How Did Medieval PEASANTS LIGHT their HOMES?

Medieval peasants used oil lamps to light their homes, just like we use flashlights today.

Imagine you have a small jar filled with oil, it’s like the liquid in your favorite bottle of juice. Now, inside this jar, there's a little piece of wicks, which is like a string that soaks up the oil. When you light the wick, it burns and makes a soft glow, just like when you light a candle.

• The oil in the lamp was usually made from animal fat or plants.
• The wick would soak up the oil and burn slowly, giving light for hours.
• Sometimes they used fire, too, like lighting a big stick or log to make a bright flame.

Peasants would hang these lamps on their walls or put them on tables. It was like having a little sun inside their homes! They could read by lamplight or see clearly enough to cook dinner or tell stories at night.