tools-lnks

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tools-lnks – 9/1/04

A set of web links to information on medieval tools by Dame Aoife Finn of Ynos Mon.

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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

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From: Aoife

Subject: Links: Medieval Tools.

Date: September 1, 2004 1:15:56 PM CDT

To: StefanliRous at austin.rr.com

I had the opportunity to come across two individuals at Pennsic whose

personal SCA mandate is getting information to YOU. They are Iustinos Tekton

called Justin and his wonderful lady Milica of SCAtoday, of the

Midrealm, and Stefan of Stefan's Florilegium from Ansteorra. Wow, what

knowledgeable people, and incredibly wonderful to know. I'd like to point

out that they give many hundreds of hours of their time to get information

to you, and they do it at no cost, often out of their own pockets, and then

they distribute or publish this information for anyone to read. People like

this are what make the SCA what it is today, so I hope I may be the first of

many to stand up and applaud your efforts, good people. Thank you for what

you do.

This week we are focusing on: Medieval Tools. So frequently I hear an artist

or a teacher say "we don't really know what they used to do this" or "we

don't know what the tools looked like". So, here to dispel some of that myth

is a Links List devoted to tools. If you're a medieval toolman/woman, then

please read on for more information about the tools of your trade.

Cheers!

Aoife

Dame Aoife Fin of Ynos Mon, Ol, OP

Riverouge

Barony of the Endless Hills

Aethelmearc

Castle Learning Center: Medieval Tools

http://www.castles-of-britain.com/castlezc.htm">http://www.castles-of-britain.com/castlezc.htm

(Site Excerpt) Shovels and spades were made of wood, but some cutting tools

were tipped with iron. Poorer quality wood was used for wicker and

basket-work. Much work time would have been spent resharpening or replacing

the tools.

Medieval Farm Tools

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MEDTfarming.htm">http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MEDTfarming.htm

While this site is pretty basic, scroll down, then click on a menu item to

be taken to a description, method of use, and an historical illustration of

the tool.

Stefan's Floilegium: Tools-Bib

http://www.florilegium.org/files/CRAFTS/tools-bib.html">http://www.florilegium.org/files/CRAFTS/tools-bib.html

(Site excerpt from ONE message of several) Plenty of visual depictions of

tools exist. The ones that most immediately come to my mind are the

following. The Bayeux Tapestry shows men felling trees and building

longships; the tool depictions are fairly explicit. The

Mendel Housebook has nice depictions of 14th through 16th century workers of

all types, including several types of woodworkers (carpenters/joiners,

turners, and, for lack of a better qualification, makers of textile tools).

Period depictions of Noah building the ark are good sources, as are

depictions of St. Joseph at work. The Campin altarpiece has a lovely

depiction of St. Joseph's workshop with some really good tools in it

(including a broadax).

See also: Reconstruction and Use of a Saxon Plane

http://www.florilegium.org/files/CRAFTS/plane-art.html">http://www.florilegium.org/files/CRAFTS/plane-art.html

Pictures of Medieval French Woodworking Tools from Dcctionairre Raisonne' du

Mobilier Francais

http://www.medievalwoodworking.com/vld_tools.htm">http://www.medievalwoodworking.com/vld_tools.htm

See also: European Woodworking tools at

http://www.medievalwoodworking.com/articles/errata.htm">http://www.medievalwoodworking.com/articles/errata.htm

The Medieval Technology Pages

Agricultural Tools

http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/tekpages/agritools.html">http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/tekpages/agritools.html

(Site Excerpt) Many agricultural tools, such as the plow, have been known

since antiquity. Nevertheless, the Middle Ages saw the introduction of new

tools, little-used old tools, and the importation of tools developed

elsewhere. It is not possible to rank these in order of importance. Each

played a role in the development of medieval agriculture. The cumulative

result of these improvements was a major increase in agricultural

productivity. Se also the main page at:

http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/tekpages/Subjects.html">http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/tekpages/Subjects.html

A Carpenter's Chest: Tools of the 15th Century by Lord Findlaech Mac

Alasdair (Acrobat reader required)

http://www.his.com/~tom/TOOLS.PDF">http://www.his.com/~tom/TOOLS.PDF

Medieval Science and Scientific Instruments by Richard A. Paselk

http://www.humboldt.edu/~rap1/EarlySciInstSite/EarlyInstSite.htm">http://www.humboldt.edu/~rap1/EarlySciInstSite/EarlyInstSite.htm

(Site Excerpt) Since I was a child I have had a strong interest in how we

humans understand and measure our world. Consequently I have played with and

collected measuring instruments for almost as long as I can remember. This

interest in turn lead me to pursue the types of measurements made by earlier

cultures, in particular Medieval Europe, and how they made them. Such

instruments are rare, and most of us have little opportunity to see, let

alone handle or own such artifacts. Thus since the mid-1980's I have been

occasionally building my own working replicas of ancient scientific and

philosophical instruments.

German language articleon Roman Carpenter's Tools: Wolfgang Gaitzsch

Römische Werkzeuge

http://www.uni-tuebingen.de/uni/ymu/sqhm/werkzeug/daten.htm">http://www.uni-tuebingen.de/uni/ymu/sqhm/werkzeug/daten.htm

While I don't understand the language myself, there are some great

photographs of tool illustrations.

Early Wood Lathes

http://www.historicgames.com/lathes/ancientlathes.html">http://www.historicgames.com/lathes/ancientlathes.html

(Site Excerpt) The Egyptian lathe is based on a stone carving which may be

the earliest pictoral representation of a lathe. Artifacts as early as the

7th century B.C. have been found which appear to have marks consistant with

having been turned.

Museum of Woodworking Tools

http://www.antiquetools.com/">http://www.antiquetools.com/

Museum for Old Techniques in Belgium--English Link provided!

http://www.mot.be/">http://www.mot.be/

Medieval Leatherworking Techniques--Tools

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/leather/plwt.html#pl3">http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/leather/plwt.html#pl3

New York Carver: Painting With Light: Tools & Techniques (Stained Glass)

http://www.newyorkcarver.com/makinglass.htm">http://www.newyorkcarver.com/makinglass.htm

(Site Excerpt) ".if you want to assemble simple windows, first mark out the

dimensions of their length and breadth on a wooden board, then draw scroll

work or anything else that pleases you, and select colors that are to be put

in. Cut the glass and fit the pieces together with the grozing iron. Enclose

them with lead cames...and solder on both sides. Surround it with a wooden

frame strengthened with nails and set it up in the place where you wish."

Hugues Libergier and his Instruments

http://www.nexusjournal.com/Wu.html">http://www.nexusjournal.com/Wu.html

(Site Excerpt) As can be expected from the effigy of an architect, it is

accompanied by several instruments of his profession: a square, a compass,

and a measuring rod. While these instruments are frequently found in

conjunction with the representation of architects, whether on tomb slabs,

sculpture, in construction scenes on manuscript pages or stained glass

panels [4], it is the square to the right of Hugues that has received the

most attention from scholars in search of the secrets of medieval

construction.

St. Helena, St.Eloi & blacksmith's tools: Broughton, Bucks.

http://www.paintedchurch.org/broubhel.htm">http://www.paintedchurch.org/broubhel.htm

(Site Excerpt) The two saints, Helena on the left, stand against a diapered

background, surrounded by a scrollwork border. Below them is a cluster of

blacksmith's tools and products of the forge, including many keys and

padlocks (interestingly, the OED gives 1478 as the first known usage of this

latter word) along with horse-trappings complete with horse (at the right)

and much else.

All of these, shown here against a squared pattern suggesting a chequered

floor, are attributes of St. Eloi, who was a blacksmith and goldsmith in his

earlier life, before he became eventually bishop of Noyon in France.

The Mastermyr Toolchest (Original Viking tools)

http://www.historiska.se/collections/treasures/viking/verktyg-e.html">http://www.historiska.se/collections/treasures/viking/verktyg-e.html

Regia Anglorum Ironworking

http://www.regia.org/ironwork.htm">http://www.regia.org/ironwork.htm