What would your occupation be in 1200 AD?

I might be a black smith or sword maker. Perhaps more likley I would be an early explorer discovering new frontiers.
 
well, since im in school to be a 'helluva engineer' i guess that'd be fine with me. i was actually thinking the other day that what we take for granted (i.e. block & tackle, screws) took some smart cookies a pretty good while to come up with. so i guess having 800+ years of engineering to go off of would make things pretty easy.

for example: this summer on our trip to wales we stopped by the cathedral at st. davids. the cathedral was built before they came up with flying buttresses to hold up the walls, so about 5 years ago they had to string cables between the walls to keep them from falling outwards. heres a pic where you can kindof see the walls bowing outwards:
wales1.JPG
 
I have traced one side of my family to England in the 1500s. I have been told that a persons surname was derived from their occupation in the early days. Assuming that is true, I guess I would be making carts.
 
tedwca said:
Errr, there was no Penicillin either. That puts a few things in the same category as AIDS.:eek:
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Doh~! I knew it. Dagnabbit.

How about a farmer, blacksmith, carpenter, or simply a vagabond woodsman.
 
I don't know if there were any Asians in Europe in the 13th century other than Mongol raiders, so I guess I'd be one of those. Whee!

Otherwise -- while I think I'd enjoy blacksmithing or traveling musician-ing, in reality I'd probably end up having to do things with wool. Spinning, weaving, dyeing, knitting, etc.. Fun as a hobby, probably kinda lame if you have to do it for 8 hours a day. Personally I'm quite happy to be living in modern times, with modern medicine, modern career opportunities, and modern toilet paper. ;)
 
I did a LOT of ceramics in undergrad (art minor), and did all kinds of primitive firings. Even was involved in building an Anagama kiln. I could do quite well for myself as a potter, as the techniques were all pretty much known at that point in time.

Keep in mind that storage containers back then were rare and crude, for the most part, and finished stuff like ceramic stoneware would be costly!
 
Medieval torturer/executioner?

Pros - opportunity to display creativity and personal sense of style; no take-home work on the weekends; cool tools and accessories

Cons - requires repetitive lifting and carrying of more than 50 pounds; laundry bills; occasional unpleasantness

Eric
 
Soldiering was always an option, take the king's shilling. Minstrel is good, everybody loves a good story, king's often had minstrels on their staff. Blacksmithing was a valuable trade, but I heard they often broke the blacksmith's feet, so he wouldn't go wandering from village to village...they wanted to keep him. Sheepherding would probably be at the bottom end of trades.
 
Well the family name, Clark, essentially means scribe or possibly cleric. I might end up as white collar help in the church or government. I am by trade and personality an engineer. I would probably work on things like better armor piercing arrows.
 
Man, that's a tough one. I guess, with my wilderness first aid experience, I'd probably be pretty ahead of the curve for medicine back then. Especially if I get my EMT this summer. Probably be some sort of medical person. I would say that I'd cheat and use all my knowledge selfishly, publishing treatises on everything from basic genetic theory to philosophy to religion, but nobody but monks could read the stuff (and even then, they'd have to be creative to understand modern American English), and they'd probably want to burn me for it. But I figure if I got on a King's staff, I could do pretty well as his "physician" and eventually get myself into a good position of power.

Chris
 
I think I would leave europe and go somewhere more civilized (just about anywhere else). The middle east maybe, or go to central asia and hook up with Ghengis Khan. Biggest empire the world had ever seen (Victorian england might beat it out overall), twice the size of rome at its peak.
 
Germany, France and Ireland don't sound too fun. I'd probably try for apprentice woodworker or basketweaver. I think I'd rather go back to my Cherokee ancestors.

Frank
 
SilverFoxKnows said:
Germany, France and Ireland don't sound too fun. I'd probably try for apprentice woodworker or basketweaver. I think I'd rather go back to my Cherokee ancestors.

Frank
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I'm with you. I'd catch a ship to Turtle Island and try to live the hunter/gatherer lifestyle.
DanR
 
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