Medieval Butt Trumpets: The Flatulent Fanfare of the Middle Ages
Medieval Butt Trumpets: The Flatulent Fanfare of the Middle Ages
If you’ve ever fallen down the rabbit hole of medieval manuscript art, you’ve probably noticed a curious, recurring theme: people playing musical instruments with their bottoms. Yes, really. From monks mooning the margins to peasants tooting from their posteriors, medieval butt trumpets were the original meme — centuries before the internet blessed us with questionable humour.
Why Did Medieval Artists Draw Butt Trumpets?
The Middle Ages were full of contradictions — strict religious devotion on one hand, and gleefully crude humour on the other. Marginalia (the decorative doodles in the borders of illuminated manuscripts) often poked fun at the sacred and the serious, mocking both clergy and nobility. The butt trumpet was a perfect example of this satirical spirit, turning music — a symbol of heavenly beauty — into something hilariously undignified.
Symbolism and Scandal
While it might look like pure toilet humour, fart-based imagery sometimes carried symbolic weight. Passing wind could be a metaphor for speaking nonsense, spreading gossip, or even expelling evil. In some cases, the butt trumpet mocked vanity, reminding viewers that no matter how refined you try to appear, you’re still human — and humans fart.
Where Can You See Them?
You can spot butt trumpets in manuscripts like the Roman de la Rose or the Smithfield Decretals. Many of these images survive thanks to the painstaking work of medieval scribes — and modern digitisation projects. Now, instead of leafing through dusty parchment, you can find a wealth of cheeky illustrations online.
Why We Still Love Them
There’s something timeless about crude humour. Butt trumpets bridge the gap between the Middle Ages and our meme-filled present — proving that deep down, humans have always found farts funny. Whether you see them as satire, social commentary, or just a good laugh, they’re an enduring reminder that history is never as serious as it seems.
💡 Fun Fact: Some historians argue that these illustrations were private jokes between the scribes themselves — an early form of workplace banter hidden in holy texts.