24/04/2010

"Le redoul, herbe des tanneurs et des teinturiers" par Cardon et Pinto (2007)

Dominique Cardon et Anthony Pinto, "Le redoul, herbe des tanneurs et des teinturiers. Collecte, commercialisation et utilisations d’une plante sauvage dans l’espace méridional (xiiie-xve siècles)", Médiévales (en ligne) 53 (2007) (mis en ligne le 17 décembre 2009)
URL (OpenEdition)

Resumé:
Le redoul ou corroyère, Coriaria myrtifolia L., arbuste indigène des forêts du nord-ouest méditerranéen, très riche en tannins mais toxique, est pris comme exemple de gestion des ressources de l’environnement naturel au Moyen Âge. Ses particularités botaniques et chimiques, indiquées en première partie, expliquent ses applications, durant des siècles, en tannage et en teinture. Les zones et méthodes de récolte mentionnées dans les documents médiévaux – principalement catalans – sont mentionnées, ainsi que les circuits commerciaux à l’échelle régionale et internationale qui organisaient l’exploitation de cette matière première végétale. Enfin, les données techniques sur son emploi en tannage et teinture sont discutées.

Abstract:
Coriaria myrtifolia L. is a wild bush indigenous in the forests and scrublands of north-western Mediterranean countries that is very rich in tannins but toxic. It is here taken as an example of management of natural resources in the Middle Ages. Its botanical and chemical characteristics are described ; they explain its applications for tanning and dying during centuries in that part of the world. The mediaeval documents – mainly from Catalunya – mentioning the places where it was collected and the methods used are discussed, and so are the texts describing the trade at regional and even international scale that was gradually organised to fully exploit this vegetable resource. In a last part, we explain the technicalities of its use in tanning and dyeing processes as they can be inferred from the medieval and later documentation.

12/04/2010

"Dating Danish textiles and skins from bog finds by means of 14C AMS" by Mannering et al (2010)

Mannering, U.; Possnert, G.; Heinemeier, J.; Gleba, M.; "Dating Danish textiles and skins from bog finds by means of 14C AMS", Journal of Archaeological Science 37(2) (2010) 261-268
DOI:10.1016/j.jas.2009.09.037 (restricted access)

Abstract:
This study presents the results of 44 new 14C analyses of Danish Early Iron Age textiles and skins. Of 52 Danish bog finds containing skin and textile items, 30 are associated with bog bodies. Until now, only 18 of these have been dated. In this paper we add dates to the remaining finds. The results demonstrate that the Danish custom of depositing clothed bodies in a bog is centred to the centuries immediately before and at the beginning of the Common Era. Most of these bodies are carefully placed in the bog – wrapped or dressed in various textile and/or skin garments. The care with which these people were placed in the bog indicates that they represent a hitherto unrecognised burial custom supplementing the more common burial practice for this period.