Video
Explore the history of the European plague doctor, and find out where their iconic outfit of a beaked mask and robe came from.
The year is 1656. Your body is wracked by violent chills. Your head pounds and you're too weak to sit up. In your feverish state, you see a strange-looking man wearing a beak-like mask, his body covered from head to toe. Without seeing his face, you know: you have the plague. So, where did these iconic outfits come from? Stephanie Honchell Smith explores the history of plague doctors.
Directed by Anton Bogaty.
Related Content
Plague in the Ancient & Medieval World
Reactions to Plague in the Ancient & Medieval World
Plagues of the Near East 562-1486 CE
Effects of the Black Death on Europe
The Plague at Athens, 430-427 BCE
Medieval Cures for the Black Death
Cite This Work
APA Style
TED-Ed. (2023, July 21). Why Plague Doctors Wore Beaked Masks. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/video/3003/why-plague-doctors-wore-beaked-masks/
Chicago Style
TED-Ed. "Why Plague Doctors Wore Beaked Masks." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified July 21, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/video/3003/why-plague-doctors-wore-beaked-masks/.
MLA Style
TED-Ed. "Why Plague Doctors Wore Beaked Masks." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 21 Jul 2023. Web. 22 Nov 2024.
