Artes Mechanicae

Have you ever seen a really cool machine that can do things like make a smoothie, or chop up vegetables? Well, back in the olden days, people came up with really cool machines too, but they used them to make things like cloth or pottery.

These machines were called "artes mechanicae," which is a fancy name for "mechanical arts." People who worked with these machines were called artisans, and they were really good at making things with their hands.

But not everyone was able to be an artisan, because it took a lot of skill and knowledge to make things the right way. So the artisans formed groups called "guilds," which were like clubs where they could share ideas and teach each other new techniques.

Together, these artisans created some of the most beautiful and intricate works of art you can imagine, from tapestries to stained glass windows to clocks. Even today, we can still see their influence in the things we make and use every day.