Women in STEM: Middle Ages - Part II

This issue concludes the journey through the history of women in STEM during the Middle Ages, a period in which Europe took center stage from the 12th century to the beginning of the 14th century AD.

Adele of the Saracens (12th century A.D.)

Italian physician who also served as a teacher at the Salerno Medical School. She practiced medieval and early Italian Renaissance ideals including humanism.

Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179 AD)

Benedictine abbess of German origin, a polymath who served as a writer, composer, philosopher, and also practiced medicine. She is considered by many in Europe as the founder of scientific Natural History in Germany. Part of her written works were on botany and medicine. For these she drew on her experience helping in the monastery's herbal garden, which she later headed and also helped in the infirmary. In addition, much of the theory he derived from the wide variety of material he read in the monastery library.

Their healing practices included the application of tinctures, herbs and precious stones, and their knowledge also included elements of the theory of humors, from traditional Latin texts.

Hildegard embodied in Physica her practical work and in Causae et Curae her theoretical work. The former describes the scientific and medicinal properties of various plants, stones, fish, reptiles and animals. In the second, an exploration of the human body, its connections with the rest of the natural world, and the causes and cures of various diseases. It also included explanations of remedies for common agricultural injuries such as burns, fractures, dislocations and cuts.

Landsberg Herrada (1130-1195 A.D.)

A nun from Alsace (a cultural region located in northeastern France) and abbess of the abbey of Hohenburg, she is known for being the editor and one of the authors of the illustrated encyclopedia Hortus deliciarum, a compendium of all sciences studied at the time. She is known for being the editor and one of the authors of the illustrated encyclopedia Hortus deliciarum, a compendium of all the sciences studied at the time. It was written for the nuns of the abbey.

Other mentions

Due to the scarce information available regarding a couple of women who are part of the list, in this section mention is made of Zulema the Astrologer who lived between 1190 and after 1229 A.D., who was an Andalusian astronomer, native of the island of Mallorca. Also, at the beginning of the 14th century in Padua, lived an Italian physician named Adelmota de Carrara.

CRISTINA VALVERDE

Software Engineer