The domestic crafts section of this workshop focuses around leather and bone as experimental materials. We will try to reproduce bone household items, ranging from needles to spoons, games, combs, and jewelry. We will go through the entire process, from the raw, fresh bone to the hardening and various manufacturing techniques. We will explore how different types of bone perform both under manufacturing and daily use conditions.
Leather works will be linked mostly to the manufacturing of various pieces of armor. We will not process the hides, but we will work low processed leather. We will experiment with various material variables (such as toughness, strength, elasticity, hardness) in order to optimize the target qualities of the final object. We expect to complete from beginning to end at least two full sets of armor: a Sarmatian riding scale armor and a Dacian infantry “segmentata” armor. The learning process we’ll take us through the manufacturing of smaller objects and jewelry as well as the larger, more intricate artifacts.
This year, we will also introduce weaving and spindle work in our workshop. Participants will attempt to make thread from wool and then build a static LIA loom in order to weave various simple pieces of cloth.
