A Cultural History of Insects in the Medieval Age

Gene Kritsky

ISBN 10: 1350003069 / ISBN 13: 9781350003064

Published by Bloomsbury Academic Feb 2026, 2026

About this Item

Neuware - A Cultural History of Insects in the Medieval Age covers the period from 500 to 1300, a time when the uses and value of insect products greatly increased. Silk, in particular, created economies and led to increased global trade; trade which, in turn, expanded the scope of insect-borne disease. The explosion in writing in the Middle Ages relied on inks, dyes, and waxes actively produced by insects or extracted from their crushed bodies. More visibly, insects began to teem across the pages of illuminated manuscripts, becoming symbols of divine order, earthly corruption, and ephemeral beauty.The six-volume set of the Cultural History of Insects presents the first comprehensive history from antiquity to today of all forms and aspects of human-insect interaction. The themes covered in each volume are insect knowledge; insects and disease; insects and food; insect products; insects in mythology and religion; insects as symbols; insects in literature and language; and insects in art.

Seller Inventory # 9781350003064

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A Cultural History of Insects in the Medieval Age
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic Feb 2026
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1350003069
• ISBN 13: 9781350003064
• Binding: Buch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 246W x 170H x 18D millimeters 246 millimeters width by 170 millimeters height by 18 millimeters depth
• Weight: 612 grams

About this title

Synopsis

A Cultural History of Insects in the Medieval Age covers the period from 500 to 1300, a time when the uses and value of insect products greatly increased. Silk, in particular, created economies and led to increased global trade; trade which, in turn, expanded the scope of insect-borne disease. The explosion in writing in the Middle Ages relied on inks, dyes, and waxes actively produced by insects or extracted from their crushed bodies. More visibly, insects began to teem across the pages of illuminated manuscripts, becoming symbols of divine order, earthly corruption, and ephemeral beauty.

The six-volume set of the Cultural History of Insects presents the first comprehensive history from antiquity to today of all forms and aspects of human-insect interaction. The themes covered in each volume are insect knowledge; insects and disease; insects and food; insect products; insects in mythology and religion; insects as symbols; insects in literature and language; and insects in art.

About the Author

GENE KRITSKY is Dean and Professor in the School of Behavioral and Natural Sciences at Mount St. Joseph University, USA.