| |
Leather Ornaments
Defining Attributes
This page documents decorative copper alloy
or white metal alloy ornaments used primarily on leather. These
artifacts generally have a cast molded face and at least two
tines on the back. Copper alloy tacks used for attaching furniture
upholstery, decorating trunks and coffins, etc. are not discussed
in this section, though these may have been used on leather,
and the items listed as leather ornaments may have occasionally
been used to decorate furniture. For a more detailed discussion
of the relationship between furniture tacks and leather ornaments
Click Here.
Archaeologists have not yet developed a dated
typology for leather ornaments because sample sizes have generally
been too small. At this time, chronological information is available
in the form of site and context data only. We are adding leather
ornaments as new collections come in, however, and over time
we hope to compile enough information to assign date ranges
to particular leather ornament styles.
Terminology
Different terms have been used to describe
the leather ornaments discussed in this section. Archaeological
catalogs have used terms such as: Leather escutcheon, Clasp,
Rivet, Attachment Plate, Adornment, Stud, Tack, and Mount. Those
experts who still make leather goods by hand, however, will
generally refer to the metal ornaments in terms of what they
were used on. For example, “winker bosses” are metal
ornaments on the winkers, or blinders, that shielded a horse’s
eyes, and “keepers” are metal ornaments that act
much like a belt loop to secure long strap ends. More often
than not, however, the metal ornaments were purely decorative
and might have been placed on just about any leather strap,
bag, saddle pad, sword hanger, etc. The term “leather
ornament” has been adopted for this section because it
is broad enough to include all types of metal leather attachments.
How to Navigate the Leather
Ornaments
|
| The
leather ornaments can be searched by style category or by viewing
all photos. Click on a thumbnail for a larger version of the photo,
a view of the back of the artifact, and details on site context,
date range, tine length, and the thickness of the leather that
could have been gripped by the ornament. Click on any site number
or name to link to a page summarizing that site’s history
and excavation.
|
| |
|
|
In
this section, ornaments are grouped by similarities in appearance.
The terms used to name style categories in this section are descriptive
terms used at the MAC Lab rather than reflective of historic terminology.
Some objects may appear twice if they fit multiple style categories. |
|
| |
| |
|
|
This section has photos
of all of the ornaments in thumbnail form. The ornaments are grouped
according to the archaeological site they come from, and the sites
are arranged in chronological order by end of occupation. |
|
|
Authorship and Acknowledgements
The Leather Ornaments section of the Diagnostic
Artifacts in Maryland webpage was written by Sara Rivers Cofield,
Curator of Federal Collections at the Maryland Archaeological
Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab). Conversion to web format was
completed by Sharon Raftery, MAC Lab Receptionist.
The author thanks MAC Lab staff members Patricia
Samford, Ed Chaney, and Rebecca Morehouse who provided editorial
assistance and aided in locating artifacts. The author is also
grateful for the expertise offered by five Colonial Williamsburg
Foundation staff members; Richard Nicoll, Director of Coach and
Livestock Programs, James Kladder, Journeyman Saddler, Jay Howlett,
Apprenctice Saddler, Mark Hutter, Master Tailor, and Al Saguto,
Master Boot and Shoemaker. The willingness of these individuals
to look at the artifacts and offer insight into how they might
(or might not) have fit their respective trades was invaluable.
|
|
