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My
Medieval Bath Display
display
and page under construction
Welcome to my
newest display... a medieval bath. My fondest hope with
this display is that members of the public will come to learn
that medieval people did, in fact, bath. Many people have the
Hollywood ideal that people in the middle ages were dirty, smelly
and had poor hygiene. It just isn't true.
Soaps were known.
Food and drink might be taken in the tub while a musician provided
entertainment.
In the 14th century Boccaccio's
the Decameron we read about bathing-
Without permitting
anyone else to lay a hand on him, the lady herself washed
Salabaetto all over with soap scented with musk and cloves.
She then had herself washed and rubbed down by the slaves.
This done, the slaves brought two fine and very white sheets,
so scented with roses that they seemed like roses; the slaves
wrapped Salabaetto in one and the lady in the other and then
carried them both on their shoulders to the bed.
They then took from the basket silver vases of great beauty,
some of which were filled with rose water, some with orange
water, some with jasmine water, and some with lemon water,
which they sprinkled upon them. After which they refreshed
themselves with boxes of sweetmeats and the finest wines.
 The
image at left is my base style guide and is from Sloane 2435,
Aldobrandino of Siena, Le Régime du corps (ff. 1-75v);
Image du monde (ff. 77-133v) France, N. Dated to the 3rd
quarter of the 13th century (perhaps c. 1285) Folio 8v. My aim
is to provide the trappings of a bath house in a domestic setting.
Herbs for bathing, soaps, a tub and board with food and drinks,
a striped linen towel and some personal grooming tools and skin
care.
The Tacuinum sanitatis of Liege, folio 76, writes of the
virtues of bathing with Water of A Pleasurable Warmth:
Nature: Warm and humid
in the second degree.
Optimum: The kind that opens the pores with moderate heat
or with a fever.
Usefulness: For bodies with open pores; furthermore, it lowers
the temperature.
Dangers:
for intestinal flow.
Neutralisation of the dangers: With astringent drinks.
Drinks, therefore,
were recommended.
Below is listed
the individual pieces and their sources and contruction methods
if known. The display can also include a talk on basic medieval
hygiene and skin care and includes samples of some medieval skin
care products.
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Infrastructure
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Bath
tub
Country of Origin:
generic
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: bath
Colour/colours: natural
Materials: Oak, metal
Construction: traditionally made wine cask half with
securing metal bands
Decoration & Finshes: painted interior. Iron
bands to be covered with flexible wood. wip
Documentation: The Hague, KB, 76 F 21 fol. 15r Mary
in bath Fol. 15r
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Wooden
Low Stool
Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: Stool
Colour/colours: Oak stain
Materials: Pine
Construction: Nailed and glued
Decoration & Finshes: 2 coats of stain, Curved
end pieces.
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Elizabeth Altarpiece from the Church
of St. Agidius at Bardejov, c. 1480-1500 |
 Three
legged stool
Country of Origin: England
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Item: Stool
Colour/colours: natural
Materials: maple
Construction: Traditional methods recycling a 1950s
church pew
Decoration & Finshes: Waxed with beeswax &
olive oil
Made by: Roy Davi, The Leura Bodger, Blue Mountains.
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Board
Country of Origin:
Generic
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: bath board
Colour/colours: Oak stain
Materials: Pine
Construction: cut to size
Decoration & Finshes: none
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation:
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 Wooden
bucket
Country of Origin:
Generic
Time Period: Medieval
Type of Item: Wooden bucket
Colour/colours: Brown
Materials: Wood
Construction: unknown
Made by: upcycle by Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Codices vindobonenses 2759-2764 in
the Osterreichischen Nationalbibliothek, in Vienna, Austria.
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Laver stand and
jug
Country of Origin:
Generic
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: laver stand and jug
Colour/colours: Oak stain
Materials: Pine
Construction: Nailed and glued
Decoration & Finshes: 2 coats of stain, wax
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation:
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Soft furnishings & Linens
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 Bath
curtains
Country of Origin:
England
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: curtains
Colour/colours: white
Materials: linen
Construction: machined stitching
Decoration & Finishes: navy blue circular top
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Aldobrandino of Siena, Le Régime
du corps folio 8v
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 Striped
Towel
Country of Origin: Everywhere
Time Period: 13th-15th century
Type of Item: Towel
Colour/colours: Blue and white
Materials: Flax linen/cotton
Construction: Hand woven
Dimensions: 80cm x 155cm
Decorations: diamond weave with blue stripes and tassels
Made by: unknown for Medieval Design, Italy
Documentation: 1350 Manuscript Naples Wedding at Canna
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 Striped
Tablecloth
Country of Origin: Everywhere
Time Period: 13th-15th century
Type of Item: Towel
Outer Colour/colours: Blue and white
Construction Materials: Flax linen/cotton
Construction: Hand woven
Dimensions: 35cm x 150cm
Decorations: diamond weave with blue stripes and
tassels
Made by: unknown for Medieval Design, Italy
Documentation: 1350 Manuscript Naples Wedding at
Canna
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 Hand
towel
Country of Origin: Everywhere
Time Period: Medieval
Type of Item: hand towel
Colour/colours: White
Materials: Cotton in diaper weave
Construction: Hand stitched with rolled hems
Decoration: fringed on ends
Made by: Commercially woven, fringed by Rosalie
Documentation |
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bathing items
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Castile
Soap 110g
Country of Origin: Castile
Time Period: medieval
Type of item: unscented soap
Colour: natural
Materials: Saponified olive oil, Alden's Olives,
Cohuna, Victoria.
Decoration: none
Made by: Biome, Brisbane
Documentation: written accounts
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Rosewater
Country of Origin: Everywhere
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: rosewater
Colour: pale pink
Materials: roses
Decoration: n/a
Made by: Besttaste, Iran
Documentation: Trotula et al |
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Hair
powder
The Trotula, or the set of three texts attributed to Trotula,
include On Women's Cosmetics, and include recipes
for beauty including a beautiful-smelling hair powder, so
that the hair remains sweetly scented. In the section about
On Various Kinds of Adornments, it reads:
But when she combs
her hair, let her have this powder. Take some dried roses,
clove, nutmeg, watercress and galangal. Let all these,
powdered, be mixed with rose water. With this water let
her sprinkle her hair and comb it with a comb dipped in
this same water so that [her hair] will smell better.
And let her make furrows in her hair and sprinkle on the
above-mentioned powder, and it will smell marvelously.
The entire process
of living history experiment recreating the hair powder
according to the recipe, is here on the TROTULA'S
HAIR POWDER page.
Country of Origin: Salerno
Time Period: medieval
Type of Accessory: hair powder
Colour: natural
Materials: dried roses, clove, nutmeg, watercress,
galangal, rose water
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Trotula, On Cosmetics (attributed)
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Perfume
Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: perfume/scent
Colour:
Materials:
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Trotula, On Cosmetics
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Rouge
Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: rouge for pink cheeks
Colour: pink
Materials:
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Trotula, On Cosmetics
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Lip
balm/stain
Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: lip balm
Colour:
Materials:
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Trotula, On Cosmetics
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Skin
tonic
Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: Tonic to...
Colour:
Materials:
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Trotula, On Cosmetics
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Fresh herbs for
bathing
Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item:
Colour:
Materials:
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation:
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Rose
petals
Country of Origin: Everywhere
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: rose petals
Colour:
Materials: roses
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation:
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 Sea
Sponge: large 17cm
Country of Origin: Italy
Time Period: medieval
Type of item: Sea sponge
Outer Colour: natural
Materials: none
Decoration: none
Made by: nature
Documentation: Bath scene
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 Water
jug
Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: medieval
Type of item: ceramic water jug
Colour: terracotta
Materials: clay
Decoration: glazed
Made by: unknown
Documentation: extant finds
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personal items
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 Ivory
mirror case
Country of Origin: France
Time Period: 14th century.
Type of Accessory: Mirror
Materials: Resin, glass
Construction: Cast resin mirrorcase with glass foil-backed
mirror. Hand cast.
Decoration: Hunting scene with four lions.
Dimensions: 110mm diameter.
Made by: (? Poland?Checz)
Documentation: Extant mirror, Louve
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 Wooden
double sided comb
Country of Origin: England, France
Time Period: 14th century
Type of item: Double sided comb
Colour: natural wood
Materials: Wood, type unknown (boxwood?)
Construction: Hand made
Decoration: Series of decorative stars on comb body
Made by: unknown
Documentation: 14th century Paris comb, Elizabeth Altarpiece
from the Church of St. Agidius at Bardejov, c. 1480-1500
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 Bone
Gravour (hair parter)
Country of Origin: France
Time Period: 14th century
Type of item: Hair parter- gravour
Colour: White
Materials: Bone
Construction: Hand carved and shaped
Decoration: undecorated
Made by: unknown
Documentation:
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Tweezers
Country of Origin:
England
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: locking tweezers
Colour: gold
Materials: brass
Decoration: several incised grooves, locking wire
Construction: Hand made
Made by: Gaukler Medieval Wares
Documentation: 14th century artifact, The Gilbert Collection
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Earscoop & nail
cleaner
Country of Origin:
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: ear scoop and nail cleaner
Colour: gold
Materials: brass
Decoration: barley twist main stem
Construction: Hand made
Made by: Gaukler Medieval Wares
Documentation: 14th century artifact, The Gilbert Collection
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Paternoster
Country of Origin: England
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Item: Paternoster
Colour/colours: red, white, gold
Materials: Linen thread, marble, gold spacers, red
silk tassel
Construction: Ten groups of ten beads threaded onto
linen, gold spacer, with tassel terminating at the end.
Decoration: none
Made by: Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: 1400s Mother of God With Pea Blossom,
Master of Cologne, Germany
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 Ball
headed dress pins
Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Item: veil pins
Colour: gold
Materials: brass
Construction: hand made
Decoration: ball heads
Made by: Bero Heftelmacher, Bero von Saeckingen, Germany
Documentation: Extant pins, Museum of London
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 Cosmetics
containers
Country of Origin: Generic
Time Period: Medieval
Type of Item: Container
Colour/colours: Natural
Materials: Wood
Construction: Hand turned
Decoration & Finishes: lines running horizontally
Made by: Walter
Documentation: Artifacts
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 Birch
Box with lid
Country of Origin:
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Item: Bentwood box
Colour/colours: Light brown
Materials: Birch
Construction: Commercially produced
Dimensions: 19cm diameter
Decoration & Finishes: handpainted with scene from
the Manesse Codex, Germany
Made by: unknown, painted by Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Documentation: Extant painted box
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Tableware
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Flagon
Country of Origin: England, France, Switzerland
Time Period: 1350 onwards
Type of Item: Flagon
Colour: Silver
Materials: Pewter
Construction: 8 body panels soldered together. The
lid is cast in one piece with the finial and twin ball thumb-piece
being cast separately and then soldered on. 21cm tall. One
and a half pints capacity.
Decoration: Acorn finial on lid and hinge
Made by: Steve Millingham Pewter Reproductions or Lionheart
Replicas
Documentation: Artifact. Tonbridge Flagon, River Medway,
Tonbridge Castle, England. dated 1400. Three examples have
currently been found in England to date, while further examples
have been found on the continent.
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Hexagonal
beaker
Country of Origin: Prague
Time Period: 1350
Type of Item: Cup
Colour: Silver
Materials: Pewter
Construction: Pewter cast in one piece with hexagonal
sides.
Details of Decoration: None
Made by: Steve Millingham Pewter Reproductions
Documentation: Artifact, Prague. dated at between 1310
and 1335 and made of gilded silver and are from Prague. The
panels were made separately and soldered together. Other artifact
dated 1350 (?) Pewter tableware dates as early as the late
13th century. Approx 300 pieces are listed in Edward I's rolls.
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Large
silver plate
Country of Origin: England
Time Period: medieval
Type of Item: Plate
Outer Colour: Silver
Construction Materials: Pewter
Details of Construction: Cast in one piece, wide flat
rim
Dimensions:
Details of Decoration: No decoration
Made by:
Documentation: Artifacts, Compton Castle Collection.
Pewter tableware dates as early as the late 13th century.
Approximately 300 pieces are listed in Edward I's rolls.
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Bone
handled knife
Country of Origin:
England
Time Period: 1350-1400
Type of Item: Knife
Colour/colours: Cream
Materials: Bone, steel
Construction: Not known, original blade modified
Made by: unknown
Documentation: Artifact. 1350 Thames, England
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Acorn
knop spoon
Country of Origin: England France
Time Period: 14th century
Type of Item: Spoon
Colour: Silver
Materials: Pewter
Construction: Cast in one piece. Wide, fig-shaped
dish. Wide finial.
Decoration: Acorn finial, stamped S on bowl.
Made by: Steve Millingham Pewter Replicas
Documentation: Artifacts. York City Museum replica.
Also 14thC Bronze spoon, France, MedGallery, Collection
of Jean Boxhorn. Metropolitan Museum of Art states the first
known reference to the acorn spoon is in a will dated 1348
where John de Holegh bequeathed to Thomas Taillour "12
silver spoons with akernes". The Gilbert family lists
a purchase of 8 silver Acorn spoons.
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Copyright
© Rosalie Gilbert
All text & photographs within this site are the property of
Rosalie Gilbert unless stated.
Art & artifact images remain the property of the owner.
Images and text may not be copied and used without permission.
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