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”… och från dem stammar sedan många läkare …” : Förutsättningar för läkekonst och kunnande i det medeltida Norden

Bergqvist Rydén, Johanna LU (2026) In Lund Studies in Historical Archaeology 23. p.49-54
Abstract
The art of medicine in the semi-urban and poorly literate medieval Nordic countries was essentially a craft. Those skilled in medicine learned their profession by being apprenticed to people who were more experienced and knowledgeable. But unlike other crafts, such as that of the potter or the carpenter, one could not practice just any way. One could not start from scratch with one’s lump of clay or take a new piece of wood if one failed or needed to practice more. Instead, one depended on the experiences one managed to accumulate from the patients one encountered. The quote in the title of this article is taken from the description of a war situation that entailed experiences of caring for war injuries. In this article, I will discuss how... (More)
The art of medicine in the semi-urban and poorly literate medieval Nordic countries was essentially a craft. Those skilled in medicine learned their profession by being apprenticed to people who were more experienced and knowledgeable. But unlike other crafts, such as that of the potter or the carpenter, one could not practice just any way. One could not start from scratch with one’s lump of clay or take a new piece of wood if one failed or needed to practice more. Instead, one depended on the experiences one managed to accumulate from the patients one encountered. The quote in the title of this article is taken from the description of a war situation that entailed experiences of caring for war injuries. In this article, I will discuss how knowledge was increased, shaped, communicated and passed on in medieval Nordic society. The reasoning will be applied to the special premises that prevailed for medieval medicine and its knowledge requirements in this context, with the aim of better understanding the conditions and character of the medicine of that time. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
medeltida medicin, läkekonst, medicinhistoria, tyst kunskap
host publication
Skärvor ur det förflutna : En vänbok till Mats Roslund - En vänbok till Mats Roslund
series title
Lund Studies in Historical Archaeology
editor
Hansson, Martin ; Ahlström, Torbjörn ; Bergqvist Rydén, Johanna ; Gustin, Ingrid ; Carelli, Peter ; Håkansson, Anders and Monié Nordin, Jonas
volume
23
pages
6 pages
publisher
Institutionen för arkeologi och antikens historia, Lunds universitet
ISSN
1653-1183
ISBN
978-91-90055-53-3
978-91-90055-54-0
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
id
14e725d8-25ee-4a5c-b858-47534335ba9b
date added to LUP
2026-05-05 11:42:43
date last changed
2026-05-22 14:36:42
@inbook{14e725d8-25ee-4a5c-b858-47534335ba9b,
  abstract     = {{The art of medicine in the semi-urban and poorly literate medieval Nordic countries was essentially a craft. Those skilled in medicine learned their profession by being apprenticed to people who were more experienced and knowledgeable. But unlike other crafts, such as that of the potter or the carpenter, one could not practice just any way. One could not start from scratch with one’s lump of clay or take a new piece of wood if one failed or needed to practice more. Instead, one depended on the experiences one managed to accumulate from the patients one encountered. The quote in the title of this article is taken from the description of a war situation that entailed experiences of caring for war injuries. In this article, I will discuss how knowledge was increased, shaped, communicated and passed on in medieval Nordic society. The reasoning will be applied to the special premises that prevailed for medieval medicine and its knowledge requirements in this context, with the aim of better understanding the conditions and character of the medicine of that time.}},
  author       = {{Bergqvist Rydén, Johanna}},
  booktitle    = {{Skärvor ur det förflutna : En vänbok till Mats Roslund}},
  editor       = {{Hansson, Martin and Ahlström, Torbjörn and Bergqvist Rydén, Johanna and Gustin, Ingrid and Carelli, Peter and Håkansson, Anders and Monié Nordin, Jonas}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-90055-53-3}},
  issn         = {{1653-1183}},
  keywords     = {{medeltida medicin; läkekonst; medicinhistoria; tyst kunskap}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  pages        = {{49--54}},
  publisher    = {{Institutionen för arkeologi och antikens historia, Lunds universitet}},
  series       = {{Lund Studies in Historical Archaeology}},
  title        = {{”… och från dem stammar sedan många läkare …” : Förutsättningar för läkekonst och kunnande i det medeltida Norden}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/249269405/bergqvist-ryden_2026_s49-53_Ur_Sk_rvor_ur_det_f_rflutna.pdf}},
  volume       = {{23}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}