Conference abstract (Gdansk 2011)
Jul. 31st, 2011 01:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ossamentaI can't believe it's the end of July already. Where did the summer go? I still have lots to do on the conference paper. Even if it's slightly more than a month away I not only have to finish writing the paper, but fix images for the power point (if furs and bone bore you, you might as well have something to look at, rather than just listen to someone talk), which usually take much longer time than one first anticipates.
Here's my abstract. Does it sound interesting to you?
Tawyers and furriers in Medieval Europe
Medieval, and indeed post-medieval, crafts were highly interconnected, and what was considered waste in one craft was often used as raw material in another. Waste dumps, which are often used as craft indicators, are therefore less reliable as they may signify more than one craft. A continual process of craft specialisation and the fluidity between many adjacent crafts further complicate matters. It is therefore important to correctly identify craft workshops in urban excavations.
Despite the variety of leather working crafts in Medieval towns, the archaeological focus has been on tanning and shoemaking, two inter-connecting crafts that often left substantial remains of structures and craft waste. Tawyers, who cured skins with alum, and furriers, who cured furs with oils and fat, are more difficult to identify archaeologically - the archaeological remains are less substantial and require wet sieving and subsequent osteological, entomological and chemical analyses.
We know from written souces that the trade in skins and furs was very large throughout the Medieval period. Between July and September 1384 over 390,000 furs were imported to London alone. Tawyers and furriers were present in most Medieval towns, but have rarely been identified archaeologically. This talk discusses methods for identifying these crafts and presents a few case studies.
Here's my abstract. Does it sound interesting to you?
Tawyers and furriers in Medieval Europe
Medieval, and indeed post-medieval, crafts were highly interconnected, and what was considered waste in one craft was often used as raw material in another. Waste dumps, which are often used as craft indicators, are therefore less reliable as they may signify more than one craft. A continual process of craft specialisation and the fluidity between many adjacent crafts further complicate matters. It is therefore important to correctly identify craft workshops in urban excavations.
Despite the variety of leather working crafts in Medieval towns, the archaeological focus has been on tanning and shoemaking, two inter-connecting crafts that often left substantial remains of structures and craft waste. Tawyers, who cured skins with alum, and furriers, who cured furs with oils and fat, are more difficult to identify archaeologically - the archaeological remains are less substantial and require wet sieving and subsequent osteological, entomological and chemical analyses.
We know from written souces that the trade in skins and furs was very large throughout the Medieval period. Between July and September 1384 over 390,000 furs were imported to London alone. Tawyers and furriers were present in most Medieval towns, but have rarely been identified archaeologically. This talk discusses methods for identifying these crafts and presents a few case studies.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-31 03:02 pm (UTC)I do a lot of proofreading/editing for my partner Donald. I'd love to suggest some wording options...
no subject
Date: 2011-08-02 05:30 am (UTC)