Bone

The Allerley Mackel is an example of the popular kunstbuchlein, or collection of household & artisanal recipes, popular during the 16th century. My transcription was taken from the facsimile of the Allerley Matkel printed in Sidney Edelstein's article of the same name in the Journal of Technology & Culture, Vol V, No. 3, Summer 1964. The recipes are supplemented by my notes.

Descriptions of objects found in archaeological excavations of Fishergate House and Blue Bridge Lane in York; includes pins, combs, a buckle plate, a sledge runner, styli, handles, and beads.

Medieval finds of bone needles, pins, seam-smoothers, and needlecases & needleboxes.

Mostly secular examples in bone & ivory, enamel, leather, metal, and wood.

The book these recipes were transcribed from is in the National Art Library in England. The volume is cobbled together from various chapters/volumes of the 16th c. bestselling work, the Secretes of Alexis of Piedmont. Originally published by Ruscelli in Italian, it was quickly translated into French, German and English. A number of different books and chapters on a number of different topics were printed. This document is a transcription of all of the recipes related to cleaning of fabric & textiles and dyeing of fabric, leather & other materials.

Combs, mostly in antler, bone, wood, or ivory, from period depictions and extant examples. Includes illustrations of hair-combing.

The earliest copy of the Mappae Clavicula was a manuscript in the Benedictine monestary of Reichenau, dated to 821-822, which is no longer in existence. The translation below is based on the Phillipps-Corning Mappae Clavicula manuscript, currently in the Corning Museum of Glass at Corning, NY. This manuscript was translated by Sir Thomas Phillips and printed in the 1847 edition of Archaeologia. This manuscript is primarily concerned with metalworking and making of pigments, but scattered among the recipes are several that deal with creating "dye" liquids (used either to paint or dye fabric) and instructions for dyeing fabric and leather.

This list is for those who are interested in working with Horn, Antler, Bone and other natural materials such as legal ivory, amber, baleen and soapstone. These materials have a long historical presence for everything from purely decorative to purely functional items. Those who are interested in creating replicas as well as modern interpretations are welcome. All you need is a desire to learn and a willingness to share knowledge.

A website about archaeozoology, taphonomy and worked bone. You will find a diary, links and literature concerned with these subjects.

Bone and antler performed many functions in the home and in the craft shops of the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons.

Source material for medieval combs and how to make them. Includes references on how to work horn and bone materials.