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Discover the shocking hygiene practices of the past that will leave you cringing, and learn why you might be more regal than a medieval king in today’s world. This exploration highlights the vast differences between historical norms and contemporary standards, revealing the evolution of cleanliness and status.
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00:01Hygiene practices have been on this planet for as long as there's been life.
00:06Even those initial single-celled organisms felt icky when they got dirty,
00:10so they made shields and developed mechanisms to kick out unwanted guests, such as bacteria.
00:16Animals are surprisingly clean too.
00:19Especially pigs, out of all animals.
00:22Turns out they're particularly good at keeping their space tidy.
00:25Domestic pigs, for instance, pick a spot for their toilet business that's a good distance from where they eat or
00:32sleep.
00:34Humans have a long, and at times icky, history with hygiene too,
00:39which can be traced as far back as our ancient cousins, the Neanderthals.
00:43There's evidence that even over 60,000 years ago, they seemed keen on keeping their pearly whites in good shape.
00:51Two fossilized Neanderthal teeth tell this story through some weird grooves,
00:56which were obviously made by something pointy, like a toothpick of sorts.
01:00Then there's Venus of Willendorf, this tiny, ancient statue, around 25,000 years old, discovered in Austria.
01:09Its whole purpose remains a mystery.
01:11Scientists don't even know if it was an art piece or if it had some spiritual significance.
01:16But it does give us some indications on ancient hygienic practices.
01:21Now, there's no way to confirm, but those bumps and grooves on the statue's head might represent braids.
01:28Scientists have no idea how often people washed their hair back then, or if they used any specific cleaning products.
01:35But the fact that they put some time into a hairdo shows an extra bit of care that other species
01:41might not have.
01:41Now, in all fairness, the likely culprit for prehistoric hygienic practices might have been lice, unfortunately.
01:51Even further back in time, we meet the Egyptians, who surely take the crown for ancient self-care practices.
01:57In fact, according to the Greek historian Herodotus, around the 5th century BCE, the ancient Egyptians were the cleanest and
02:06healthiest bunch around.
02:07Why so? Because they made sure to bathe twice a day to steer clear of health problems.
02:13Spiritual leaders, in particular, took cleanliness seriously, shaving their entire bodies every three days and having two baths during the
02:22day and two at night.
02:23They used perfumes to stay fresh. They also had these natron soaps that were scented and had properties like fighting
02:30bacteria and fungi.
02:32These natron, which is a mineral salt, was used in mouthwash solutions too.
02:37These people chewed on parsley and similar herbs to keep their breath fresh.
02:42Egyptians back then went even as far as developing one of the first deodorants.
02:47Ancient texts suggest putting a scented bread concoction under the arms post-bathing.
02:52People also mixed an ostrich egg with pulverized tortoiseshell and used it as an ointment to ward off unpleasant odors.
03:01Women, especially the wealthier ones, shaved their heads with flint or metal razors, choosing wigs made from human hair to
03:09shield their skin from the sun and avoid lies.
03:12Those who kept their hair natural often used hair extensions or wigs secured with beeswax and resin.
03:19There were even women who wore perfume wax cones on their heads that would slowly release a delightful scent during
03:26the day.
03:27Ooh, coneheads!
03:30Let's now move towards the north a bit and check out the ancient practices of the good old Romans.
03:36Sure, the Babylonians and Assyrians were the first to sort of invent the toilet.
03:41That's because they crafted areas with two short walls and a little gap for the business.
03:46And then they just let the debris flow into the canals along with their bathwater.
03:51But it wasn't until the ancient Romans that these toilets became a common widespread device.
03:56The less well-off households went for a barrel as their toilet, just dumping the stuff from their chamber pots
04:03into it.
04:04Public toilets were popular too, at times even big enough for over 50 people.
04:09Imagine having a chat about commerce and marketing with other professionals while, you know, doing your thing.
04:15You wouldn't be wrong. In fact, that's what the Romans did.
04:18And that's where the phrase, to do one's business, comes from.
04:25Now, did the ancient Romans use toilet paper? No, they didn't.
04:29But they did supposedly use a sponge on a stick called a tersorium to tidy up after completing their potty
04:37time.
04:37There's evidence you'd often find these devices in public bathrooms.
04:41But how exactly they were used is still a bit of a mystery.
04:45It's not like we sell toilet paper with detailed instructions these days either.
04:49However, the hefty sponge might have been a reusable contraption.
04:54Some say it was dipped in a little water and vinegar, did its job cleaning,
04:58and then got rinsed or dunked back into a bucket of salt water or vinegar for the next person to
05:03use.
05:04Hmm, I think I'd rather be first in line or wait for a new sponge.
05:09Probably one of the most important ancient inventions when it comes to hygiene were the Roman aqueducts.
05:14These sophisticated engineering marvels were designed to transport fresh water from distant mountain sources to cities.
05:22This meant ancient Romans always had a reliable supply of clean water.
05:29Now, the medieval times have this reputation of being some of the smelliest in human history.
05:35But if we look at the data, it wasn't that bad.
05:38People were advised to keep it smooth, getting rid of unwanted hair by either shaving or plucking.
05:45Another technique was to put together a mix of crushed needle seeds and vinegar and slather it on the skin.
05:51Think of it as an ancient body scrub.
05:53As for hair, doctors suggested washing it, but not too often, just once every three weeks.
06:00The preferred method? A good scrub with water and herbal blends.
06:04Daily hair care involved combing, sometimes with powders made from sweet-smelling flowers like rose petals.
06:11For laundry duty, our medieval ancestors tossed clothes and linen into a tub, river, or stream.
06:18To really amp up the cleanliness, some added wood ash to the water.
06:23Women often took laundry to rivers, where they would stomp on clothes or beat them with a wooden bat until
06:28they were done.
06:29In fact, the washing enthusiasm got so intense that it led to some serious public health issues.
06:36One story goes that in the 1400s, an English city put a ban on washing clothes at town conduits because
06:43it became such a mess.
06:48When it comes to laundry, though, people that lived through the Victorian era really overdid it.
06:53For starters, it was a multiple-day project.
06:56Manuals then suggested letting clothes soak overnight as the first step.
07:01The next day, it was a complete process of soaping, boiling, rinsing, drying, starching, and ironing.
07:09Sometimes they even had to repeat these steps.
07:12To keep whites looking brand new, women had various stain removal options.
07:17For instance, sour milk was said to work wonders in removing iron rust.
07:22Every wash also involved a bluing stage.
07:26White clothes were boiled or scalded with water that had a touch of blue dye.
07:30This made yellowing clothes look whiter.
07:33Interestingly, you can still find bluing products for laundry today.
07:37Another manual gave tips on bleaching clothes.
07:40Cotton could be bleached by soaking in buttermilk or adding turpentine to the first wash.
07:45Muslin fabric needed a chemical mix after the initial soap boil, followed by sun drying.
07:54At about the same time lived one of the most beautiful women in history, Sisi of Austria.
08:00She became renowned for her personal hygiene and self-care routines.
08:04Her most recognizable attribute was this thick chestnut hair with an incredible length, down to her feet.
08:11It took her three hours per day just to manage it.
08:15Every morning, she'd have a cold bath, a massage, and then she'd sit down in a chair for hours, letting
08:21her hairdresser do her job.
08:24Sisi's skincare regimen was equally as outrageous.
08:27Obsessed with keeping wrinkles at bay, Sisi put crushed strawberries to her hands, neck, and face.
08:34She also slept with a custom mask on, lined inside with pieces of raw veal.
08:40The woman also spent time in warm olive oil baths to keep her skin soft and, for everyday bathing, she
08:46used distilled water.
08:48Sisi also made it a habit to sleep without any pillows, because she believed it would benefit her skin.
08:54Hmm, kind of obsessive, wouldn't you say?
09:03This is Alex.
09:04He's a regular, normal guy, working a nine-to-five job.
09:08He doesn't make an impressive six figures a year, and he could only afford a used Honda,
09:14even though he's always been dreaming about something more extravagant.
09:19And this is Henry.
09:21But it's more correct to pronounce his name as Henri, since he's French.
09:26You might have noticed from his clothes that he's, one, old-fashioned, and, two, quite rich.
09:33Yep, you're looking at Henry II of France, a medieval monarch straight from the 16th century, who could afford anything
09:41he wanted back then.
09:43And he's not old-fashioned.
09:45He actually looks pretty edgy for his time.
09:50Sure, Alex and Henry never met, and we'll never meet each other.
09:54After all, they're from different time periods, and their statuses are pretty different, too.
09:59But what if I tell you that Alex leads a way more luxurious life than Henry II of France?
10:08This one may not sound too convincing, but any of you who's watching this video leads a more luxurious life
10:15than a medieval king.
10:17Let's dive in!
10:19Royal carriages seem romantic and all, but no matter how advanced a carriage was in medieval times,
10:25it will never be a decent rival, even for the rustiest and most decaying car of today.
10:31I'm not speaking about AC, car audio systems, and other fancy features.
10:37It's more about the quality of the roads and the overall comfort.
10:41Modern suspension works wonders, and even though there's evidence many carriages back then did have suspension systems,
10:48they still can't be compared to what we have today.
10:53Next on the list is pretty obvious, medicine.
10:57Yeah, insurance today costs a pretty penny, and sometimes it's cheaper to extract a tooth than to cure it.
11:03But at least you won't be treated with the help of herbal cures.
11:08These can be good indeed, though sometimes we need something more advanced.
11:13I mean, a headache is more likely to go away with the help of a pill we have in our
11:18emergency kits at home than with the help of sweet-smelling herbs.
11:22In medieval times, cures used rose, lavender, sage, and hay to help someone with headaches.
11:29And should something more serious happen to anyone today, they'll see someone with an actual degree, not a magician.
11:36Yeah, that was pretty common in medieval times.
11:41Okay, enough about the sad things.
11:43Plus, something cool is going on right now.
11:46Alex has recently met a girl on a dating app, and it's their first date today.
11:52Henry II of France would have been terribly jealous if he had known such a thing was possible.
11:57He got married at the age of 14, and his wife was from the prosperous family of Medici.
12:03Henry couldn't simply choose any peasant girl he liked.
12:07Royalty was supposed to get married wisely.
12:09Taking into account all the financial and political advantages.
12:14Seems like in terms of love, Alex from the 21st century wins.
12:19But in terms of wealth, there's no doubt it's Henry.
12:23Have you ever heard of the term usury?
12:25It's something totally normal today, but quite prohibited in the Middle Ages.
12:30Basically, usury is when someone makes money from money, a.k.a. charging interest.
12:37Usury was banned due to religious issues in many medieval places.
12:41But still, you couldn't just go get a loan from a bank.
12:45But as always, some people did find a way out.
12:48So loans technically existed.
12:51The easiest way was to issue a binding bond for, let's say, $20.
12:56While the borrower would only get $15.
13:00Voila!
13:00There's no interest mentioned on papers.
13:02But still, the borrower got the money and the loaner got their interest.
13:07So Alex would have trouble with his credit card back in medieval times.
13:11Henry wouldn't need such a thing as a credit card.
13:14He's full of his own funds.
13:18Alright, and what about other money things?
13:21Today, we can send and receive money instantly to and from anyone.
13:26Thank you, almighty internet.
13:28But in the Middle Ages, things were pretty complicated.
13:31So a young prince couldn't text his father king.
13:34So he sent him a bit of money to cover that tavern bill.
13:37The first almost-fast money transfers appeared in 1851,
13:42thanks to the invention of the telegraph and Western Union.
13:47Ah, as for taverns and food in general,
13:51trust me, the paintings showing incredible feasts sometimes exaggerate.
13:56Before Photoshop and other editing programs appeared,
13:59those were the artists themselves who retouched the painting.
14:02I mean, everyone wants to look good, even food.
14:07Going back to meals, if you fancy spices,
14:10you know it's not a big deal to find them in the closest convenience store,
14:14and they don't cost much.
14:16But back in the medieval times,
14:18they were so expensive and hard to transport
14:21that only the noblest people could afford them.
14:24Sure, kings did have access to all of them.
14:27But, you know, if they saw today's spices section in the supermarket,
14:31they'd think it's sorcery.
14:33By the way, there was even a special department at the royal court called the Spicery.
14:38And it's not hard to guess that it was entirely devoted to spices.
14:43As for the main course, medieval kings would typically eat wild game.
14:48And they didn't have much of a choice.
14:51Now let's peek at a typical king's menu.
14:55First off, on the king's table, there was a stuffed chicken,
14:59a quarter of stag, and a loin of veal that was generously covered in sauce.
15:04Next, a huge meat pie adorned with smaller pies.
15:08All of that would form a crown.
15:10And for dessert, there were some jelly, cream, cheese, and strawberries stewed in rose water.
15:17That probably sounds fancy.
15:19But remember that, even so, there wasn't much choice.
15:23The food highly depended on the region where the king lived.
15:26Plus, he couldn't just pick up the phone and order sushi deliveries.
15:32Hey, what do you do?
15:34Anyways, no matter what we do,
15:36in most cases, modern people are often free to choose their profession.
15:41At least, we can technically do that.
15:43But a medieval king didn't have such an option.
15:46He had his royal duties.
15:48New laws?
15:49Yep, the king probably didn't have to create them himself.
15:52But he needed to approve of new ideas and implement them.
15:56Protecting the kingdom from enemies?
15:58Absolutely.
15:59And I guess that must have been tiring.
16:01I mean, even Alex is quite burnt out with his nine-to-five job.
16:06But at least he doesn't need to plan any protection strategies.
16:09And it's not that millions of people in the kingdom depend on him.
16:13And don't forget that the king is the person who would have negotiations with foreign ambassadors,
16:19settle down new relationships, and sometimes even stop those relationships.
16:24Sounds like a lot of responsibilities.
16:27But even if all these points didn't convince you that you're way more luxurious than a medieval king,
16:33and you still want to be one,
16:35these are some pieces of advice for you on how to be a good king.
16:39Just in case scientists finally invent a time machine.
16:44Number one.
16:46Be dominant.
16:47A real king should know how to show strength and power.
16:50Nobody cares what personality you have.
16:53You need to show how potent you are.
16:56Or at least fake it.
16:59Number two.
17:00Be protective.
17:01There are a bunch of people in your kingdom looking for your help.
17:05They probably want to have an audience with you.
17:07And you gotta be caring, helpful, and generous.
17:11Generosity is a trait of a real king.
17:14At some point, it will probably seem to you that you're a kind of therapist.
17:19But having audiences is a royal duty.
17:23Number three.
17:24Be wise while choosing people around you.
17:28Royal duties are hard.
17:29And one can hardly carry them out all on their own.
17:33So you'll need people to delegate your duties to.
17:36Like, you can't control that all the taxes were collected.
17:40And all the disputes are fairly resolved.
17:42But beware.
17:44Not all trustworthy agents are that trustworthy.
17:47Some of them may even want to poison you.
17:50Like King John.
17:52Who was rumored to have been poisoned by a monk.
17:55Even though the official records claim he passed away because of gluttony.
17:59The official version seems plausible.
18:02After all, you know a medieval king menu.
18:05So Alex, you still want to be a king?
18:08The few more edbridge.
18:08But if he knows all things regarding infinity.
18:08I was not bad.
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