Exploring Plague Times with Kids: Plague Masks, Nosegay Bouquets, and Pomanders

If you're teaching young learners about history, especially the time of the plague, three fascinating objects often come up: the plague mask, the nosegay bouquet, and the plague pomander. Each of these was used to help people cope during difficult times and can be a fun way to help students connect with the past.

        1. The Plague Mask

The most famous image from the time of the plague is the beak-shaped plague mask worn by doctors. These masks were often scary-looking, but they were an attempt to protect doctors from the disease. The long "beak" part of the mask was filled with sweet-smelling herbs and spices, as people at the time believed bad smells carried the plague. By filling the beak with these strong smells, doctors hoped to stay safe while helping the sick.

Classroom idea: Create paper plague masks and discuss why people thought bad smells could cause illness.

        2. Nosegay Bouquets

A nosegay was a small bouquet of flowers people carried with them to ward off bad smells. Again, during plague times, people believed that disease was spread through bad air, and they carried these little bouquets to protect themselves. Not only did it make them feel safer, but it also brought a bit of beauty and comfort during scary times.

Classroom idea: Let students make their own small "nosegay bouquets" with fresh or dried flowers and herbs. Discuss how having nice smells might have helped calm people.

        3. Plague Pomanders

A pomander was a small ball or container filled with herbs, spices, or other fragrant materials. People carried them or hung them in their homes, believing that the pleasant smell would protect them from the plague. Pomanders could be made from oranges with cloves stuck in them or small decorated containers of herbs. They were popular not just for protection but also because they smelled nice!

Classroom idea: Make your own pomanders with oranges and cloves. Talk about how people might have used these during the plague and why smells were so important back then.

        Wrapping Up

These historical items teach us a lot about how people tried to protect themselves from the plague. While they didn’t know about germs like we do now, they tried their best to stay safe with the knowledge they had. By bringing these objects into your classroom, you can help your students connect with the past in hands-on, creative ways!