Stephen Ressler, PE

TODAY’S MEDIEVAL TECHNOLOGY TIDBIT – Waterpower was invented in antiquity, but it advanced to substantially higher levels of technological sophistication during the Middle Ages. Three different types of waterwheels—horizontal, undershot and overshot—offered three distinctly different combinations of cost, power output, and site suitability. A typical medieval waterpower installation included a waterwheel, milling equipment (housed within a building); a dam, millpond, sluice gate, and headrace to supply a controlled quantity of water to the wheel; and tailrace to carry it away.
Learn more in Lecture 5 of my new course, “Understanding the Marvels of Medieval Technology,” produced by The Great Courses.
https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/understanding-the-marvels-of-medieval-technology

The greatest joy in teaching for The Great Courses is working with a team of dedicated professionals who are uncompromising in their pursuit of quality. Now that “Understanding the Marvels of Medieval Technology” is in the can, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the team—Rick, Dan, James, Gina, George, Lake, and Ho—for your expertise, support, patience, and good humor. Thanks also to Jim M. Allen, who had to clean up the all the sawdust, spilled concrete, and KoolAid-tinted water at the end of the day. Y’all are the best! It has been an honor to work with you.
https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/understanding-the-marvels-of-medieval-technology

After two and a half years of research, writing, 3D-modeling, building, teaching, and post-production work, I’m excited to announce that my new The Great Courses lecture series—“Understanding the Marvels of Medieval Technology"—has just been released. In this course, you’ll learn about castles, cathedrals, catapults, cogs, carracks, clocks, cannons, camshafts, cranks, and quite a few technologies that don’t start with the letter “C”—all from an engineering perspective. Check it out at https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/understanding-the-marvels-of-medieval-technology

This is my working model of a medieval postmill--a late 12th-century invention that is widely regarded as the medieval era’s most original contribution to power production technology. This model will be featured in Lecture 6 of my The Great Courses lecture series "Understanding the Marvels of Medieval Technology."

In Lecture 7 of my new The Great Courses lecture series, "Understanding the Marvels of Medieval Technology," we'll examine the knight's panoply--the weapons, armor, and equipment used by an 11th-century Norman man-at-arms. My sword (an Oakeshott Type X) was 3D-printed in 11 pieces, with 4 internal steel rods providing enhanced strength and rigidity. My Norman kite shield is made from two laminations of thin plywood, bent over a curved form, covered with cloth, and edged with leather. The boss is 3D-printed.