Monthly Archives: May 2013

12th century hoods

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Ruth

During the early 12th century, working men began wearing a type of hat that was a dominant fashion for several centuries. It was worn in different ways, sort of like the baseball cap. It was made of either linen or … Continue reading →

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12th century fashion changes

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Ruth

At the end of the 11th century, Europe came in contact with Byzantium and the Saracen Middle East in a big way. Prior to this, contact had been limited to ambassadors and rare travelers. Charlemagne’s successors had been imitating Byzantine … Continue reading →

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11th century fashion

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Ruth

“The centuries that established England’s Norman kingdom and launched the Crusades were the beginning of fashion in Europe. Clothing had been traditional and practical before this, and fashions changed very slowly: clothing a century old did not appear odd. But … Continue reading →

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Cutting the coat to fit the cloth

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Ruth

Medieval cloth was clearly very expensive. It required the labor of many hours and many hands in order to go from flax or sheep to bolts of cloth. Even with low wages, the final cost made clothing a real investment. … Continue reading →

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Tablet weaving

Posted on May 26, 2013 by Ruth

There was another kind of weaving that was generally done as a home craft. It didn’t produce swathes or bolts of fabric, but its importance can’t be downplayed. In tablet weaving, also called card weaving, the weaver’s quick hands produced … Continue reading →

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Weaving with wool

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Ruth

Home and commercial weavers in medieval Europe were mostly working with linen and wool. Cotton and silk weren’t woven in Europe until the late Middle Ages, so we’ll talk about them later. When linen was woven, it was pretty much … Continue reading →

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Medieval weaving

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Ruth

In the early Middle Ages, most weaving was done at home for the family’s own use. By the late period, most weaving was commercial, carried out as a full-time craft by professionals. The key shift was in equipment cost, and … Continue reading →

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Medieval cloth: linen

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Ruth

Linen was Europe’s native plant fiber. FLax grew in every region; it’s a field grass with little blue flowers. Flax seeds are edible and very nutritious, but Europe’s chief interest was in the fibers running along the inside of each … Continue reading →

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The rude garb of barbarians

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Ruth

On the other extreme from the urbane Mediterranean Byzantines were the tribes drifting in from the Central Asian plain. Asia birthed several waves of people who took turns pushing each other into Europe: first the Germans (Goths, Franks, Burgundians, Vandals, … Continue reading →

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More about Byzantium

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Ruth

Constantinople, or Byzantium, was a city unlike any other in the medieval world. Modern equivalents don’t spring to mind, though perhaps readers will spot one. The city was walled and inbred to a high degree. Geography shaped its character. Surrounded … Continue reading →

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