Armourers and their Workshops The Tools and Techniques of Late Medieval Armour Production ...

558 Pages·2013·34.77 MB·English

Armourers and theirWorkshops
TheTools and Techniques of LateMedieval Armour Production
Nickolas Dupras
Volume1
Submitted in accordancewith therequirements forthedegreeof
Doctorof Philosophy
TheUniversityof Leeds,InstituteforMedieval Studies
November2012
ii
Thecandidateconfirms that theworksubmittedis his ownandthat appropriate
credit has been givenwherereferencehas beenmadetotheworkofothers.
This copyhas beensuppliedontheunderstandingthat it is copyright material and
that noquotationfrom thethesis maybepublishedwithout proper
acknowledgement.
©2012TheUniversityof Leeds and Nickolas Dupras
Theright ofNickolas Dupras tobeidentifiedas Authorofthis workhas been
assertedbyhim inaccordancewiththeCopyright, Designs andPatents Act 1988.
iii
Acknowledgements
Overthefour years inwhich Ihavebeenworkingonthis thesis Ihavebeenfortunatein
thesupport andassistanceofmanypeople. Iwouldfirst liketothankmysupervisors,
DrAlanMurrayandDr KarenWatts, whohavebeentheresincebeforethe start,as the
ideaforthethesis developedduringmyMA courseat Leeds. This workwouldnot have
beenpossiblewithout theiradvice.
Ihavebeenexceptionallyfortunateinhavingaccess totheentirecollectionof
theRoyal Armouries in Leeds, auniqueposition madepossiblebyDrWatts, thesenior
curatorof armour. Iwouldalso liketothankthemanyotherpeople from theArmouries
whoassistedwiththeexaminationofthecollection. From thecuratorial office,James
Hesterand AngelaSmithwhogot objects out ofthecases (andput them back),Alison
Watson, Robert Woosnam-Savage,andThom Richardson. From thelibrary, Stuart
Ivinson andChris Streek fortheirinvaluable assistanceinfindingbooks andforletting
mehaveaquarteroftheirtablespacefor a year. From theConservationDepartment,
NyssaMildwaters forher helpinarrangingthe experimental plateworkandGiles
Storey,whoseworkshop Iusedforthat part ofthe research. Also PierreGaite,who
internedat theArmouries, forhis helpwithcataloguingtools, photographingthem,and
forfindingtools incoal bins.
Iwouldalso liketothankDrRalphMoffat, curatorofEuropeanarms and
armourfor GlasgowCityMuseums, forallowingmeaccess totheAvant armour,and
forhis assistance andfriendshipoverthe years. Iam also grateful toMs Alison
Patterson from theNational Museum ofScotlandforallowingmetoexaminethe
Pembridge Helm,andto M. OlivierRenaudeauof theMuséedel'Armée,Paris, forhis
informationregardingbuckles onjoustinghelms.
iv
IwouldliketothankMarkTizzoni andSarah Lynch,fellowstudents inthe
InstituteforMedieval Studies andcomrades-in-arms, fortheirfriendship, generosity,
support,andassistance. Thanks tothefriends that Ihavehadthepleasuretoknowover
the years here, andmyothercolleagues inthe Institute. Fornavigatingthe University,
thanks toMs Alison Martin,andforhelpmakingmywaythroughthelabyrinthineUS
loans process,thanks to MrDaniel Lockley.
Lastly,special thanks must gotomyfamily, who havebeenthere everystep,
especiallymywife,Cassie, forherlove,support,andpatience, andmyson William,
whojust wants metomakehim somearmourso hecanbeaknight. Without them I
couldnot havecompletedthis work. Tomyparents, andfinallytomygrandpa,who
first introducedmetometalworkandhistory,and whoencouragedmetofindout how
things work.
v
Thesis Abstract
This thesis is aninterdisciplinarystudyofmedieval armour,withthe goal of
determiningtheprecisetechniques usedbymedieval armourers inthepracticeoftheir
craft. Thecorpus forthis researchis from the collectionoftheRoyal Armouries, as
well as aselectionofobjects from othermuseums,withafocus onGerman and Italian
armourbetween1400and1500.
Thethesis makes useof anewmethodologybywhichthearmouritselfis used
as aprimarysource,inessenceatext,usingtheinterpretationoftool marks left onits
surfaces. Althoughmetallurgical studies havebeenundertakenon armour, themarks
havenot beensystematicallystudiedinthepast andprovideameans bywhichthe
techniques ofthemedieval armourermaybeidentified.
Thethesis also makes useofinventories, artwork, andexperimental hammer-
worktomoreaccuratelyunderstandtheworkshop environment. Inventories showthe
varietyoftools requiredintheworkshop, as well as what wouldhavebeen availableto
anarmourer. Artworkshowingarmourers engagedintheircraft is usedto interpret
somepatterns oftool marks as well as identificationofcertaintools andtechniques.
Theexperimental workundertakenwas usedtorecreateparticulartypes of marks and
patterns, demonstratingtherelationbetweentools,processes, andtheshapes ofarmour.
Theresearchdemonstrates that it is possible,usingthis method,toreconstruct
theways that armourers worked,somethingthat has beenlargelyconjectural previously.
This approachtoarmour studies has not beenattemptedbefore andhas allowedfor
several specificquestions tobeanswered. Theseincludefindingdifferences inworking
techniques ofarmourers from different regions, theabilitytodetermineifcertain
unmarkedobjects were madebythesame armourer,changingmethods of construction,
andwhether apieceis afakeorauthentic.
vi
Tableof Contents
Acknowledgements.........................................................................................................iii
Thesis Abstract.................................................................................................................v
List ofTables and Illustrations......................................................................................viii
List ofAbbreviations.......................................................................................................ix
Chapter I: Introduction, StateofResearch,andMethodology
1.1. Introduction........................................................................................................1
1.2. StateofResearch................................................................................................2
1.3. Methodology....................................................................................................11
1.3.1. Research andApproach totheSources...................................................11
1.3.2. DescriptionoftheCorpus.......................................................................14
1.3.3. TheComponents andMechanics ofArmour..........................................16
1.3.4. ConcerningDirection: Up,Down, Left,Right........................................19
Chapter II: Writtenand IconographicSources
2.1. Introduction......................................................................................................21
2.2. Treatises onMetalworking..............................................................................22
2.3. Inventories........................................................................................................30
2.4. The Iconographyofthe Armourer at Work.....................................................50
2.5. Conclusion.......................................................................................................62
Chapter III: TheProductionofArmour
3.1. Introduction......................................................................................................65
3.2. TheRawMaterials andTheirProduction........................................................67
3.3. Types ofWorkshops........................................................................................75
3.4. Divisions of Labourand Types ofWork.........................................................77
3.5. Planning...........................................................................................................80
vii
3.6. Procurement.....................................................................................................84
3.7. PreparatoryWork.............................................................................................86
3.8. ShapingandHammerWork.............................................................................89
3.9. Finishing..........................................................................................................95
3.10. Piercing..........................................................................................................98
3.11. Decoration.....................................................................................................99
3.12. Heat Treatment............................................................................................102
3.13. Assembly,Strapping,and Lining................................................................105
3.14. Conclusion...................................................................................................107
Chapter IV: Tools andTheirMarks
4.1. Introduction....................................................................................................109
4.2. TheTools andTheirMarks............................................................................110
4.3. TheMarks and TheirPatterns........................................................................120
4.4. Experimental PlateWork...............................................................................123
4.5. OtherMarks FoundonArmour.....................................................................131
4.6. Screws and Bolts............................................................................................139
4.7. Conclusion.....................................................................................................144
ChapterV: CaseStudies
5.1. Introduction....................................................................................................147
5.2. HeadDefences...............................................................................................149
5.3. Torso Defences..............................................................................................197
5.4. LimbDefences...............................................................................................209
5.5. ComparativeAnalyses...................................................................................229
5.6. Conclusion.....................................................................................................239
viii
ChapterVI: Analysis of Techniques
6.1. Introduction....................................................................................................241
6.2. Raising...........................................................................................................242
6.3. Alternatives toRaising...................................................................................245
6.4. Doming..........................................................................................................246
6.5. Curling...........................................................................................................249
6.6. Planishing.......................................................................................................251
6.7. RollingEdges.................................................................................................253
6.8. FormingFlutes andCreases...........................................................................256
6.9. FormingMedial Combs.................................................................................259
6.10. Conclusion...................................................................................................264
Conclusions..................................................................................................................265
Volume2......................................................................................................................273
Appendix A: Greenwich Inventories....................................................................275
Appendix B: Comparison Charts.........................................................................278
Appendix C: Images ............................................................................................286
Appendix D: GlossaryofTerms..........................................................................505
Appendix E: List ofObjects Examined...............................................................513
Bibliography.........................................................................................................527
Listof Tables and Illustrations
Table1: Tools foundininventories ..............................................................................49
Table2: Numberofobjects compared.........................................................................242
Tables 3-12: Comparison charts .............................................................................278-85
Figures 1-425: Images...........................................................................................286-504
ix
Listof Abbreviations
BNF—Bibliothèquenationalede France,Paris
HHB—TheHouseholdBooks of JohnHoward, Dukeof Norfolk,1462-1471,1481-
1483,ed.byAnneCrawford(Phoenix Mill: AlanSutton,1992)
KAG—KelvingroveArt Gallery,Glasgow
RA—Royal Armouries, Leeds
TOMAR—BrianR.Price, Techniques of Medieval Armour Reproduction: The14th
Century(Boulder: PaladinPress,2000)
Tower Inv.—Royal Armouries, Leeds, 1913RAR.13,‘Copies of Inventories and
Papers RelatingtotheRoyal Armouries oftheTowerof London, etc.,etc.’
1
ChapterI:Introduction,Stateof Research,andMethodology
1.1. Introduction
Armourrepresents oneofthemost recognised andenduringmonuments oftheMiddle
Ages, but its fabrication as acraft-product remainobscure. Beginningat theendofthe
fourteenthcenturyplate armourbecamemuchmorecompleteinits coverage andmore
sophisticatedinits design.Theart ofthe armourerreachedits apex inthelatefifteenth
andearlysixteenthcenturies, withthegreatest practitioners workinginGermanyand
Italy. Inthis periodthefull suit ofarmourwas perfected,alastingtestament tothe
armourer whichremains fixedinthemodernperceptionofmedieval culture.
Theworkingtechniques ofmedieval armourers, andtheways inwhichthey
madearmour,is the focus ofthis thesis, makinguseofasystematicstudyofthearmour
tobeusedas evidenceitself. This will allowananalysis oftheobjects toanswer
questions regardingthe constructionofarmour,includingaspects ofworkingpractices,
techniques, andtypes oftools. Inaddition,related issues ofgeographicorigin,
attribution,andtheaccuracyofartisticconvention will beinvestigated.
There arenomedieval writtensources describingthemakingof armour andso
aninterdisciplinaryapproachis usedthroughout withemphasis givento material
culture,specificallythesurvivingarmourwhichserves as theprimarycorpus, but also
usingartworkandwrittensources tosupplement thearmour. Theuseof armouras the
primaryevidencerepresents awhollyoriginal approachtoarmourstudies andis the
most useful forthepresent topic. This is dueinlargepart tothe evidenceit provides in
theform oftool marks whichareinessence atext whichmayberead.