My interests range from ‘conventional’ to ‘radical’ interpretations of the archaeological/textual/pictorial data set. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. The wide-brimmed hat and separate mask more familiar to modern interpretations of the Plague Doctor derive from images such as Figure 3, a 17th-century engraving interpretation from Rome. Messiah on Temple Mount: Are We Nearing the End of Time? This tradition... Mass burials are common remnants of the many plague outbreaks that ravaged medieval Europe . It isn’t easy making one as historically accurate as the example you provided (figure 2). Accessed 14 April 2020. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. In addition, the cane could be used in defense against the assault of desperate patients. In the novel the bubonic plague is a symbol of many things – the harsh, meaningless universe, the human condition, or war – but all of them mean suffering and death. A dream of a plague, pestilence, or epidemic, is a forerunner of almost insurmountable difficulties with one’s wife, husband, or lover. The Plague Doctor figure is invoked in supernatural circumstances as a source of horror. While plague doctors have been plying their trade since the Middle Ages, it was only after this period, during the 17th century, that they acquired their creepy trademark costume. Steampunk subculture, though primarily inspired by 19th-century technological achievements, often features Plague Doctor cosplay. Anatomy of 14th Century Bubonic Plague Hazmat Suits. “Masks and the Semiotics of Identity.” The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, vol. Frenchman Charles de l’Orme (1584-1678), court physician of Louis XIII, is credited with inventing the Plague Doctor’s iconic costume in the early 17th century in response to the myriad plague epidemics striking Europe. Byrne, Joseph. 95, 1972, pp. Video game examples drawing directly from 17th-century engraving images include a non-player Doctor in Assassin’s Creed II from whom medicines can be procured and the Plague Doctor in Darkest Dungeon, outfitted with accoutrements for fighting the plague, including a “Rotgut Censer” inspired by a pomander and “Bloody Herb/Poisoned Herb,” referencing the herbs and spices wielded against miasma (Figure 6). These representations are effective entertainment, playing upon common fears of obscured identities and illness. l’Orme’s suit minimized exposure of the skin with a long overcoat. “Ricerche Sulla Peste di Roma Degli Anni 1656-1657. Plague doctors were also responsible for tallying the number of casualties in logbooks for public record, and documented the last wishes of their patients. Ancient Origins © 2013 - 2021Disclaimer - Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy - Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. He described the outfit in the following way: “The nose [is] half a foot long, shaped like a beak, filled with perfume with only two holes, one on each side near the nostrils, but that can suffice to breathe and carry along with the air one breathes the impression of the [herbs] enclosed further along in the beak. Duties of Plague Doctor ranged from applying treatments to sufferers of the plague, counting the dead, and performing autopsies. Enter your email address to follow us and receive notifications of new posts by email. Egyptian Blue – The Oldest Known Artificial Pigment, The Evidence is Cut in Stone: A Compelling Argument for Lost High Technology in Ancient Egypt. In using the term giants, I am referring to persons at least 7 feet (2.1m) and up to 13 feet (4m) in height. The Last of the Siberian Unicorns: What Happened to the Mammoth-Sized One-Horned Beasts of Legend? 442-57. The beaked physician figure became a character in commedia dell’arte and the mask is still worn during the  Carnival of Venice, Italy. “Marty Scurll sits down with X-Pac!” – Xpac 12360 Ep. It seems that most plague doctors were occupied with this aspect of their job. Although we still cannot accurately predict earthquakes, we have come a long way in detecting, recording, and measuring seismic shocks. If the doctors’ costumes and precautions were successful in protecting them from plague, it was because the outfits were repelling fleas, not miasma (Cipolla, “Fighting” 12). In the Netherlands, construction workers have made a gruesome discovery. The efficacy and culture of masks as personal protective equipment has been investigated for over a century’s worth of diseases, including the 1910-’11 Manchurian plague (Lynteris), influenza (Chuang; Cowling), SARS (Sin; Syed), tuberculosis (Biscotto), and Ebola (MacIntyre et al.). 855-6. The character has various masks, appearing with white, black, and brown beaks, gloves, robe, and either a wide-brimmed hat or black cowl. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. In France, a brotherhood that is over 800 years old is helping to bury the dead during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ingrid the Plague Doctor comic: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/ingrid-the-plague-doctor/list?title_no=329453, Figure 4: Marseille’s Remedy®: Traditional Marseille’s Remedy Oil (https://marseillesremedy.com/product/traditional-oil/), Figure 5: Marty Scrull image by Scott Lesh (https://twitter.com/ScottLesh724/status/1073856494314102785), Figure 6: (A) Plague Knight (Shovel Knight), https://shovelknight.fandom.com/wiki/Plague_Knight, (B) Plague Doctor (Darkest Dungeon) https://darkestdungeon.gamepedia.com/Plague_Doctor, (C) Dr. Corvus Dunwich Clemmons (Ephemeral Rift), screen capture from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4WY_ZLgG-Y, Figure 8: (A) The Doctor (Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood) https://assassinscreed.fandom.com/wiki/Doctor_(Animi_Avatar)?file=Char_doctor.png, (B) Eileen the Crow (Bloodborne) https://vsbattles.fandom.com/wiki/Eileen_the_Crow, (C) Overhaul (My Hero Academia) https://bokunoheroacademia.fandom.com/wiki/Kai_Chisaki, (D) Bloodhound (Apex Legends) https://apexlegends.gamepedia.com/File:Bloodhound.jpg, (E) Reaper Plague Doctor Skin (Overwatch) https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=767348991. 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