They attacked children. They exhumed dead bodies. They were even thought to be in league with the devil. And yet, despite this long list of misdemeanours, pigs were an indispensable part of urban life in the Middle Ages. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Dolly Jørgensen reveals why medieval city-dwellers were so dependent on swine – and explains what city authorities did to prevent rogue pigs from running riot.

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Dolly Jørgensen is the author of The Medieval Pig (Boydell Press, 2024)

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Authors

Spencer MizenSenior Production Editor, BBC History Magazine

Spencer is senior production editor of BBC History Magazine

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