carousels

The modern carouseloften called a merry-go-roundbegan not as a whimsical children's ride, but as a violent military training tool for medieval knights. The word itself originates from the Spanish carosella or French carrousel, translating literally to little battle or little war. The transition from a brutal combat exercise to the beloved fairground attraction spans several distinct eras. In the 12th century, Arabian and Turkish horsemen played high-stakes games of horsemanship, which included tossing breakable clay balls filled with perfume at one another. Crusaders brought these practices back to Europe, where they evolved into highly serious cavalry training exercises. By the 17th century, to prevent horses from growing too tired during practice, French and Italian engineers built the first crude carousel machines. These devices consisted of hand-carved wooden horses suspended by chains from a central rotating pole. Knights sat on these wooden figures to practice ring jousting—galloping in a circle trying to spear a small metal ring with a lance. By the 1700s, traveling showmen realized that the general public would pay to experience the thrill of riding these training machines. Carousels were stripped of their military purpose and incorporated into traveling fairs and carnivals across Europe.  These 18th century flying horse carousels lacked a floor platform instead, lightweight wooden animals hung by chains and slung wildly outward due to centrifugal force as the ride picked up speed. They were entirely powered by mules, horses, or human operators turning a crank.