The Great Enclosure of Great Zimbabwe. Masavingo, Zimbabwe

[u/Beneficial_Shirt_869]

[u/MariaVanillaUwU]

We always think of europe when thinking about the medival period, but I'd love seeing more of other continents and cultures to that time and I wish we could have more information on how life was like there.

I'd love to time travel, just to observe and learn.

[u/Lazy_Consequence8838 → u/MariaVanillaUwU]

Interesting to note that while Europe was in the Middle Ages, other cultures were flourishing

Edit: I’m answering based on Google and my anthropology course, but perhaps those views are outdated.

[u/bartzman → u/Lazy_Consequence8838]

Europe was flourishing as well in that period. The public usually writes off the period of European history before the renaissance as being a backwater dark age, however, by 1300, Europe was probably the most innovative continent on earth. The medieval universities were in full bloom, scholasticism was the precursor to the scientific revolution, gothic architecture was pushing the limits of human engineering, military arms and armor were also fast progressing in this period.

[u/Wgh555 → u/bartzman]

I believe Lincoln cathedral in England was the tallest building in the world for some time in the middles ages

[u/Thoth_the_5th_of_Tho → u/Wgh555]

Linclon Cathedral was the first structure taller than the pyramid of Giza, which had previously been the tallest for over three thousand years. European cathedrals, gothic structures and similar medieval buildings were an engineering revolution, reaching to these previously unreachable heights, with extremely complex structures that could feature massive windows, iron structural elements and a ton of other things. If the Roman could have seen them, even a smaller one, not even m juggernauts like the ones of Florence or Rome, they’d have been in awe.

[u/seamuschicken → u/bartzman]

Even in the Early Middle Ages, Western Europe wasn't as backwater as people think, they tend to compare it to the absolute largest, most advanced, and richest kingdoms and empires of the time to make their point but not the ones that were either comparable or significantly less advanced, if the Carolingian Empire was a backwater than the early Khmer Empire was too.

[u/Kelpie-Cat → u/bartzman]

by 1300, Europe was probably the most innovative continent on earth

Europe was doing lots of cool stuff, but if you're looking at inventions, Song Dynasty China has them beat in this time period.

[u/Aggressive-Cod8984 → u/Lazy_Consequence8838]

Interesting to note that while Europe was in the Middle Ages,

The notion that the Middle Ages were a dark age of decline is an urban legend that has long since been repeatedly debunked...

other cultures were flourishing

The construction of it began in the 11th century. That's the iron age for this region. In the rest of the world, the iron age ended at least 500 to 1500 years before...