Why plague doctors wore beaked masks
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TEDEd Animation
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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.
Why is the association of the plague mask with the 14th-century Black Death problematic?
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Meet The Creators
- Educator Stephanie Honchell Smith
- Director Anton Bogaty
- Narrator George Zaidan
- Music Samuel Bellingham
- Sound Designer Samuel Bellingham
- Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
- Producer Alexandra Zubak
- Associate Producer Sazia Afrin
- Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
- Fact-Checker Charles Wallace
