Those pictures look very much like the Encyclopédie Médiévale of Viollet-le-Duc. It's a two-part encyclopedia detailing medieval architectural concepts and practices in the first half, and going through an inventory of everyday life items and military equipment in the second half. I own a copy of it and can take pictures or provide amateur translations if you ever need any!
Then I certainly got the date wrong, lol. I couldn't double check seeing as I lost the link but I have reverenced the images many times. A great recourse.
man i love this style of drawings... i'm an electrical engineer and no architect, but to be honest i would rather hang up a print of one of those than a picasso or similarly ugly painting!
@@TheScarvig I have not found any manner of translation anywhere so I'll have to assume it has not been translated for the public so far. Might want to check in libraries though, especially in universities with a strong history department. I did find that some of his works are on Wikisource illustrations included. fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Auteur:Eug%C3%A8ne_Viollet-le-Duc
Once again Shad, you blurred the line between architect, historian and enthusiast. The only way I know you're not a professional is you are NOT charging an exorbitant fee for this consultant video.
Hey Shad, have you considered doing more videos on speculative fantasy architecture? "Fantasy Re-Built" maybe? For example, if you had a kingdom of trolls or giants or some other kind of being substantially larger than a human, how do you think they would build a castle? How do you think they would defend it, etc. And then there is the eternal question; WHAT ABOUT DRAGONS!?!? Dragons seem to like making lairs in human castles, but what if a group of human slaves/worshipers actually built a castle FOR a dragon? How do you think it would be designed, in order to accommodate a large quadruped that has the ability to fly? And how may it be built to protect from humans and uninvited dragons alike?
It's amazing how you present your material. Architecture isn't something I'm normally interested in, but you know how to captivate the audience, and so I end up attentively watching a 12-minute video on a very specific feature of medieval roof design. How do you do it?! Please never stop!
Aye. And for Merlon's sake, the fact that he was an architect makes his presentations much better. Heck, he inspired me to make me own castles with the knowledge he bestows upon us.
Gandalfs hat follows the same principles, actually. The main weight of the crown (sharp angled part) sits on the head and the brim stands out to protect against rain and sunlight.
I just realized the purpose of these videos and your patreon, you are building a castle in Australian outback from where you intend to conquer rest of Australia! I rest my case All hail king Shad
i was re-playing Skyrim last week and thought, i wonder how accurate the city was in is (Solitude) one google search and about 50 of your videos later, here i am subscribed. i hope your happy. Edit: Spelling
Shad, do a piece on secret doors and hidden passages in castles. Fantasy vs reality thing, you know. They're plentiful in more recent _palaces_ to allow the servants to move about without being a sore sight; and in modern buildings the hidden passages aren't so much hidden than just locked and labeled "maintenance". But medieval castles?
Ooh, what a wonderful drama that would be! Shad eyes Machicolations with great intent while Machi (You can guess what machi is) simply never notices Shad and Dragon is always a step behind Shad. Actually that sounds like some generic Rom-Com anime. I can argue that that makes it better but i'll save it for an official anime debate.
Sometimes I get the feeling you're actually contributing more to the progress of discovering bits of our past than some historians do. Never change, Shad!
There's probably a strong correlation between how common flared rooves were compared to the usual snowfall during the course of the year. In Norse architecture, you very frequently see very tall, flared rooves, whereas the typical unflared pyramid roof is common south of the Alps.
Capn Pipsqueak It's not that simple, from my own research I've noticed the steepest roofs were built in central-northern europe, from northern france, germany, switzerland, austria to bohemia and western poland, but not always in the alps, despite the amount of snowfall. Moreover, eastern poland has flatter roofs despite also getting more snow than western poland. Snow plays a significant role but local tradition and regional trends were also in consideration.
I'm currently building a castle in minecraft and it has all the elements: Multiple Gatehouses, Actual crennels that give cover, murderholes, moats, it's elevated, and of course MACHICOLATIOOOOOOOOOOOOONS! And I all learnt that from you! It makes the building progress so much more interesting! Thx Shad!
I was building a castle in Minecraft, also. I noticed that the base of the tower was impossible to see. When I learned about machicolations, It all made sense! Of course, functional Minecraft machicolations cause a risk of death by falling, even when you use trap doors to keep them safe most of the time.
Thanks for all your work Shad, even though I have come from a family of historians we have suffered from the Hollywood fantasies of the medieval period; but thanks to you we too have seen how interesting and colorful the medieval period was. Please keep up the good work in informing the public. I know we really appreciate a person who is passionate about the time and angle a person sees in history. Also thanks to you I have fallen in love for Machicolations.
9:43 - Shad's classic TV surprise look & voice. All teachers and administrators and superintendents should watch Shad's videos to learn how schools should be teaching.
I wonder how many roofs had to cave in before those architects figured out the solution. Probably not that many. Which reminds me, I have to go out and remove the snow from MY roof now, before IT caves in.
Well, I suppose once a roof caved in, the Lord said to his architects "Find a way to snow don't destroy my roof every winter" ^^ Or just, they thought of that before construction XD
They built one castle. That sank into the swamp. So they built a second one. That also sank into the swamp. Then they built a third one. That got snowed on, had the roof cave in, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the fourth castle stayed up!
Again, people back the weren't STUPID... And it is always fun too see proof of it :-) For example I am often amused at how well built log-houses, with no "modern" materials, can be more energy efficient than some of the houses we build today. Anyway do keep making more videos Shad as they are a welcome bit of entertainment, and as a bonus they are educational :-)
True, to a point. People who designed and built structures were not stupider than designers and engineers today -- though there's are a couple of interesting separate discussions which could be had about the benefits of vastly better nutrition, and also the cumulative effect of amassing and disseminating the collective knowledge of humanity though general formal and informal education, on the absolute intelligence of human beings over time. However, I've spent my working life investigating, repairing, modifying, and reproducing historic buildings and I've developed a pretty clear-eyed view of both the ingeniousness and creativity of their builders, and also of their limitations. I can see no way to support a statement that any historic building -- log home, balloon frame, timber frame, stone, brick, wattle-and-daub, adobe, or what have you -- could be legitimately argued to be more energy efficient than a reasonably well-constructed building built n any of the modern ways, to modern codes. I love historic buildings. I've devoted my career to them. They are often absolutely amazing. But it's not good to overstate their charms. While modern buildings may lack a very great deal in those details we notice and cherish, we do build with modern methods and materials for sound, very logical reasons.
@@psu2xj Thanks for making me look back at my comment and see I forgot a couple of words... Still for all the advancements we have made we are still building large "boxes", some more complex than others, but in my experience a lot of old houses stay warm/cold longer than some newer houses. I did not mean it applied to ALL just some. I hope this you see what I meant.
@@widgren87 Oh, certainly. I find the question really interesting and am frequently faced with too-easy answers from both modern builders and history fanatics. Each denigrating what the other brings to the table. New construction methods which are assumed superior to anything that came before, and restorationists and historic fans who want to believe that the passing of old ways of building is an indication of a fallen world sinking into perdition. :) Nothing worth understanding is so simple.
@@psu2xj Now THAT is an argument I have been in with my friends time and time again, usually in regards to technology in cars rather than building techniques though :-)
I think it comes down to material cost and production. A log cabin is really just big slabs of wood and whatever you used to fill the gaps between the timbers (usually a mixture of mud and grass) and while those have amazing insulating and structural properties they actually cost a hell of a lot more to build with than what we use in modern houses because trees don't get that big overnight. Housing development firms started designing the cheap, oversized prefab homes so they could produce impressive-looking houses faster and increase their profit margin by charging the same as a house made in the more traditional styles, which is why you see less brick and more brick facade, and less wood and more wood paneling. It was a similar trend to what happened to furniture carpentry really.
Livingroom Living-history! That "ah ha!" moment really is the best. If ever there was someone who needed to make a documentary of Guedelon, it's you, Shad. You should start a GoFundMe to finance a trip to Europe to make a documentary on castles from on-site.
Having two angles on the rooftops of castles made them much better at washing off dragons' fire breath, which you would very much like to do. Yes, the answer is always Batm...eeh...Dragons!
10:00 THAT! I cannot not ramble about Lindybeige after that remark. Often, he made an argument and fought to the blood with anyone who disagrees while his arguments came out from exactly something like this. Sketching up a castle. But you then go and confirm your theory! Good work, Shad! You raised up to a propper source for info in my book, not that I did not believe you before. Its just that now, I will take your info against conflicting info. :)
I love seeing people share the love of castles! Learning the reasons behind the architecture is so much fun to me, especially when I get to re-apply the logic to drawings or models or even Minecraft builds. Shad's energy about it is so great!
Your graphics are excellent, Shad. This was something I have always wondered about, a visual explanation is so helpful. I was wondering if you could make a video about Castles supplied by the sea, such as Caernarfon.
Nice that you have a disclaimer, telling us not to have 'intimate' relations with our sisters ...but not about pushing a child to their death. That's perfectly fine ;P
This was cool thank you Shad. I love learning about stuff like this. I’ve been super into history over the last few years In school, documentaries etc, and your channel is just enriching things further for me. Thank you
I like this video. It's very clear how excited you are over your findings, and it works infectiously. I'll incorporate these ideas in my own designs. Machicolations-o-meter for this video: 4.3/10 While it is clear that you are yet - and rightly - excited by the concept of machicolations, the expression of said excitement is tempered by your excitement over the topic at hand, which, while closely related to machicolations, is not quite the same thing. This is not a bad thing, but as an avid admirer of all advanced architecture intended to avert opposing individuals, naturally I am a strong proponent of exclaiming the term in a boisterous and ecstatic manner.
Love your videos, It's a interesting topic, but more than anything it's your passion that I love. You can take something I wouldn't normally think about or care about and make it interesting and informative. Keep on being awesome.
I suspected that might be the case. Always nice when you stumble across the answer to a question by having to solve the problem in your own circumstance.
there is no other way to say this: you are the solemn chosen person to explain and show the structures of castles. I mean, I'm just baffled by this 8:58 LOOK HOW PRETTY IT LOOKS FROM THE INSIDE DUDE, I'm so happy I've seen this
I would love to have a non-fantasy role-playing game like Kingdom Come: Deliverance or Mount & Blade that let you design your own castle. And if you did a poor job of it, it would fall down:)
There is Medieval Engineers, but it's fairly limited due to the 2.5x2.5 m grid layout, and the fact that you can't merge blocks anymore (so big round towers will always look weird). It's still being developped, but it's been ages since I've seen new actual architectural blocks added to the game. The physics are also somewhat unrealistic : with structural integrity activated, you basically can't build a tower taller than 20m. Meanwhile my town's donjon is 50m tall above the ground, and 66m above the ditches :p Also, while the feature has been dropped from M&B Bannerlord, I wouldn't be surprised if it made a comeback in a little while as a piece of DLC.
Oh im definitely using this knowledge in my novel, thank you Shad... And i still haven’t finished my worldbuilding and now I’m adding more workload, very nice
I haven't seen the whole video yet but I am going to say it's for keeping fire arrows from sticking. We all know how common they were in medieval settings lol!
You need fret not, for he is shad, the man made of steel and stone, with the strength of 10 longswords and 5 zweihanders in each droplet of his blood, the force of 6 halberds, and 12 maces in every tear, and the might of 15 castles in his every word!
I love this channel and the energy you put into you medieval pasion. You bring up stuff i didn't know i didn't knew, and now im like "ohh everything makes sens now!" And i too like when stuff makes sens, even in fictional worlds. I mean If you want make a fantasy story, the better the details and realism works the better moral of the story can come out clear. And its also going back to the roots to be inspired how to do things even better :D
In masonry you mustn't have runoff or rundown onto your stone and mortar because it will deteriorate and perhaps moisture can freeze and crack over time. Masonry repairs were constantly made to castles yearly
Having spent a number of years as a carpenter and mason it was fun seeing you come to your architectural revelation about roof design Shad. It took me back to the first roof I was building a soffit for, which is the modern day descendant of the castle design you were working on. Even with current building materials it's good to keep water off the stone, wood or brick walls. Our historical predecessors really were brilliant and it's great to see shows like yours which display their ingenuity.
The great thing about engineering is that everyone who encounters a problem can come up with the same solution, no matter who, where, or when they are.
Recently, I almost dropped out of university. In the end, I menaged to gt another chance, but the trauma killed all my passion and love for history. It's videos like this, that help me scavanage what little positive motivation I have to finish my history degree and carry on. Thanks Shad :)
I sometimes forget that this type of knowledge isn’t always apparent to people or that I know this because i did a bit of study on this as a small child (made a model castle in 5th grade). Absolutely fantastic work Shad! Your passion and academic professionalism is absolutely fantastic. I wish i could be so well read as you!
That's reconstructive archeology that you're doing, with your weapon props and building models. Taking something that exists and trying to rediscover the blueprint; this exists, why, and why this way, why not another way? Nothing beats putting yourself in the shoes of the one who did it to try and understand their reasoning. Those are my favourite kind of videos from you. Keep being awesome, Shad!
I am an "average viewer" having no background in construction nor medieval techniques, but this video presents it so well, it is very interesting to learn these stuff. Very well built up, understandable for everyone, still we get into the details every time. Thank you!
Hey Shad, i don't think i've said before but, thank you for giving us videos with so much care put in the information like that. I really like how easy it is to understand them and how you give us the info and use pictures and 3D models to help us in making sense of the knowledge imparted in your videos. I don't think i will ever use this information in my life, but i'm happy to have it and get it in such a nice package. Don't ever change and keep up the amazing work!
turns out stone doesn't just magically stick to any surface you attach it to. Who knew!? Clearly not most people in Hollywood or video game development.
@@Thrazzon There is a Minecraft mod that applies gravity to all blocks instead of just gravel and sand, but it doesn't recognize support elements realistically either.
@@RokuroCarisu yes that's mostly the reason. Ironic, really, in video games you have to ADD work to make things fall, so why the hell do it to stuff you never want to fall anyway? I'd love a game that was just "here is simulated reality, go nuts!" Basically like minecraft, but with realistic physics and not made of blocks. That would be AWESOME! Probably not doable tho.
Have you ever considered making a series on the different parts of a castle to share your knowledge on the subject in more coherent detail? Also, i've never heard you mention the tallis (talus?) at the bottom of some medieval walls.
First, thanks so much for this video. We do appreciate the painstaking hours you spend, not just researching these fascinating aspects of the past, but also translating your experience to us in such a fun and practical way. This video in particular will be extremely helpful for an upcoming project. Also, if you think about it, this architecture was indo-europeans' first grand realization of the functional and material efficiency superiority of the teepee or lavvu distributed-force network construction, which is based on interconnected triangles instead of isolated squares. Modern geodesic designs are the direct descendent of this kind of thinking, which should become the architectural norm in the future.
That castle at 7:50! Isn't that Predjama Castle in Slovenia? The troglodyte castle of the Slovenian Robin Hood! I've been there and it's bloody amazing. The whole structure is built on a cliff-side and looks like it's hanging in the air. Not to mention all the cave systems behind it, and the top of the cliff curving outward and acting like a natural roof.
The high angle roof is good in preventing snow building up but with rain it directs all the rain that gathers at the base of the building. If you don't have a drainage system the water gathers at the base and can ruin the foundation. By having the last part of the roof at a lower angle the water is propelled away from the walls.
Was going to make a joke about this, but here's a good idea for a video series: Best fortress construction against fantasy creatures. "That's neat and all Shad... But... WHAT ABOUT DRAGONS!!!"
Those pictures look very much like the Encyclopédie Médiévale of Viollet-le-Duc. It's a two-part encyclopedia detailing medieval architectural concepts and practices in the first half, and going through an inventory of everyday life items and military equipment in the second half.
I own a copy of it and can take pictures or provide amateur translations if you ever need any!
Then I certainly got the date wrong, lol. I couldn't double check seeing as I lost the link but I have reverenced the images many times. A great recourse.
Is there an official translation?
I would like to look at the encyclopedia even without the translation though.
Thank you.
man i love this style of drawings... i'm an electrical engineer and no architect, but to be honest i would rather hang up a print of one of those than a picasso or similarly ugly painting!
I need this book and I can't read french either. XD
@@TheScarvig I have not found any manner of translation anywhere so I'll have to assume it has not been translated for the public so far. Might want to check in libraries though, especially in universities with a strong history department. I did find that some of his works are on Wikisource illustrations included. fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Auteur:Eug%C3%A8ne_Viollet-le-Duc
Once again Shad, you blurred the line between architect, historian and enthusiast. The only way I know you're not a professional is you are NOT charging an exorbitant fee for this consultant video.
Hey Shad, have you considered doing more videos on speculative fantasy architecture? "Fantasy Re-Built" maybe?
For example, if you had a kingdom of trolls or giants or some other kind of being substantially larger than a human, how do you think they would build a castle? How do you think they would defend it, etc.
And then there is the eternal question; WHAT ABOUT DRAGONS!?!? Dragons seem to like making lairs in human castles, but what if a group of human slaves/worshipers actually built a castle FOR a dragon? How do you think it would be designed, in order to accommodate a large quadruped that has the ability to fly? And how may it be built to protect from humans and uninvited dragons alike?
Oh yes
Castles designed for dragons?
Oh god yes
That would be a great resource for world building, and I would love to help with a series like that! I love trying to improve my castle drawing skills
I love this idea.
Anor Londo?
Nice
1:26 The Automatic Captions misheard "Machicolations" as "buttcheek you lations"
0:46 metric translations
5:50 magical ations
Too perfect
Yes. Yes. Yes. I couldn't stop laughing for almost a minute after reading this.
There are some people who could really use some corbelling on their buttcheek you lations.
I love that there was a disclaimer for the incest but not the attempted child murder.
Because they basically turned the child into a superhero after the crippling.
@@RenzXVI Obligatory superhero trauma/tragic past
It's amazing how you present your material. Architecture isn't something I'm normally interested in, but you know how to captivate the audience, and so I end up attentively watching a 12-minute video on a very specific feature of medieval roof design. How do you do it?! Please never stop!
If everything else fails Shad definitely has the potential for an education carreer.
Shad secretly has subliminal messaging, why do you think he shouts machicolations!, as soon as you hear that you just can't look away
@@MrTrilbe thats not exactly subliminal, but yeah thats how it works.
I'm just imagining shad sitting at his computer and suddenly screaming of excitement when he realizes why they made the roofs like that
This channel is underrated, I learn something very interesting every upload. Thanks
Aye. And for Merlon's sake, the fact that he was an architect makes his presentations much better.
Heck, he inspired me to make me own castles with the knowledge he bestows upon us.
They were modeled after Gandalfs hat. My theory.
More like Merlin's hat.
Gandalfs hat follows the same principles, actually. The main weight of the crown (sharp angled part) sits on the head and the brim stands out to protect against rain and sunlight.
I was thinking wizard hats too xD
And the brim is supported by MAGICulations.
That's rather plausible.
Because it doesn't allow dragons to perch on the roof. It gets annoying when you have to shoo them away.
ah, but you forget about Noodle Dragons! they coil around the steep roofs on towers
@@havoc3742 noodle dragons at least can be trained guards.
@@barrybend7189 Western Dragons can too, it's just they get moody if you wake them when napping... or don't feed them enough cows
That's why you need giants. They'll keep your Keflings safe.
Now I'm just imagining someone leaning out a castle window, battering at the dragon on the roof with a broom and yelling at it.
Have you seen those towers from Hammerfell? They have angled roofs! Angled roofs!
@@Altrantis flat roof.
I just realized the purpose of these videos and your patreon, you are building a castle in Australian outback from where you intend to conquer rest of Australia!
I rest my case
All hail king Shad
Minor problem: Emus.
BEYOND THUNDERSHAD
Host of embers defeated,
OOOH , THAT WAS FUN, WHO SHOULD I BULLY NEXT???
I see a man in just a gambeson, CHARGE!!!!
shad (pulls out castle)
Me: *NOPE*
Out of corrugated iron no less
@@oneofmanyparadoxfans5447, but there is the key, if he defeats the emus when the rest the the country didn't his conquest will go unchallenged.
i was re-playing Skyrim last week and thought, i wonder how accurate the city was in is (Solitude)
one google search and about 50 of your videos later, here i am subscribed. i hope your happy.
Edit: Spelling
50? Those are rookie numbers. Keep watching.
@@oneofmanyparadoxfans5447 I'm trying, but a man can only watch so many videos a day!
@@paragongoose983 Don't worry, you'll become a pro at watching shad soon.
I’ll be honest. I found this channel when I was playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance and became curious about the accuracy of various bits in it.
Heh, I've watch so many of Shad's videos I forgot what started me on them... I know it had to do with swords though!
Shad, do a piece on secret doors and hidden passages in castles. Fantasy vs reality thing, you know. They're plentiful in more recent _palaces_ to allow the servants to move about without being a sore sight; and in modern buildings the hidden passages aren't so much hidden than just locked and labeled "maintenance". But medieval castles?
Shadiversity and Machicolations is currently my favorite youtube love story.
Ooh, what a wonderful drama that would be!
Shad eyes Machicolations with great intent while Machi (You can guess what machi is) simply never notices Shad and Dragon is always a step behind Shad. Actually that sounds like some generic Rom-Com anime.
I can argue that that makes it better but i'll save it for an official anime debate.
Sometimes I get the feeling you're actually contributing more to the progress of discovering bits of our past than some historians do.
Never change, Shad!
Definitely at spreading it to the masses.
You learn something new every day, even though I learned this near 40 years ago. But today, I learned that Shad has just learned this.
There's probably a strong correlation between how common flared rooves were compared to the usual snowfall during the course of the year. In Norse architecture, you very frequently see very tall, flared rooves, whereas the typical unflared pyramid roof is common south of the Alps.
Capn Pipsqueak It's not that simple, from my own research I've noticed the steepest roofs were built in central-northern europe, from northern france, germany, switzerland, austria to bohemia and western poland, but not always in the alps, despite the amount of snowfall. Moreover, eastern poland has flatter roofs despite also getting more snow than western poland. Snow plays a significant role but local tradition and regional trends were also in consideration.
I'm currently building a castle in minecraft and it has all the elements: Multiple Gatehouses, Actual crennels that give cover, murderholes, moats, it's elevated, and of course MACHICOLATIOOOOOOOOOOOOONS!
And I all learnt that from you! It makes the building progress so much more interesting! Thx Shad!
I do the same thing. I have before with all the necessities, but these videos taught me plenty.
Cool! Can you share some pictures?
I was building a castle in Minecraft, also. I noticed that the base of the tower was impossible to see. When I learned about machicolations, It all made sense!
Of course, functional Minecraft machicolations cause a risk of death by falling, even when you use trap doors to keep them safe most of the time.
@@GymbalLock I use stone walls placed one block in front of the wall, by placing walls ontop of each other you get the crennels
7:09 good thing he didn't tell me to not push the peeping kid out of the tower
Hello ramsay
Your videos are the best resource on RUclips when it comes to castles. If I ever build a fortress, it shall be named after you.
Castle Shad over flowing with...
MACHICOLATIONS!!!
@SuperSimba6#swinger
Only you shad can make a informative, well presented and awesome video of an aha moment you had playing around in sketchup.
Thanks for all your work Shad, even though I have come from a family of historians we have suffered from the Hollywood fantasies of the medieval period; but thanks to you we too have seen how interesting and colorful the medieval period was. Please keep up the good work in informing the public. I know we really appreciate a person who is passionate about the time and angle a person sees in history.
Also thanks to you I have fallen in love for Machicolations.
9:43 - Shad's classic TV surprise look & voice.
All teachers and administrators and superintendents should watch Shad's videos to learn how schools should be teaching.
Absolutely slayed me so perfect xD
I wonder how many roofs had to cave in before those architects figured out the solution. Probably not that many. Which reminds me, I have to go out and remove the snow from MY roof now, before IT caves in.
Well, I suppose once a roof caved in, the Lord said to his architects "Find a way to snow don't destroy my roof every winter" ^^
Or just, they thought of that before construction XD
They built one castle. That sank into the swamp. So they built a second one. That also sank into the swamp. Then they built a third one. That got snowed on, had the roof cave in, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the fourth castle stayed up!
@@SkyrimHod That sounds like something straight out of Discworld.
It's actually from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
@@Plotatothewondercat Ah, ofcourse it is! Well, its the same type of humor.
I forgot how much I like your lectures on castles and architecture.
We need a _"Rooms are great! (You can put stuff in them)"_ T-Shirt
Or better yet: _"Do not have 'intimate' relations with your sister."_ lol
Again, people back the weren't STUPID... And it is always fun too see proof of it :-)
For example I am often amused at how well built log-houses, with no "modern" materials, can be more energy efficient than some of the houses we build today.
Anyway do keep making more videos Shad as they are a welcome bit of entertainment, and as a bonus they are educational :-)
True, to a point. People who designed and built structures were not stupider than designers and engineers today -- though there's are a couple of interesting separate discussions which could be had about the benefits of vastly better nutrition, and also the cumulative effect of amassing and disseminating the collective knowledge of humanity though general formal and informal education, on the absolute intelligence of human beings over time.
However, I've spent my working life investigating, repairing, modifying, and reproducing historic buildings and I've developed a pretty clear-eyed view of both the ingeniousness and creativity of their builders, and also of their limitations. I can see no way to support a statement that any historic building -- log home, balloon frame, timber frame, stone, brick, wattle-and-daub, adobe, or what have you -- could be legitimately argued to be more energy efficient than a reasonably well-constructed building built n any of the modern ways, to modern codes.
I love historic buildings. I've devoted my career to them. They are often absolutely amazing. But it's not good to overstate their charms. While modern buildings may lack a very great deal in those details we notice and cherish, we do build with modern methods and materials for sound, very logical reasons.
@@psu2xj Thanks for making me look back at my comment and see I forgot a couple of words... Still for all the advancements we have made we are still building large "boxes", some more complex than others, but in my experience a lot of old houses stay warm/cold longer than some newer houses. I did not mean it applied to ALL just some. I hope this you see what I meant.
@@widgren87 Oh, certainly. I find the question really interesting and am frequently faced with too-easy answers from both modern builders and history fanatics. Each denigrating what the other brings to the table. New construction methods which are assumed superior to anything that came before, and restorationists and historic fans who want to believe that the passing of old ways of building is an indication of a fallen world sinking into perdition. :) Nothing worth understanding is so simple.
@@psu2xj Now THAT is an argument I have been in with my friends time and time again, usually in regards to technology in cars rather than building techniques though :-)
I think it comes down to material cost and production. A log cabin is really just big slabs of wood and whatever you used to fill the gaps between the timbers (usually a mixture of mud and grass) and while those have amazing insulating and structural properties they actually cost a hell of a lot more to build with than what we use in modern houses because trees don't get that big overnight.
Housing development firms started designing the cheap, oversized prefab homes so they could produce impressive-looking houses faster and increase their profit margin by charging the same as a house made in the more traditional styles, which is why you see less brick and more brick facade, and less wood and more wood paneling.
It was a similar trend to what happened to furniture carpentry really.
Livingroom Living-history! That "ah ha!" moment really is the best. If ever there was someone who needed to make a documentary of Guedelon, it's you, Shad. You should start a GoFundMe to finance a trip to Europe to make a documentary on castles from on-site.
I love Shad's enthusiasm in this video! Keep going with the good work! Why? BECAUSE CASTLES, THAT'S WHY!!
Rooms are great, you could put stuff in them!
*OH MY GOD! I NEVER KNEW*
My eyes have been opened! i always thought rooms were useless. I was dead wrong. Well, time to move my stuff back in my house.
This is as much of a breakthrough for me as that time george carlin told us that houses were made to hold your stuff!
These types of videos make me appreciate castles more and more, great video Shad.
Having two angles on the rooftops of castles made them much better at washing off dragons' fire breath, which you would very much like to do.
Yes, the answer is always Batm...eeh...Dragons!
10:00 THAT! I cannot not ramble about Lindybeige after that remark. Often, he made an argument and fought to the blood with anyone who disagrees while his arguments came out from exactly something like this. Sketching up a castle. But you then go and confirm your theory! Good work, Shad! You raised up to a propper source for info in my book, not that I did not believe you before. Its just that now, I will take your info against conflicting info. :)
I love seeing people share the love of castles! Learning the reasons behind the architecture is so much fun to me, especially when I get to re-apply the logic to drawings or models or even Minecraft builds. Shad's energy about it is so great!
Your graphics are excellent, Shad. This was something I have always wondered about, a visual explanation is so helpful. I was wondering if you could make a video about Castles supplied by the sea, such as Caernarfon.
Nice that you have a disclaimer, telling us not to have 'intimate' relations with our sisters ...but not about pushing a child to their death. That's perfectly fine ;P
This was cool thank you Shad. I love learning about stuff like this. I’ve been super into history over the last few years In school, documentaries etc, and your channel is just enriching things further for me. Thank you
Best disclaimer in the history of disclaimers...
If only Shad knew the real truth.
Yes, its true.
(No its not)
((Yes it is))
I like this video. It's very clear how excited you are over your findings, and it works infectiously. I'll incorporate these ideas in my own designs.
Machicolations-o-meter for this video: 4.3/10
While it is clear that you are yet - and rightly - excited by the concept of machicolations, the expression of said excitement is tempered by your excitement over the topic at hand, which, while closely related to machicolations, is not quite the same thing. This is not a bad thing, but as an avid admirer of all advanced architecture intended to avert opposing individuals, naturally I am a strong proponent of exclaiming the term in a boisterous and ecstatic manner.
Why were roofs slanted on towers?
*MACHICOLATIONS*
Love your videos, It's a interesting topic, but more than anything it's your passion that I love. You can take something I wouldn't normally think about or care about and make it interesting and informative. Keep on being awesome.
whenever Shad pulls out the 3d models you know its gonna be great
I was just trying to plan out a new castle in Conan and this has given me the inspiration I needed!
I suspected that might be the case. Always nice when you stumble across the answer to a question by having to solve the problem in your own circumstance.
I feel like if Shad's going to be a billionaire, he's gonna build an authentic medieval castle of his own design.
there is no other way to say this: you are the solemn chosen person to explain and show the structures of castles. I mean, I'm just baffled by this 8:58 LOOK HOW PRETTY IT LOOKS FROM THE INSIDE DUDE, I'm so happy I've seen this
I would love to have a non-fantasy role-playing game like Kingdom Come: Deliverance or Mount & Blade that let you design your own castle. And if you did a poor job of it, it would fall down:)
I would say Medieval Engineer's but it's KSH and has some issues
Browse a bit through crowfunding sites, maybe someone's already trying to make that game. At least they should.
There is Medieval Engineers, but it's fairly limited due to the 2.5x2.5 m grid layout, and the fact that you can't merge blocks anymore (so big round towers will always look weird). It's still being developped, but it's been ages since I've seen new actual architectural blocks added to the game.
The physics are also somewhat unrealistic : with structural integrity activated, you basically can't build a tower taller than 20m. Meanwhile my town's donjon is 50m tall above the ground, and 66m above the ditches :p
Also, while the feature has been dropped from M&B Bannerlord, I wouldn't be surprised if it made a comeback in a little while as a piece of DLC.
ARK and Rust try to have a system like that, but it's based on the proximity to designated support elements rather than realistic gravity.
The passion of a creator can add soooo much to a subject I have barley a passing affection for. Thanks for the edutainment Shad.
Oh im definitely using this knowledge in my novel, thank you Shad...
And i still haven’t finished my worldbuilding and now I’m adding more workload, very nice
I haven't seen the whole video yet but I am going to say it's for keeping fire arrows from sticking. We all know how common they were in medieval settings lol!
wow, a real show of restraint about the machicolation, Shad ^^
It nearly killed me. . .
@@shadiversity Please, don't put yourself at such a risk. Think about your familiy
You need fret not, for he is shad, the man made of steel and stone, with the strength of 10 longswords and 5 zweihanders in each droplet of his blood, the force of 6 halberds, and 12 maces in every tear, and the might of 15 castles in his every word!
I love this channel and the energy you put into you medieval pasion.
You bring up stuff i didn't know i didn't knew, and now im like "ohh everything makes sens now!"
And i too like when stuff makes sens, even in fictional worlds.
I mean If you want make a fantasy story, the better the details and realism works the better moral of the story can come out clear.
And its also going back to the roots to be inspired how to do things even better :D
This is pretty cool, a specific yet somewhat obscure reason. Great video!
Everytime there is something new that didn't come up right away, I give thumbs up. This was one.
I love how happy he got when he figured it out himself.
Love your videos Shad! I've learned so much since finding your channel. Keep up the awesome work!
In masonry you mustn't have runoff or rundown onto your stone and mortar because it will deteriorate and perhaps moisture can freeze and crack over time. Masonry repairs were constantly made to castles yearly
Having spent a number of years as a carpenter and mason it was fun seeing you come to your architectural revelation about roof design Shad. It took me back to the first roof I was building a soffit for, which is the modern day descendant of the castle design you were working on. Even with current building materials it's good to keep water off the stone, wood or brick walls. Our historical predecessors really were brilliant and it's great to see shows like yours which display their ingenuity.
The great thing about engineering is that everyone who encounters a problem can come up with the same solution, no matter who, where, or when they are.
I thoroughly enjoy all of your videos. The depth, detail, and enthusiasm you put into each is astounding.
I love these 3d models of castles
less than two hours and already over twelve thousand people have seen this, thats epic, it has been a pleasure watching your channel grow
Modern architect students could learn immensely from these vids Shad. Never dismiss the past, instead, be awed by it. Thanks Shad!
Explained so clearly, and so cool. Thanks, Shad!
"Greetings I am Shad".
That's music to my ears!
#TheMoreYouKnow I absolutely NEVER would have guessed that one...thanks for (once again) helping us all become just a smidgen more informed, Shad!
Wow YT actually alerted me to the upload within 1min. Time to enjoy the video.
Recently, I almost dropped out of university. In the end, I menaged to gt another chance, but the trauma killed all my passion and love for history. It's videos like this, that help me scavanage what little positive motivation I have to finish my history degree and carry on. Thanks Shad :)
I sometimes forget that this type of knowledge isn’t always apparent to people or that I know this because i did a bit of study on this as a small child (made a model castle in 5th grade). Absolutely fantastic work Shad! Your passion and academic professionalism is absolutely fantastic. I wish i could be so well read as you!
Came here to learn about medieval sieges, learned more about architecture that I’ve ever even wanted to.
Excellent video Shad, these architectural videos are awesome. Your round house video is one of my favorites.
your enthusiasm for medieval architecture makes me happy, I DEMAND MORE!!!
Those animations are really great to understand how everything works. I love them.
That's reconstructive archeology that you're doing, with your weapon props and building models. Taking something that exists and trying to rediscover the blueprint; this exists, why, and why this way, why not another way? Nothing beats putting yourself in the shoes of the one who did it to try and understand their reasoning. Those are my favourite kind of videos from you. Keep being awesome, Shad!
Shad, all your videos about castle architecture are fantastic! Your passion really shows up.
Thanks to share this knowledge with us.
Love your passion for these things. Gets me motivated and inspired as well.
Your sketchup models are getting more and more impressive
I am an "average viewer" having no background in construction nor medieval techniques, but this video presents it so well, it is very interesting to learn these stuff. Very well built up, understandable for everyone, still we get into the details every time. Thank you!
Thank God for that disclaimer. I almost had quite the debacle on my hands
I feel like I learn so much from your vids
Love your eureka moment.
Practicality is ageless.
Great video, I love the way your experimentation let us understand and connect to our past.
Fascinating and your enthusiasm is contagious! Very cool!
Hey Shad, i don't think i've said before but, thank you for giving us videos with so much care put in the information like that. I really like how easy it is to understand them and how you give us the info and use pictures and 3D models to help us in making sense of the knowledge imparted in your videos.
I don't think i will ever use this information in my life, but i'm happy to have it and get it in such a nice package.
Don't ever change and keep up the amazing work!
Shad don't sell yourself short, you Can read french you just don't know what it is your reading!
turns out stone doesn't just magically stick to any surface you attach it to.
Who knew!? Clearly not most people in Hollywood or video game development.
That's partially because video game engines tend not to apply gravity to things aren't meant to be mobile.
You mean my minecraft castles aren't real?????
@@Thrazzon There is a Minecraft mod that applies gravity to all blocks instead of just gravel and sand, but it doesn't recognize support elements realistically either.
@@RokuroCarisu yes that's mostly the reason.
Ironic, really, in video games you have to ADD work to make things fall, so why the hell do it to stuff you never want to fall anyway?
I'd love a game that was just "here is simulated reality, go nuts!" Basically like minecraft, but with realistic physics and not made of blocks.
That would be AWESOME!
Probably not doable tho.
it's theoretically possible, but it would take more computing power than most peoples' computers are capable of.
Have you ever considered making a series on the different parts of a castle to share your knowledge on the subject in more coherent detail?
Also, i've never heard you mention the tallis (talus?) at the bottom of some medieval walls.
First, thanks so much for this video. We do appreciate the painstaking hours you spend, not just researching these fascinating aspects of the past, but also translating your experience to us in such a fun and practical way. This video in particular will be extremely helpful for an upcoming project.
Also, if you think about it, this architecture was indo-europeans' first grand realization of the functional and material efficiency superiority of the teepee or lavvu distributed-force network construction, which is based on interconnected triangles instead of isolated squares. Modern geodesic designs are the direct descendent of this kind of thinking, which should become the architectural norm in the future.
You're at your best in this one Shad, always interesting to learn more about Castles.
Yay more castle videos, i love them
Shad have you done a castle in Minecraft?
That castle at 7:50! Isn't that Predjama Castle in Slovenia? The troglodyte castle of the Slovenian Robin Hood! I've been there and it's bloody amazing. The whole structure is built on a cliff-side and looks like it's hanging in the air. Not to mention all the cave systems behind it, and the top of the cliff curving outward and acting like a natural roof.
Every time I watch a Shadiverty video I end up wanting to download Minecraft just to build a castle with all these things in it.
Great video, mate. Your passion was contagious in this one especially. Cheers!
The high angle roof is good in preventing snow building up but with rain it directs all the rain that gathers at the base of the building. If you don't have a drainage system the water gathers at the base and can ruin the foundation.
By having the last part of the roof at a lower angle the water is propelled away from the walls.
Was going to make a joke about this, but here's a good idea for a video series: Best fortress construction against fantasy creatures.
"That's neat and all Shad...
But...
WHAT
ABOUT
DRAGONS!!!"
Always love my Education videos on the RUclipss.
Was that a hidden thumbnail at about 4 minute shad? I see what you're doing... making me watch more videos!
Jumpscare Gargoyle ;)
hidden thumbnails, I remember those. Back before RUclips permitted people to upload their own customized thumbnails.
Were you referring to 3:21 and "Why Were They Round?"
😎
to be fair his video on gargoyles was really good too
On today's episode of: The Shadiversity Castle Hour.