. Purple Hat Another decorative hat in a style worn by Medieval nobility. White Hood Hoods were worn by many different people, from monks and members of religious orders to regular citizens and travelers. Wooden Shield A metal shield would be used by a knight on the battlefield. It would often be extremely heavy. A wooden shield would be used for children and knights in training to practice protecting themselves with a shield. Wooden swords would often be used for practice as well.
Crown Crowns were worn by kings and queens and were the physical representation of their authority. They were often very elaborate, with precious metals and gem stones placed in them. Chainmail Headpiece Chainmail is a form of armour that is lighter than the heavy metal plates knights would often wear. Chainmail did not provide as much protection as heavy plate armour but it made it easier for the wearer to move around. Metal Helmet with Chainmail Backing This helmet provides heavy protection of the head with light maneuverable chainmail protecting the back of the neck and shoulders. It does, however, leave the wearers face vulnerable. Full Metal Helmet This metal helmet would have provided the wearer with excellent head and face protection on all sides. It would however be very heavy and greatly obscure the wearer s view, perhaps slowing him down and drastically reducing his agility in battle. Jousting Helmet This helmet has an extra metal covering the can be pulled down over the face. It would have provided maximum protection but would also severely obscure the wearer s view. For this reason, it would be best in jousting because the wearer would only need to move in a straight line while riding a horse.
Tunic (2) Tunic The tunic was one of the most basic garments, worn by both men and women. Upper class people would often wear another layer of more elaborate clothing on top. Tunics could go from just above the knee to down to the ankles. Vest Vests like this one may have been worn by squires or assistants in a medieval tournament. The colour and patterns, as well as any other added symbols could indicate a particular family or country one was associated with. Plastic Swords These plastic swords are the right size for children to hold, unlike a real knight s sword which would have weighed about 32 pounds. Archer with Crossbow Crossbows were a useful advancement on bow and arrow technology. These weapons would hold the bolt back for the archer, meaning it required less strength to shoot and was generally easier to aim. The difficulty was that it took a while to load a new bolt, meaning only 2 bolts could be fired per minute. Jester A jester was like a clown who was often hired to entertain nobles and royalty.
Guard with Halberd Guards were responsible for keeping peace in towns and castles and protecting royals, nobles and regular citizens as well. Trumpet Player In Medieval times, only a select few were taught to play trumpet. Trumpets were not just for music; more importantly they signaled instructions to soldiers in battle. Trumpet players were therefore very important and heavily guarded. Knight with Sword Knights were the most highly regarded soldiers. They often came from noble families since a suit of armour and a horse were so expensive. Knights lived by a code of chivalry that said they must always protect the weak and remain loyal to the king. Knight with Axe Knights used a variety of different weapons including swords, knives, axes, battle hammers and maces. Mounted Knight Knights who rode into battle on horses had a significant advantage over foot soldiers because they had greater speed and height.
Flag Bearer Flag bearers would provide signals to his fellow soldiers that could be seen over the battle. They would also carry flags that signaled what person, family, or country they were fighting for. King The king was the supreme ruler of a country. Kings and queens were not chosen by the people but rather established through a line of succession. Squire A squire was a knight s shield, armour or sword bearer. He would often serve as an assistant to the knight as well, running errands and helping the knight prepare for battle. Princess Nobles and royalty were people who came from wealthy and powerful families. These people lived a far more luxurious lifestyle than peasants, and they often wore beautiful clothing to indicate their status. Horse with Armour When a knight rode into battle, protecting himself also meant protecting the horse he was riding on.
Plastic Shields Medieval shields came in many different shapes and materials. Wood, animal hide, and metal shields were all used and could be extremely heavy. A knight would often decorate his shield with symbols, colours, and patterns that would allow him to be easily recognized beneath his armour. Patterned Tights Plain tight fitting breeches were common among peasants in the early middle ages. Towards the beginning of the Renaissance period, tight breeches became popular with noblemen and kings, though they looked much more elaborate and were made of expensive materials. Gold Trimmed Sash This decorative piece of clothing likely would have been tied around the waist of a noblewoman. Plastic Battle Axe Battle axes were usually made of iron or steel and wielded by common soldiers more often than knights. There were larger two handed axes as well as smaller one handed axes like this one which could be thrown at enemies in combat.