There are a few universal questions people have about people in history. One of those questions is, “how did they stay warm?” People may be curious about the lack of electricity and a central heat source or women wearing skirts. It is a curious subject. Here is a little history about cold weather and how humans have adapted to it.

Prehistory (the time before written records)

Once humans began migrating out of Africa they began to encounter colder climates. They didn’t just migrate from a hot desert to an icy cold blizzard, it is important to keep in mind that people migrated slowly. As people moved into new climate zones they experienced weather changes and adapted.

Sewing of clothing, specifically animal skins (leather and fur) is seen in early people’s. They made needles out of animal bone and bound furs or leathers together. Clothing became fitted as well as generations continued to learn how to sew and tailor. Well fitting clothing is more efficient at keeping us warm and early humans learned how to fashion clothing to fit our moving bodies.

When you see images of “cavemen” in leathers and furs with an exposed shoulder and legs, that is an artistic impression. Anyone who has spent a winter in a northern climate knows you do not go outside with exposed skin. The image of the caveman with exposed skin is one example of how we as modern humans illustrate our ancestors to appear stupid.

Before fire was discovered and controlled by humans, they built houses. The materials used varied by location but they were designed to keep the family warm. They covered cracks in the walls and roof. There was most certainly a well placed hole or chimney of some kind to allow smoke to escape from a fire.

Eskimos for example, live in ice block igloos. They cover all the cracks with snow so wind cannot penetrate the interior. They don’t place the entrance in a way that invites the cold northern winds inside. Igloos are not palatial. The larger the space, the harder to keep warm. It also means you have more labor in gathering resource. Igloos can also be built very quickly which is important when we are using them as an example of migrating early humans. They needed to be able to replicate a housing style quickly as they moved from place to place.

Ancient and medieval clothing (c. 6,000 BC – 1500 AD)

Once humans learned how to preserve and store food over long periods of time, we see civilizations forms and the migration patterns of hunter-gatherer societies fade. We also begin to see more sophisticated fabric making emerge.

Cotton was an early fabric that humans figured out how to use. Layers began to emerge. A shift of some kind would sit against the skin and layers of thicker and perhaps courser fabric would be layered on top. Pins and brooches were used to hold fabric together in whichever way was fashionable for the culture. But this blog isn’t about fashion history. This is about how people used clothing to stay warm.

Silk was used in China in the 3000’s BC. Silk can be layered just like cotton and can keep a body warm.

Wool was used in clothing as early as 6,000 BC and is a wonder fiber for warmth. It is naturally water repellent and odor resistant as well as a great insulator. Northern climates relied heavily on wool for winter clothing and the wool trade was very lucrative. But layers. Layers, layers, layers. Layers of fabric are key.

Ancient and medieval housing

When we look at how to heat a room or house, we see lots of different methods. The wealthier Romans used radiant floor heating with furnaces under the house. Romans who couldn’t afford radiant floor heating could find a reprieve in the public bath houses and saunas. Individual homes would rely on a single fire and of course, layers of clothing.

When windows became fashionable in wealthier homes, we see the first treatments. Curtains were not just for looks or ambiance. They were something that households used to keep the cold out. Curtains would be drawn at night and opened during the day. Tapestries were also hung on the wall to help insulate against the cold. They were decorative and pleasing to look at and were incredibly labor intensive to make but they were functional.

Rugs were woven to help keep feet warm. Beds with canopies helped trap heat from bodies as they slept. People would warm items to take to bed with them. Maybe it was a hot stone or piece of metal wrapped in fabric placed at the feet. This warmth did wonders to warm a cold bed and could last for hours.

Plus, we have to just say it, you get used to it. Your body will acclimatize to the colder temps and it bothers you less. This is why in northern climates, after a cold spell, people can emerge outside when it is 40 degrees and it feels warm and people marvel at how nice the day is.

1500’s – now

Besides small things people did (foot heaters which used a lump of coal in a ceramic box that heated the foot) there were not a ton of changes until people began to install heating systems into the house.

People wore layers of warm clothing. Clothing was made from materials known to provide warmth. Women did not expect to wear their favorite summer dresses in the middle of January. People wore coats and gloves and scarves and ear protection. They did not walk outside in a hoodie and thin jogging pants and then complain about the cold.

A lot of our issues with cold weather, if we are being honest, comes from the fact that we have created many microclimates that has created an idea in our head that we do not need to dress for the weather. Why is it seen as weak or unfashionable to wear a thick winter coat? Today is the coldest day of the winter so far and I saw a father and son duo wearing simple hoodies and thin jogger pants. No coats. No gloves. No hats. It was -4 when I got to my appointment.

I went from my car with a set cabin temp of 73 degrees to a building with a set temp of 70 degrees. I do not have to ride in my carriage for an hour to get to the doctor. I don’t have to sit in a fairly unheated office building either. The modern technology has changed our mindset about the cold.

And nothing competes with my wool pieces I’ve invested in. My wool gloves keep me warmer than my modern fiber gloves I bought that advertised they were designed for -20 degrees. Bull. My fingers freeze even when I wear another pair with them. My wool hat never lets wind penetrate the fibers and cool my ears or head. The polyester lining of my jacket (which is wool) gets very cold because of the plastic used to make the fabric. A 100% wool coat is my next investment piece for winter wear.

Modern scienced fabrics perform no better (and I argue worse) than boring old wool but we trust it more than the fabric used for 3,000 – 5,000 years. I wish I was being sponsored by the wool industry to write about the benefits of wool but the wool industry is struggling. Due to the global lack of demand for wool because of wonder fibers, wool farmers are literally burning their yearly supplies rather than accepting pennies per pound.

I would bet a decent portion of you reading until the end would even argue that wool sucks because it is such an uncomfortable, rough fabric. I urge you to look again. It can be buttery soft and incredibly comfortable to wear and not that much more expensive than regular clothing if you actually take some time to look around. Read label. Buy with purpose. Be warm with minimal effort this winter. Wear more wool. Our ancestors did and they were just fine.

Check out my blog A History of Surviving Hot Weather.

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