Medieval History
A recent discovery in an Austrian castle has revealed that bras existed back in the 15th century. It is among dozens of new textile artifacts that seem to have been preserved by a lucky accident, which will give historians a much better understanding of late medieval fashion.
The research, led by Beatrix Nutz of Innsbruck University, examines a room that was discovered in the south wing of Castle Lengberg in 2008. Evidence shows that the room was sealed off in the late 15th-century, and its dry conditions helped preserve organic material such as twigs and straw, as well as worked wood, leather (mainly shoes) and textiles.
In a paper given last year at the North European Symposium on Textiles, Professor Nutz explains that hundreds of textiles were discovered, some of which were clothing in very good condition. She said, ?amid them were several nearly complete linen bras and fragments of corselettes, some rather coarsely made others more elaborately decorated with plaited borders and sprang worked parts. One of the bras even has a rather modern look.?
Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net
- Medieval Underwear Points To Racy History
Underwear dating from medieval times that was found under flooring of an Austrian castle is hardly racy by the standards of today. But the discovery does suggest that women in 15th-century Europe took pride in their appearance, and perhaps not just the...
- Denmark: Dyed Clothes Came Into Fashion In Early Iron Age
Clothes in the early Iron Age were not grey and dull, as previously assumed. They were colourful and patterned. This new discovery comes as a result of new analyses of 180 textile samples from 26 different bog finds, carried out by Ulla Mannering, a...
- Shoes From The Middle Ages, Early Modern Period, Topic Of Lecture In London
From the skin-tight boots sported by dandies in the early 19th century to the brothel-creepers currently making a come-back on the streets of trendy East London, footwear has long played a powerful role in the human imagination as a signifier of rank...
- Mystery Of Dead Sea Scroll Authors Possibly Solved
The Dead Sea Scrolls may have been written, at least in part, by a sectarian group called the Essenes, according to nearly 200 textiles discovered in caves at Qumran, in the West Bank, where the religious texts had been stored. Scholars are divided about...
- National Library Of Wales Creates Website For 15th Century Manuscript
A colourful medieval manuscript that depicts the story of Alexander the Great is now available online from the National Library of Wales?s website. Peniarth 481D, one of the most elaborately decorated medieval manuscripts in the Library, has survived...
Medieval History
Medieval lingerie? Discovery in Austria reveals what really was worn under those tunics
A recent discovery in an Austrian castle has revealed that bras existed back in the 15th century. It is among dozens of new textile artifacts that seem to have been preserved by a lucky accident, which will give historians a much better understanding of late medieval fashion.
The research, led by Beatrix Nutz of Innsbruck University, examines a room that was discovered in the south wing of Castle Lengberg in 2008. Evidence shows that the room was sealed off in the late 15th-century, and its dry conditions helped preserve organic material such as twigs and straw, as well as worked wood, leather (mainly shoes) and textiles.
In a paper given last year at the North European Symposium on Textiles, Professor Nutz explains that hundreds of textiles were discovered, some of which were clothing in very good condition. She said, ?amid them were several nearly complete linen bras and fragments of corselettes, some rather coarsely made others more elaborately decorated with plaited borders and sprang worked parts. One of the bras even has a rather modern look.?
Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net
- Medieval Underwear Points To Racy History
Underwear dating from medieval times that was found under flooring of an Austrian castle is hardly racy by the standards of today. But the discovery does suggest that women in 15th-century Europe took pride in their appearance, and perhaps not just the...
- Denmark: Dyed Clothes Came Into Fashion In Early Iron Age
Clothes in the early Iron Age were not grey and dull, as previously assumed. They were colourful and patterned. This new discovery comes as a result of new analyses of 180 textile samples from 26 different bog finds, carried out by Ulla Mannering, a...
- Shoes From The Middle Ages, Early Modern Period, Topic Of Lecture In London
From the skin-tight boots sported by dandies in the early 19th century to the brothel-creepers currently making a come-back on the streets of trendy East London, footwear has long played a powerful role in the human imagination as a signifier of rank...
- Mystery Of Dead Sea Scroll Authors Possibly Solved
The Dead Sea Scrolls may have been written, at least in part, by a sectarian group called the Essenes, according to nearly 200 textiles discovered in caves at Qumran, in the West Bank, where the religious texts had been stored. Scholars are divided about...
- National Library Of Wales Creates Website For 15th Century Manuscript
A colourful medieval manuscript that depicts the story of Alexander the Great is now available online from the National Library of Wales?s website. Peniarth 481D, one of the most elaborately decorated medieval manuscripts in the Library, has survived...