![]() ![]() Products like ‘Virgins milk’ a lead acetate used to ‘purify’ the skin were popular during these times. Medieval medicine had no effect on what was a mysterious, and often thought of as a ‘punishment’ of society at the time. This was a time when people were dropping like flies and did all sorts of things to futilely ‘combat’ a sure-death, attach perfume to their belts and earrings, flagellate themselves, consume certain food & drink. This book being a series of stories told by a group of wealthy young nobles retreating to the countryside for ten days to escape the horrors of the plague. The black death hit Florence around 1348, and in just a few years, the population was quite literally reduced to half.ĭepressing to imagine, but the realities of the time – which is why it felt fitting that we started our day in front of the Santa Maria Novella church, Molly reciting from Giovanni Boccaccio’s famous book, TheDecameron (highly recommend reading) which touches on the black death in Florence. A time of political conflict and rise of powers, with various struggles for control in the city and the introduction of the florin, coin, which became the dominant trade coin of Western Europe. ![]() Living in a city best known for its vibrant Renaissance period, often the medieval era of Florence is left behind. ![]() There is nothing quite like opening a tour with tales from the plague! The chance to embark on a medieval food & perfume tour in historical Florence, this past May I had the pleasure to join in a special visit to several important landmarks in Florence with awesome guide Molly McIlwrath and food blogger Emiko Davies and a wonderful group of interesting people living or visiting Florence. ![]()
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