08/07/2008

Brain tanning by Richter & Dettloff (2002)

Richter, M.; Dettloff, D.; “Experiments in hide brain tanning with a comparative analysis of stone and bone tools”, UW- La Crosse JUR, Vol.V (2002) 301-318

Abstract: White-tailed deer were a primary resource for native populations of the Midwest, serving as the principle source of protein and providing a great majority of the material goods used, such as hides for clothing. Processing the deer skins into usable hides, known as brain-tanning, was a highly evolved process. Tanning is defined as the process of making buckskin or leather from raw or green hides. The exact steps Native peoples used of this procedure are still debated today. In this study, we recreate the brain-tanning process as it was done by Midwest native populations at the time of European arrival. The focus of the study is on the use of stone tools and their effectiveness throughout the tanning process versus the use of bone tools and their effectiveness. This study reveals the most efficient and most likely used tool and material for specific aspects of the tanning process.