Medieval Memes? The Surprisingly Funny Side of Ancient Art
When we think of medieval art, we imagine solemn saints, dramatic biblical scenes, and lavish illuminated manuscripts—all serious, pious, and steeped in symbolism. But hidden in the margins of prayer books, carved into choir stalls, and sketched in the corners of maps lies a secret: the Middle Ages were hilariously weird. Forget TikTok. Centuries before the internet, medieval artists were already mastering the art of the meme: inside jokes, savage satire, and bizarre doodles that reveal a surprisingly relatable, playful, and often cheeky human spirit. 1. The “Marginalia” – Medieval Shitposting in Sacred Books The most surprising place to find medieval humor? In the margins of prayer books and Bibles, known as marginalia. Here, alongside solemn Latin text, monks and illustrators drew the following: - Knights fighting snails (a shockingly common motif, possibly symbolizing the struggle against the inevitable or just poking fun at armored warriors). - Monkeys in human clothing acting out ...