Rock-Crystal-art - 10/19/00 "Carving Rock Crystal According to Theophilius" by Lord Valdis of Gotland (humor). NOTE: See also the files: lapidary-msg, A-Lapidary-art, 5x8-Doc-art, AS-cont-docu-msg, 12thC-Hole-art, SCA-dishes-art, gem-sources-msg. ************************************************************************ NOTICE - This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday. This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter. The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors. Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s). Thank you, Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous Stefan at florilegium.org ************************************************************************ From: "Lord Valdis of Gotland" Date: 8 Oct 2000 10:36:48 -0000 To: Norsefolk at egroups.com Subject: Documentation I entered in an A&S competition...fun read At East Kingdom coronation the other weekend I entered the below documentation with a raw piece of quartz. The quartz was not polished, nor carved. Below you will read the documentation that went along with it, I received more comments on this entry than I do on some of my Norse reproductions carved in wood and antler. The documentation starts out slow with the background, then it picks up...so don't get bored too quickly. I hope you enjoy. Yours In Service, Lord Valdis of Gotland Now to our feature presentation... Theophilus 'On Divers Arts' Using strictly period techniques directly from Theophilus's book on divers arts, I will explain process's used. Theophilus Presbyter has been described as a Benedictine monk, there are theories that Roger of Helmarshausen is the same person. Roger of Helmarshausen was a renowned metal worker, whose skill is attested to by a bejeweled book cover in Nuremberg and two portable altars that are preserved in Paderborn. The only record of his life was in the papers, that his monastery conveyed a cross and a reliquary-altar to the Bishop of Paderborn, in exchange for a church and its tithes on August 15, 1100. This is further supported by the fact that Roger of Helmarshausen is very familiar and goes in great detail in his writings on metal working, whereas he seems to strictly document other techniques that he is not familiar, with vague detail and inaccuracies. We will take one of these techniques and put it to the test. My persona being a Viking artisan, worker of wood, bone, ivory and semi precious stones, I will attempt to follow as best as possible the details given in the above stated book. As most A&S competitions cover strictly the arts, I will take you through the science in the paragraphs below, please do not try this at home. Upon the wishes of Roger of Helmarshausen and for familiarity we will use the name Theophilus in the below text. Carving Rock Crystal Rock Crystal was believed to be water hardened into ice, which then hardened through many years into stone. We will call this quartz, as I believe this is what the author was referring too. Preparing the quartz according to Theophilus: Theophilus tells us to take a two or three year old goat and bind its feet together and cut a hole between its breast and stomach, in the place where the heart is, and put the crystal in there, so that it lies in its blood until it is hot. At once take it out and engrave whatever you want on it, while this heat lasts. When it begins to cool and become hard, put it back in the goats blood, take it out again when it is hot, and engrave it. Keep on doing so until you finish the carving. Finally, heat it again, take it out and rub it with a woolen cloth so that you may render it brilliant with the same blood. Application by Lord Valdis: Using cows blood from the local market I soaked the rock crystal (we shall call it quartz) in the blood for an hour at which time I took it out to try and carve it. The quartz was cold to the touch and did not take the blade or file well. I did not see any difference in continuity of the quartz after soaking. Second attempt with the cows blood found me heating the cows blood to a simmer and dropping the quartz into the blood. I waited another hour with the same results as above, however the stone was warmer to the touch. Note - the stench and mess of blood running down both arms is starting to get to me. Conclusion - The blood of a goat was significant in softening the quartz. Application: From the local auction I secured an old goat that was inexpensive due to its age and health. Apologizing to the old goat and trying to rationalize that it was being done for the sake of historical accuracy...science. This did not make me feel any better about what I was about to do. I cut its belly open from sternum to groin with a skinning knife. Not being familiar with the anatomy of a goat I immediately found myself with a lap full of intestines and other organs. Pulling these to the side I reached in to find the heart, again my unfamiliarity forced me to place my face in close proximity of the smell and sight of this aged goats insides. I found what I believe to be the heart and rested the quartz up against the organ and quickly went to bath myself. After an hour I gingerly approached the atrocity that was once a goat, I reached inside, holding my breath and retrieved the quartz. I quickly took it to the blade and file, neither of which had any effect than if it were cold. Conclusion - The goat was too old or had some sort of blood disorder. Application: After disposing of the last goat I went to the auction house again and tried to explain why I needed a goat between the ages of two and three years. After being escorted out by security I decided to approach a local farm with no questions asked and none given. The farmer was happy to sell me a healthy looking two-year-old goat. Not knowing which sex to get I picked a female for this test since my aging goat before had been a male. I was able to get into the chest cavity with the quartz with a little more ease this time. I let it sit for three hours until the stench started to make it an issue for my neighbors. Taking the quartz out and trying my file on it I found it as hard as ever, although it was a beautiful red color. Note: Be careful at this point because the stone is very slippery and you are liable to cut yourself. I concluded that I must continue with the next step Theophilus described, so I stuck the quartz gingerly back into the room temperature flesh. I should point out that this work is being done in a little workshop and the stench of flesh made it impossible to finish other projects. Night came and passed with the morning being unbearably hot and humid, I started out towards my workshop. As soon as I opened my back door I realized that I may not have the resolve to see this project to the end. The odor was unbelievable, I quickly donned a painting mask and quickly entered the workshop and took out my quartz. I hurriedly grabbed my files and headed out the door again. No luck, still hard and now very sticky. Conclusion - After reading Theophilus's description again I realized that perhaps he took the heart out for he says to place the quartz where the heart is. With revived enthusiasm I head out to search for another goat. Application: I purchase a male goat, three years of age from another local farmer. I concluded that the male being larger would have a higher blood volume and hence a higher concentration of whatever it was that made the quartz soft. Being an old hand at gutting goats by this time I quickly cut out the heart and place the quartz in its place. It took me a better part of an hour to clean the quartz from my last endeavor, but I was leaving nothing at risk. I quickly rolled the goat into a piece of tarp so as to keep the smell contained. After an hour I went to check on my passion only to end up doubled over outside my workshop losing my dinner to the soil. Now with an empty stomach I approach my work again and successfully take out my quartz and prepare for a successful attempt. Placing the tarp back over the carcass I quickly exit to try my hand at carving my quartz once and for all. Putting my blade to the quartz I found it as hard as ever, trying the file I made a few scratch marks. At this point a local Sheriff's Deputies car pulls into my driveway. I was standing there with blood up both arms and across my front, my knives and files laying around me and with me holding an object that looks similar to an organ with its bright red color and dripping blood between my feet. I will not mention the look of desperation I had on my face at not being able to carve the quartz with the look of panic coming over it when I recognized the car that pulled in and what it must look like. To make a long story short, the sheriff's department kindly removed the carcass's for me and cataloged everything in my workshop for me, while giving me free room and board until I could talk with the local judge who just happened to be at the Pennsylvania Ren Faire that weekend. Monday morning finds me explaining Theophilus before a captive audience with people taking frantic notes at my every word. I have never seen such an interest in medieval history as I experienced in that room that day. I was released that afternoon and told to hand over my copy of Theophilus On Divers Arts to the deputy that followed me home. All is quiet at my house now, I have just ordered the Theophilus On Divers Arts from online and am waiting to try and harden steel in the urine of a small red headed boy, according to Theophilus there is no better way to harden steel. Conclusion - I have had plenty of time to think about this now and with many a discussion with my therapist, that the courts so kindly provided, we have concluded that perhaps the artisans that told Theophilus the details of their trade were either protecting their technique or just pulling a joke on him, not realizing that it would turn my life upside down some 900 years later. My personal feelings are that I need a goat that is from Europe and has eaten the same diet as they did in the 12th century, but I will refrain from experimenting with that one for a while, at least until I am no longer under house arrest. Theophilus On Divers Arts Dover Publication ISBN 0-486-23784-2 Note: No animals were hurt during these tests, the tests were purely a writ of fiction. The quotes from Theopilus is true and the description that he gives for carving quartz is accurate. My personal conclusion was that it was a joke played on Theophilus for a good laugh and to protect their trade (trade secrets). Much of what is written by Theophilus is accurate, some techniques are harmful by today's standards and should be handled with care. Please feel free to stop by my merchant booth to discuss A&S. I hope you enjoyed the read. Yours In Service, Lord Valdis of Gotland --- Feel free to forward this as you like with the proper credits. If someone decides to publish it in any format, I request a copy sent to me snail mail. Edited by Mark S. Harris Rock-Crystal-art Page 5 of 5