The use of Wild Animal skins on Carolingian Bindings: origin and manufacture
Speaker(s): Élodie Lévêque
Related events: Bookbindings Academy 2025 – Day 2
Releated Working Group(s):
Collection: Bookbindings Academy
Recorded: February 14, 2025
Abstract:
The use of wild animal skins in medieval bookbinding offers a compelling area of study. Traditional methods, such as visual and microscopic examination, often struggle to identify leather species, especially when follicle patterns are obscured or absent. However, by employing advanced techniques like eZooMS, we have identified that a significant proportion of the skins used in French Carolingian collections originated from wild species such as deer and roe deer. This discovery challenges the prevailing assumption that domesticated animal skins dominated medieval bindings.
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