What Is Medieval Marginalia? The Weirdest Art You’ve Never Heard Of
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Have you ever looked at a medieval manuscript and spotted a rabbit decapitating a man, or a monk playing a trumpet with his bottom?
Welcome to the world of medieval marginalia — the strange, hilarious, and often downright chaotic doodles scribbled in the margins of sacred texts and scholarly books between the 12th and 15th centuries.
What is Medieval Marginalia?
Medieval marginalia refers to the illustrations, doodles, and visual jokes drawn in the margins of illuminated manuscripts. While the main body of the text often focused on religious or academic content, the borders were a playground for the imagination. Monks, scribes, and illustrators took creative liberties, adding bizarre characters and surreal scenes that seem completely out of place beside biblical verses.
Common Themes (Prepare to be Confused)
- Knights fighting snails
- Fart battles
- Monkeys acting like humans
- Naked figures doing inexplicable things
- Hybrid beasts, dancing frogs, and demonic rabbits
No one is entirely sure what they all meant, but theories include:
- Satire or political commentary
- Symbolism for moral lessons
- Scribes simply having fun
Why It Still Resonates Today
In a world overloaded with curated perfection, there’s something irresistibly honest about these weird, unfiltered medieval doodles. They remind us that humour, absurdity, and a bit of chaos have always been part of human nature.
At Ars Jocularis, we celebrate this delightful madness by transforming these marginalia into phone cases and accessories that bring history’s weirdest moments to your everyday life.
Shop our full collection of medieval marginalia designs here.