20 bizarre, crude and downright weird sketches in Medieval manuscripts

Top image: A grotesque image of an ogre shooting an arrow into another creature’s rear from the Rutland Psalter, c. 1260.

Many medieval manuscripts are works of art with devotional passages written in careful calligraphy, accompanied by vivid illustrations and ornate, decorative borders. But equally captivating is the  marginalia – the sketches and doodles in the margins of the text – which range from the mundane to the bizarre, obscene and just plain weird.

Manuscripts of the Middle Ages are filled with farting, pooping, fornicating, and battling humans, animals and creatures of all kinds. From penis monsters to naughty nuns, butt trumpets, and murderous beasts, these medieval texts are full of surprises!

The Pooping King. A king defecates on the heads of two kissing, humanoid creatures.The Pooping King. A king defecates on the heads of two kissing, humanoid creatures.

A nude man with his finger in his behind distracts from the more serious illustration of some noble men and women playing chess. ‘Les voeux du paon’. Northern France or Belgium, ca. 1350 ADA nude man with his finger in his behind distracts from the more serious illustration of some noble men and women playing chess. ‘Les voeux du paon’. Northern France or Belgium, ca. 1350 AD

There are a surprising number of killer rabbits in medieval manuscripts! A killer rabbit in the Smithfield Decretals, c. 1300, British Library, London, UK.There are a surprising number of killer rabbits in medieval manuscripts! A killer rabbit in the Smithfield Decretals, c. 1300, British Library, London, UK.

Strange monkey business. Jean de Wavrin, Recueil des croniques d’Engleterre, Bruges 1471-1483. British Library, Royal 15 E IV, fol. 192r Strange monkey business. Jean de Wavrin, Recueil des croniques d’Engleterre, Bruges 1471-1483. British Library, Royal 15 E IV, fol. 192r

Battle between a knight and a snail as depicted in the margins of Gorleston Psalter .Battle between a knight and a snail as depicted in the margins of Gorleston Psalter .

The Penis Tree. A nun harvests phalluses from a phallus tree in the Roman de la Rose, c. 1325-1353.The Penis Tree. A nun harvests phalluses from a phallus tree in the Roman de la Rose, c. 1325-1353.

A nun appears disgusted at the sight of a man’s bleeding behind from the Romance of Alexander, 1338-1410. A nun appears disgusted at the sight of a man’s bleeding behind from the Romance of Alexander, 1338-1410.

Two headless men do battle in the Summer volume of the Breviary of Renaud and Marguerite de Bar, Metz ca. 1302-1305.Two headless men do battle in the Summer volume of the Breviary of Renaud and Marguerite de Bar, Metz ca. 1302-1305.

A woman rides of a phallic-shaped monster. Decretum Gratiani with the commentary of Bartolomeo da Brescia, Italy 1340-1345.A woman rides of a phallic-shaped monster. Decretum Gratiani with the commentary of Bartolomeo da Brescia, Italy 1340-1345.

A man playing music out of both ends. Vincent of Beauvais, Speculum historiale, Saint-Omer c. 1294-1297.A man playing music out of both ends. Vincent of Beauvais, Speculum historiale, Saint-Omer c. 1294-1297.

A sight for sore eyes! Detail of a marginal scene of a man displaying his anus.A sight for sore eyes! Detail of a marginal scene of a man displaying his anus.

A nude bishop chastises a defecating cleric in the Gorleston Psalter, c. 1310-1324. A nude bishop chastises a defecating cleric in the Gorleston Psalter, c. 1310-1324.

A man smells or blows air into the backside of a monster. Unknown manuscript.A man smells or blows air into the backside of a monster. Unknown manuscript.

Fiesty nun takes on a demon in the Book of Hours ('The De Brailes Hours’)Fiesty nun takes on a demon in the Book of Hours ('The De Brailes Hours’)

Monkey business. A page (folio) of the Maastricht Book of Hours (BL Stowe MS17), an illuminated manuscript mainly known for its lively depictions of animals and half-animal. 1300 – 1325 AD. Monkey business. A page (folio) of the Maastricht Book of Hours (BL Stowe MS17), an illuminated manuscript mainly known for its lively depictions of animals and half-animal. 1300 – 1325 AD.

A man puts a trumpet in a horse’s rear. Unknown manuscript. A man puts a trumpet in a horse’s rear. Unknown manuscript.

King Philip of Macedon looks on as his wife beds a dragon in Les faize d'Alexandre (translation of Historiae Alexandri Magni of Quintus Curtius Rufus), Bruges ca. 1468-1475 BL, Burney 169, fol. 14r King Philip of Macedon looks on as his wife beds a dragon in Les faize d'Alexandre (translation of Historiae Alexandri Magni of Quintus Curtius Rufus), Bruges ca. 1468-1475 BL, Burney 169, fol. 14r

Birdman Pontifical of Guillaume Durand, Avignon, before 1390 Paris, Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, ms. 143, fol. 145v Birdman Pontifical of Guillaume Durand, Avignon, before 1390 Paris, Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, ms. 143, fol. 145v

Ready, aim, fire! Macclesfield Psalter, England ca. 1330-1340 Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum, MS 1-2005, fol. 236rReady, aim, fire! Macclesfield Psalter, England ca. 1330-1340 Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum, MS 1-2005, fol. 236r

Bullseye! Monkey archer in Pontifical of Guillaume Durand, Avignon, before 1390 Paris, Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, ms. 143, fol. 145vBullseye! Monkey archer in Pontifical of Guillaume Durand, Avignon, before 1390 Paris, Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, ms. 143, fol. 145v

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By Joanna Gillan / Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins

Joanna Gillan is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. For privacy reasons, she has previously written on Ancient Origins under the pen name April Holloway, but is now choosing to use her real name.

Joanna co-founded Ancient Origins with her husband Dr Ioannis Syrigos. Together they immersed themselves in their personal passion for ancient history, mythology and human origins.  She loves learning about and experiencing other cultures and has spent time living in Australia, UK, Greece, Ecuador and Ireland and travelling to hundreds of historic sites around the world.

More about Joanna Gillan

(Source: ancient-origins.net; September 8, 2022; https://tinyurl.com/vkba3bad)
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