Early Period Medieval Bridle

This is the documentation for a early period medieval bridle which was made to be used in SCA Equestrian activities. This project was also entered in the Ice Dragon Pent in 2010.

Background

The use of bridles to control and guide a horse by the rider has been documented back into ancient times. The first archeological proof of the existence of a bridle is an antler and rope bit found dating well into the ancient world. Bridle design has changed little over the centuries, generally consisting of a control device in the mouth (bit), a piece of rope, leather or cloth, to hold the bit in the horse's mouth and on its head (headstall), and lines that run from the bit to the rider's hands (reins).

Bridle parts

The focus of this study and project was to replicate a bridle from the early Middle Ages, specifically the 11th Century. Many of the sources include illuminated manuscripts, paintings from the period, and the Bayeux Tapestry. The latter provides an excellent view of life in the 11th Century and has been used by recreationists for many years as a source of research into life after the 1066 Norman conquest of England which is depicted in the Tapestry. (In the remainder of this article, the Bayeux Tapestry will be referred to as "the Tapestry" for brevity.) It includes numerous scenes depicting horses and their equipment. The bridle created in this project is meant to closely represent the bridles found in the Tapestry.

 

Because of the degrade-able nature of the materials, few extant bridles from the period are available for examination. In his book, The Medieval Horse and Its Equipment, John Clark discusses bridle remains from the digs near London. These date into the early Middle Ages, and give us a glimpse of what bridles were made of during this period. Buckles, bits, bridle bosses (circular pieces of metal used to secure parts of the bridle and serve as decorations), and fragments of leather are pieces that were discovered during these digs. From this source, we know that buckles were used, and what types of bits were in use during this period. We also confirm the use of leather for headstall and reins pieces.

 

Bits consist of two main types, the snaffle bit and the curb bit. The common O-ring snaffle bit (as shown above in the bridle parts illustration) consists of a ring that attaches to the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece can be jointed or solid. The reins attach to the rings which works directly on the horse's mouth. Snaffle bits can have different attachments for the reins and headstall, but essentially work the same despite these small differences. The second type of bit is the curb bit (shown on the right). This consists of a shank which attaches to the rings that connect to the mouthpiece. The reins are attached at the end of the shank, usually to smaller rings on the bottom. Again the mouthpiece can be jointed or solid. The example shows a common mouthpiece for a curb bit - the port. This raised portion of the bit acts upon the roof of the horse's mouth when activated, and also provides a space for the horse's tongue. This bit works on exerting leverage to the horse's mouth, and also acts on the top of the horse' head, called the poll, by pulling down on the headstall.  Usually this bit is used with a chain or piece of leather that passes under the horse's chin, called the chinstrap.

 

A third type of bit is really a combination of the two main styles and is called the Pelham bit. It has two sets of rein attachment rings. One activates direct pressure on the mouth as in the snaffle. A second set attaches to the lower rings, for leverage pressure on the mouth that is generated by the curb portion of the bit. 

 

Bit types have changed very little over the centuries. Evidence from archeological digs and paintings of the period reveals that snaffle, curb and pelham bits were in use throughout the Middle Ages. The Bayeux Tapestry reveals that the curb bit was used frequently by the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans, as it is the most common style found in the work.  

Snaffle bit recovered from London digs
 as documented in Clark's book, The Medieval Horse and Its Equipment.^[1]

 

Pelham bit shown in 16^th century^[2]

The example of a curb bit on the left comes from the Bayeux Tapestry.

 

 



Pelham bit shown in
Gaston Phoebus'  "The Hunting Book"^[3]

The headstall consists of a simple strap that attaches to the bit and holds the bridle on the horse's head. Some have additional features, such as a nose band, which encircles the horse's muzzle area, and a brow band, which passes over the horse's forehead. (See illustration above.) Others include a throatlatch, which passes under the horse's neck in the throat area (hence the name), and aids in keeping the bridle on the horse's face. Some bridles have a bridle boss attachment which secures the brow band and/or throatlatch to the main part of the headstall.  

 

Throatlatches become very common throughout the middle of the period and are usually found on most modern bridles. (Note the presence of throatlatches in the pelham examples above.) But an examination of the Bayeux Tapestry reveals that throatlatches were not in use during the 11th century. There appears to be only one example of a throatlatch in the many bridles displayed in the Tapestry. (Note the depiction from the Bayeux Tapestry above which has no throatlatch.) Inversely, the use of nosebands in the Tapestry is very common, while later period sources usually show bridles without nosebands. Brow bands are common in most sources. This piece prevents the headstall from sliding back onto the horse's neck which would have created painful, unintended pressure on the bit, and rendered the horse uncontrollable. So rarely are bridles found without them. (All the examples above show the use of brow bands.) A variation of a browband is a design where the ears are encircled by leather, similar to eared headstalls in use in modern day western riding.

 

Bridle bosses which attach the browband and throatlatch, when used, are usually solid pieces of metal riveted or otherwise attached to the leather. (Examples can be seen in the bridles pictured above.)Sometimes, simple rings are used to which the leather is attached. Both methods are commonly found throughout the period.  

An example of what appears to be ring
 attachment from the Bayeux Tapestry -
 note the color of the horse's skin showing through the ring

 

The noseband can be similarly attached, using rings, but is more commonly found attached by sewing or riveting directly to the headstall. The reins are usually attached by sewing onto the bit rings, riveting or through the use, in later periods, of special bit/rein attachments. (See illustration below which depicts several types of these rein attachments that were used in later period.)

 

Illustrations showing elaborate rein attachments
 as well as rein chains in pic #7.^[4]

While cloth bridles were commonly found in China and Japan during the feudal period, and rope was used in more primitive times, the most common material for bridle construction in the Middle Ages was leather. In the later years of the period, reins were armored, i.e. covered in metal, to prevent being cut by an opponent. More commonly, the reins were made of leather which ended in chains which were attached to the bit. These rein chains were lighter than armored reins, and still afforded protection to the rein in the area most likely to be cut, where they directly attached to the bit. These chains were also more durable and resistant to rot or damage when the horse dipped its muzzle into the water to drink. Repeated dippings of leather rein ends can result in rotting and breaking of the reins where they attach to the bit. This style of rein chains survived into the common age, in western riding, though since the 1960's has been less commonly seen in use. Reins were also later decorated in the heraldic colors of the rider, matching the barding (cloth covering) on the horse's body.

 

The Project

 

The object of this project was to replicate a bridle that would have been used in the 11th century.   My research into medieval horse equipment has focused on the early period styles and methods.  Before exploring later styles, I felt it was important to understand how this equipment evolved through the period. Hence my focus on early period equipment. It was also my intent to make a complete set of equipment, as authentic as possible, to use on my horses in SCA equestrian activities. I hope to encourage more research into this area by others in the program, and hope that they, too, will make authentic reproductions for use, thereby enhancing the equestrian program in Æthelmearc.

 

The bridle I decided to make would be patterned as closely as possible to those depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry, as this is the earliest reliable source for bridles of the period. Obviously, it would consist of a leather headstall. Research shows that a brow band was commonly used, as was a noseband.  Both snaffle and curb bits were depicted in the Tapestry. I choose to use the combination bit, the Pelham, as it would prove more versatile, being able to be used in a variety of horses. Some ride better in a snaffle, while others required a stronger bit such as the curb. I wanted to make a bridle that would be useable on more than one horse.

 

(Note:While I would have liked to use hand forged reproductions of the metal parts such as the buckles and bit, since I have yet to acquire that skill, I had to be satisfied with commercially made recycled pieces.  I tried to find pieces that were as close as possible to what would have been used in period.) 

 

Leather was attached in the bridle in several ways throughout the period. Sewing and riveting were common, and both methods were depicted in the Tapestry. I decided to sew the leather in my project. Thus the reins are attached to the rings and the headstall to the bit through sewing, using waxed linen thread, a commonly used item in modern horse equipment. In the medieval period, waxed linen thread or animal sinew was commonly used. I also sewed the single buckle of the project to the headstall.

 

This leads me to the subject of the option of changing the headstall size. An examination of depictions of bridles in the Tapestry and many illuminated manuscripts show that, unlike modern bridles, there were not adjustments by use of buckles along the sides of the headstall, at least not in early period bridles. Because of this, some researchers believed that the headstall had no adjustment and bridles must have been made specifically for each horse - in other words, fitted for individual horses. This is both impractical and too expensive to seem feasible. In modern days, a well supplied riding stable has separate bridles assigned to individual lesson horses. This is usually for the benefit of trainers and students, who have to ensure the right equipment is on the right horse, and prevent having to re-adjust bridles to fit each horse prior to use. A nicely designed tack room contains individually labeled bridle racks with the horse's name for easy identification of that horse's bridle.  Most "backyard" stables don't have this luxury, instead use a bridle for several horses, adjusting the fit as needed. 

Most likely, in the medieval period, bridles were not made exclusively for each horse as the cost would be too high. After considerable research, I found several examples from the Maciejowski Bible which reveal a buckle and strap adjustment at the top of the headstall, behind the horse's ears. The examples shown come from the source, Medieval Costume, Armor and Weapons.
 

I decided to incorporate this design into my own project. I would also include a brow band and noseband. The noseband would be attached directly to the headstall in the fashion I had found in the sources and replicated by other researchers. The leather for the noseband passes through the looped attachment to the bit, and is stitched together. There is no adjustment so I measured several horses to ensure it would be large enough, but not too large as to be floppy, when used on a variety of horses. 

Noseband attachment shown in the source, Medieval Costume, Armor and Weapons.  Note also the stitching clearly visible.

A common method of attaching the brow band to the headstall is by sewing it directly onto the headstall, or attaching it by means of a bridle boss or ring, as noted above. Because I was trying to make this bridle fully adjustable, I had to look deeper at the concept of browband attachment and design. If I affixed the browband permanently through the use of sewing or riveting, it would not allow for adjustment of the browband when the headstall was shortened or lengthened for use on different horses. I considered a design by another researcher for her conjectural medieval bridle, which incorporated a sliding design using a ring attachment (shown at the right).^[6]

This design uses a throatlatch, so I could not replicate it exactly as shown, but altered the design slightly to work on my throatlatch-less bridle. Once completed, it tested out to work on a variety of horses. The ring attachment is clearly visible in the Tapestry and therefore is a period application.

The final project not only looks like a period piece, but it functioned quite well when tried out on a real horse.

Author's horse Rex
wearing the bridle

---

Endnotes:
1. John Clark, ed.  The Medieval Horse and its Equipment 1150-1450. (Woodbridge: Museum of London, 1995).  49.
2. Clark, John, The Medieval Horse and Its Equipment.  45.
3. Illuminated Manuscripts, Medieval Hunting Scenes (AThe Hunting Book@ by Gaston Phoebus), trans. J Peter Tallon. (Barcelona: Printer Industria Grafica, 1978).64.
4. Wagner, Drobna, and Durdik. Medieval Costume, Armor and Weapons. Plate 28, Part IX.
5. Richard Barber  & Juliet Barker.  Tournaments, Jousts, Chivalry and Pageants in the Middle Ages.  (Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2000) 174.
6. How to make bridles By Madonna Contessa Ilaria Veltri degli Ansari, http://ilaria.veltri.tripod.com/bridle.html

Sources:

Ayton,  Andrew. Knights and Warhorses: Military Service and the English Aristocracy under Edward III. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 1994.

Barber , Richard & Juliet Barker.  Tournaments: Jousts, Chivalry and Pageants in the Middle Ages, Woodbridge: The Boydell Press,2000.

Clark,  John ed. The Medieval Horse and its Equipment, c. 1150‑c.1450. NY:Woodbridge: Museum of London, 1995.

Davis, R.H.C.  The Medieval Warhorse: Origin, Development and Redevelopment.  NY: Thames and Hudson,1989.

Dent,  Anthony Austen. The Horse Through Fifty Centuries of Civilization. NY: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1974.

Illuminated Manuscripts, Medieval Hunting Scenes ("The Hunting Book" by Gaston Phoebus), trans. J Peter Tallon. Barcelona: Printer Industria Grafica, 1978.

Pyhrr, LaRocca, and Breiding.  The Armored Horse in Europe, 1480‑1620.  NY: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2005.
Rud, Morgan.  The Bayeux Tapestry and the Battle of Hastings 1066. Copenhagen: Christian Eilers, 1992.
Wagner, Drobna, and Durdik.  Medieval Costume, Armor and Weapons. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, Inc, 2000.
Wilson, David A. The Bayeux Tapestry.  London: Thames & Hudson, 1985.
Website: Atlantian MOAS site (links), Jan 2009, <http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/wsnlinks/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=56>
Website on 13^th Century Horse Equipment, Jan 2010,  <http://www.mountedknights.com/conroi/13thCenturyMilitaryHorseEquipment.pdf>
Website - Article: How to make bridles By Madonna Contessa Ilaria Veltri degli Ansari, 2005, Jan 2010, <http://ilaria.veltri.tripod.com/bridle.html>
Website: The Bayeux Tapestry, March 2010,<http://hastings1066.com/>
Website: Britain=s Bayeux Tapestry at the Museum of Reading, March 2010, http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk/

Winnigas, or Leg Wrappings

The is the documentation for winnigas, or leg wrappings that I made to use in the SCA as part of my garb. These wrappings were entered in the 2010 Ice Dragon Pentathlon in the pre-1200 Clothing category. Winnigas are woolen bands that were wrapped around the lower legs. They are also known as strapulas, or "wickelbander" in German, and "puttees" by costume historians. These were worn by Anglo-Saxons, Germans, Danes, and Normans. The Bayeux Tapestry clearly shows the use of these leg wrappings.

 

Construction materials:

 

Almost all sources note that these were made of wool, and often were of a herringbone weave. One researcher theorized that this was the case because this type of weave makes the cloth stretchier thus helping to keep them in place. This same researcher noted that extant pieces, especially those found in or near London, were dyed purple, blue, red or yellow. Some were woven of two different colors -one for warp, the other for weft. Generally, they are 3-4 inches wide and 8-9 feet long. Most sources indicate that the cloth was woven to the width used, not cut to that size.

Function and Use:

Winnigas from the
Bayeux Tapestry

As noted, winnigas were wrapped in a spiral fashion around the leg, commonly over trousers. Mostly men wore them, but several Anglo-Saxon examples show them peeking out from under women's garments. In Lativia, they were also wrapped around the lower arm. In order to hold them in place, the ends were ordinarily tucked inside the top folds. In a Birka grave, small metal hooks were found that are believed to have been used to fasten leg wrappings. Similar hooks have been found in graves near Winchester, England. ^[1]

Another method of fastening was to start wrapping at the top of the leg, going down to the foot and then back up to the top of the leg. A piece of the wraps would be left exposed at the top, which would be tied off to the remainder of the fabric. This style is demonstrated in the depiction of the three Magi, from 'Benedictional of St. Aethelwold' (Anglo‑Saxon 971‑984AD) ^[2]

Winnigas depicted in the
'Benedictional of St. Aethelwold'

Ties below the knees with tassels are visible on manuscripts. It is also that believed tablet woven garters were used by Viking Age Finns. These had braided ends which were embellished with wrapped bronze wire at the ends. In Germany and Denmark, graves contained leather garters. These consisted of a leather strap, with a buckle, strap keeper (small loop of leather that holds down the end of the strap after it passes through the buckle), and a strap end. The metal pieces are made from bronze or iron.

Wrappings provided both warmth and protection to their wearer. They would have been especially valuable when riding a horse. (In modern days, a similar accessory is used by equestrians, called half-chaps or leggings. These are especially helpful in preventing chafe from the stirrup straps, and I believe winnigas served the same purpose for mounted people in medieval times.) Knives and tools were carried tucked inside these as well, which is evidenced by the finds in Anglo-Saxon graves.

While I am eager to learn and produce reproductions in a fashion as close as possible to the original, at this time, I have not learned how to weave ( a skill I hope to try in the future, having weavers in my own ancestry). Therefore, I used a commercially produced product. For this reason, I was not able to use a piece of wool that was woven to the required width as was done in period. I did use the width found in most extant examples, which is 3-4 inches wide. The length, about 9 feet, was obtained by sewing two strips from a standard bolt of fabric.

As noted above, some people also wore winingas on the lower arm, and since I wanted to make a set of these wrappings to use in the creation of a complete outfit of Anglo-Saxon/Norman "garb," I decided to make a second set for this purpose. Because it would be used on the arms, I felt a slightly narrower piece would work better, thus these were cut to about 2 1/ 2 to 3 inches in width.

 

Progress Notes:

 

While this project was much simpler than some of the other projects I made for this year's Ice Dragon event, I took the same care and time in its construction. The first stage was to measure and cut the fabric to the desired width. After doing this, I stitched the two lengths together, using a strong blanket stitch to ensure that the pieces did not separate. From my research and experience, I learned that this stitch is best when greater strength is desired.  

Detail of project -seam combining
 the two pieces to achieve the desired length
and stitching along edges.

Since I did not have a selvedge edge along the length as would have been the case in a piece woven to size, and as was found on extant pieces, I wanted to finish the edge to prevent fraying. I chose to use wool thread, so the cloth would still stretch (I did not want to risk that cotton thread would be too restrictive or would be subject to different shrinking during washing than the wool) and for aesthetics. I chose a thread of a contrasting color, again for aesthetics. I used a whip or overcast stitch for this edge. Both the blanket stitch and whip stitch are period stitches.                                     

 

 

Completed winnigas

After completing one piece, I moved on to finish the other three. The time to complete the project was about 6 hours. I found it to be a very rewarding endeavor. The stitching was relaxing, as I completed it in the evening hours after a long hard day at work. I can well imagine that women of the period would have also used the eveningtime to work on such tasks. It would have afforded them a little quiet time after a strenuous day.

It is interesting that these leggings resemble three items in use today: Ace wraps, Polo wraps and half-chaps. When rolled up, winingas look a bit like modern ace bandages. Both are wrapped in a similar fashion and commonly held by a small hooked fastener. As noted above, half-chaps are used by modern day equestrians to protect their lower leg from chaffing from stirrup leathers on an English style saddle. Modern English style saddles, like medieval saddles, have a looped strap that connects to the saddle and holds the stirrup. This double strap allows the leg to be pinched between the two layers. Half-chaps protect the leg from this painful and distracting injury. The last item, polo wraps look exactly like winingas, and in fact, I have seen SCAdians substitute a polo wrap for a hand-made winingas. Polo wraps are about the same size - 3-4 inches wide and about 10 feet long.   Today, they are made of a synthetic material which looks and feels like wool, and has the same stretchiness. These are used to wrap the lower legs of horses; especially and originally those horses used for polo and hence the name. This protects the horse's legs from injury from the polo stick as well as from the horse striking his own legs during the fast play of the game. They are also used to provide support to the leg, especially for horses used in the sport of Dressage. Like winingas, the material has considerable give. This is especially important to prevent tension-induced injury to the tendons of the horse's lower leg, which can be a crippling and debilitating injury. 

I look forward to testing their durability and to assess the degree of protection they afford while on horseback. I can well imagine that they would be quite comfortable and warm in the winter months, and I will probably make a few extra sets for use in the SCA.

[Note: Since making the winnigas, I have had the chance to test them on horseback, and found them to be quite comfortable and effective in protecting my leg. I have also learned some weaving and have acquired several looms since this project was completed. I am planning several weaving projects, including making winnigas.]

Endnotes:

1. A pair of silver hooks from the knee region of the burial in grave 67 (sex unknown) at Winchester, England mid‑late 9th century (from Biddle 1990) as noted on the website,  http://miklagard.nvg.org.au/articles/legwraps3.htm
2. http://miklagard.nvg.org.au/articles/legwraps3.htm

Sources:
Wilson, David A. The Bayeux Tapestry.  London: Thames & Hudson, 1985.
Website on Archaeological Sewing techniques, 5 Feb 2010, http://heatherrosejones.com/archaeologicalsewing/index.html
Website:  Bayeux Tapestry,  31 Jan 2010, http://hastings1066.com/
Website:  Bayeux Tapestry,  31 Jan 2010, http://rubens.anu.edu.au/htdocs/bytype/textiles/bayeux/
Website: Britain's Bayeux Tapestry at the Museum of Reading, 31 Jan 2010, http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk/
Website: "Clothing and Appearance of the Pagan Anglo‑Saxons," 24 Jan 2010, http://mahan.wonkwang.ac.kr/link/med/england/anglo‑saxon/culture/dress.html
Website:  Period stitches, Jan 2009,http://jauncourt.i8.com/stitches.htm( referenced information on running stitch, back stitch, and over‑stitched or over‑sewn, as well as Hem treatments including blanket, running, whip stitch)
Website: Legwraps, 24 Jan 2010, < http://miklagard.nvg.org.au/articles/legwraps1.htm>
Website: Atlantian MOAS site (links), Jan 2009, http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/wsnlinks/index.php?action=displaycat&catid =56
Website, Sewing Stitches Used in Medieval Clothing, compiled by Jennifer L. Carlson, 5 Feb 2010, http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc‑carlson/cloth/stitches.htm.

Tournament Banner , 14th Century Europe - Construction Process

This is part of the documentation for two painted silk banners from the middle to late medieval period. These banners were made with the intent to use during participation in SCA mounted Tournaments and were entered in the 2011 Ice Dragon Pentathlon. They were later re-worked and combined into a single banner. The background information is identical to the material presented in an earlier blog about Tournament Banners, so please refer to that for information regarding the use and structure of banners in the medieval period. This article deals only with the construction process of this project.

I obtained the silk cloth from a commercial source. Since the main colors of my arms are red and white, I bought silk in these colors. I decided to make a standard banner, with swallow-tail, indicating my own arms on the white silk, similar to silk banners commonly seen in the SCA.  I choose to make a second banner bearing the device of Æthelmearc, to show my pride in my Kingdom. 

 

Banner 1:

 

I started first on the white banner. Banners of this type, with a swallow-tail were very common throughout the medieval period.  Examples of such banners can be seen in the Bayeux Tapestry as well as the Maciejowski Bible.

 

Banners depicted in the Maciejowski Bible are seen on the left and examples from the Bayeux Tapestry are shown on the right.                                                              

 

After cutting out the fabric, I turned over the edges twice and stitched it down with a hem stitch. Due to the fine nature of the fabric, it tends to pucker so great care had to be taken to ensure the fabric stayed flat and the stitches did not "pull" the fabric. The edge along the hoist, I folded back to create a pocket for the staff and stitched this securely.

 

Banner hemmed,
ready for painting.

The hem stitch, is a period stitch.^[1] It is especially good for hemming as the outside appearance is quite neat, consisting of a small stitch which is visible on the outside of the fabric. Because the banner is designed to be displayed on horseback, from a lance or staff, with the hoist to the right, I sewed the fabric so this side would have the less visible stitch portion to that side. Not that any of these stitched would be seen from a distance, but upon closer examination from the correct side, the stitches would be less visible and not detract from the over-all appearance. (Note that the device is heraldically correct from this view as well, with the opposite side, as indicated above, in reverse.)

 

The last phase involved painting the displayed eagle on the fabric. This charge is a part of my registered arms, and I wanted to include it to clearly indicate the identity of the standard bearer, as was done in period. I used a fine pen to draw the eagle.  Normally I like to free-hand draw my artwork, but because of the expense of the silk and the permanency of the ink, I did not want to risk error which could not be erased. Hence, in the tradition cited by Cennini, I traced the image onto the silk from a drawing I have done of this eagle in the past for a prior embroidery project. ^[2]

 

After establishing the line, and drawing in detail, I painted the charge with a commercially available acrylic paint. I chose this type of paint because it seems to do well on fabric, with minimal smearing or running, which was critical for the fine material I was using. I did not want to use a fabric paint as it looks too modern, appears plastic and lays above the surface of the cloth. At this time I lack knowledge of period pigment and paint production, though hope to experiment with that sometime in the future. 

 

The paint does go completely through the fabric, creating a reverse image as indicated above.  Therefore, the eagle is displayed reversed on the back side. The reverse side needed to be painted as well, because the paint did not fully permeate the cloth. After painting both sides in the black, I touched up the white detail lines to create crisp clear lines.  Having done this, the banner was finished and ready to use.

Finished banner

Banner 2:

 

I initially planned to only make the one banner, but I later decided I wanted a flag in the other primary color of my own arms. I also decided to add my Kingdom's populace arms in order to incorporate my pride of Æthelmearc into this project. I figured this would be a nice banner to take with me, especially as I travel and enter Tournaments outside the Kingdom, to display at my pavilion or encampment.

 

This style of banner, which has a single long tail, is commonly seen in many examples of art from the medieval period. The work Medieval Costume, Armour and Weapons includes numerous examples of this type of banner used by the Germans, Hungarians, Czechoslovakians, and the Hussites.^[3]

For this banner, I decided to use two layers for greater substance. This silk is a heavier blend and I wanted a more substantial feel to the banner itself. I also choose to use the ties method of fastening it to the banner pole or lance. After cutting out the fabric, I sewed the seams using a very tight backstitch. This is one of the strongest period stitches and does well under pressure, which I felt was ideal to this project. Since most of the stitch is concealed within the layers of fabric, it was not necessary to use a hidden stitch like the hem stitch. I left a small section open, about 5 inches long.  After turning the fabric back "outside out," I finished stitching the seam using over-cast stitches.  Following this, I cut out and sewed the ties. I did not use the turn-inside out - stitch, and turn outside-out method, but pinned down the edges turned-in, and stitched them with an over-cast stitch. I felt this would make the ties lie flatter. I didn't want to iron this delicate fabric any more than necessary.    The ties were attached with over-cast stitches from the back side so that there was minimal stitch visible on the main side. This banner was made primarily one-sided, with the device painted only on the main side.

 

Once the banner itself was finished, I painted the Æthelmearc escarbuncle. This was the most time intensive part of the project. I started by using the design from the Kingdom website, drawing this onto the fabric. I outlined the figure in black, using an acrylic paint. I then filled in the white, which required four (4) layers in order to evenly cover the fabric. After painting the white, I did some touch-up on the black border.  The paint did not go through into the second layer of cloth, except for a few faint parts of white, which I felt was acceptable. I decided not to paint both sides, but maintain the banner as a one-sided project. 

Painting process

Finished banner

[As noted earlier, I later decided to combine these two banners into one. The red section, with my Kingdom's arms on it, was placed next to the hoist and the white end was on the fly end. This was the manner in which heraldry was displayed on banners in the medieval period.]

Summary

In the SCA, heraldry adds to the pageantry of our events. It also enhances the mood and experience of our re-creation of the Middle Ages. When people first join the SCA, it seems that heraldry is one of the first things they ask about, wanting to know, "How can I get my own set of arms?" and "What can I do with it once I register my arms?" Making and displaying banners with our heraldry proudly displayed is one of the most common and enjoyable methods of utilizing arms in the SCA. The display of arms was an essential part of Tournaments and arms were displayed on the battlefield as a method of recognizing friend from foe. As an SCA equestrian, I enjoy researching the methods heraldry was used by mounted warriors in the medieval period. I enjoy making banners such as these, for use on the Tournament field. In more recent years, it has been important for me to make these banners in an authentic and historically accurate manner, such as represented here in this project.  

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1. Website: Period stitches and extant examples, August 2009,  http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc‑carlson/cloth/stitches.htm
2. According to the Italian painter, Cennini (c. 1370 B c. 1440), artists were encouraged to copy the works of other artists, especially when working on paintings for panels. He noted that the artist should even use tracing paper to make exact copies. He explains exactly how this should be done in his work Il libro dell'arte, ( The Craftsman's Handbook). This "how to" book on Renaissance art is available online at http://www.noteaccess.com/Texts/Cennini/1.htm
3. Wagner, Drobna, and Durdik.  Medieval Costume, Armor and Weapons. (Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, Inc, 2000).  Part VIII, Plates 2, 4,6,7,8.

Heraldic Caparison or Full Barding – The Process

This article details the construction process for making a heraldic caparison. Obviously the first step in construction involved measuring the horse and laying out the fabric for cutting. I had made barding before, so I was able to utilize part of this as a guide. I also utilized a modern stable blanket which fit the subject horse, Rex, to verify sizing.  Barding, like stable sheets or blankets, are not just square pieces of cloth draped over the horse. There are curves to fit the horse's shoulders and rump areas.  By comparing the layout to a "garment" which I know matched Rex's contours, I was assured the barding would fit.  From this process, I developed the following "pattern," incorporating color combination, ear and eye slots, and plan. These measurements are raw, including seam allowances of about 2 inch.



The project was sewn completely by hand, using period stitches.^[1] The back seams are all sewed with back stitching as this is a very strong stitch and these seams were the most likely to bear the greatest tension and stress through use. The lining was attached with a hidden hem stitch, with some whip stitching at stress points for greater strength and reinforcement. Whip stitch was used to attach the ears to the main front piece. (See the article on this blog on making a surcoat for details and illustrations of these stitches.)

 

I started with the rear piece as this was the easiest, with less structures and features (the front piece includes eye slots and ears, etc.).  I did not have the benefit of a commercial pattern which tells you how to best lay out the material for efficient use of expensive material. The linen I was using cost about $24 a yard so I wanted to be careful to cut the material out in the most conservative manner.  I took extra time to carefully consider the placement of the red and white pieces for optimal use of the cloth. The top red and white pieces could be cut to extend to both sides, eliminating a seam along the horse's topline (backbone area), making it stronger, and this was a more efficient use of the cloth.  These pieces were measured first and sewn together. The bottom white pieces were added next. Lastly the red pieces, which are curved to 1) lie better along the horse's rump, and 2) prevent the piece from being too long and dragging on the ground or tripping the horse's hind legs, are cut out and attached. 

At this point, the outer layer of the back piece was complete. The next step was to paint the heraldic eagles on the fabric. This has to be completed before attaching the lining because the paint could leak through the fabric onto the lining. I used acrylic paint, because I have yet to learn to mix my own pigment or make tempura paint as indicated in use by Cennini. First, I traced an eagle that I have used for other projects. Cennini says it was very period to do so.^[2]  Placing this drawing under the material, I traced its rough image onto the fabric. I usually draw all my artwork from scratch, but because this was being done on fabric where it is much more difficult to erase, I wanted to ensure good proportion and size before proceeding. The rough drawing gave me a guide to finish the drawing. Removing it, I hand drew the eagle, adding the detail I wanted to include. I decided to use white paint to show the highlights of the image. I started to paint the black areas and wanted to allow the white of the fabric to show this detail, as a void of black paint, but the uneven-ness of the fabric would not allow for a clear line.

 

I placed several sheets of paper under the fabric, which laying flat, absorbed any paint that leaked through. This was especially important to prevent the paint that did leak through from running and marring the image. I painted the black, leaving the white areas void. I then painted these whites areas with paint, straightening the edges. Again, because of the uneven-ness and absorption of the fabric, the paint tended to extend over the edges of the black. Therefore, it was necessary to go back and touch up any uneven-ness of the detail. Both eagles were completed on the rear piece.

 

Rear piece finished and folded.

Once the paint was thoroughly dry, I was ready to line the back piece. I laid out the material for the lining, measuring and sewing the seams. Once this was completed, I laid out the outer layer on an open part of my floor large enough that the entire piece was flat. I laid the lining material on top and inch by inch, worked my way around the fabric, turning under the edges towards each other, and pinning them. Having attached the lining with pins, I sewed the two pieces together with a concealed hem stitch. I stitched using different colored thread, based on the color of the outer piece, red or white, in order to better conceal the stitches. I found this method of attaching the lining was preferable to the alternative method of turning the right sides together, stitching the seems, leaving an opening, and turning the whole thing out. It resulted in a smoother interface than I have experienced with the other method.

 

After the lining was sewn onto the outer layer, I tacked together the layers at intervals throughout the span of the piece. I used a technique similar to that used in upholstery. Several stitches were passed through both layers, unknotted, at spaced intervals. This would prevent the layers from shifting and sliding, as well as ballooning, but not be permanent so that, if needed, they could be easily removed in the future in the event the lining needed replacing.

 

The next phase of the project was to construct the front piece. I determined that the bulk of the head piece would be made from the red material and I worked on this first. The pieces were laid out and cut. I laid it out so that there was no seam along the top of the neck, an area that would take a lot of stress and wear. The only seam was the piece over the nose. I stitched this using a backstitch, for strength. I attached the white piece on the top, again, eliminating a top seam by the fact the white extends on the other side. I then added the red below and lastly the white. This last piece is flared to allow for better hang and coverage of the chest as the horse moves. 

 

I cut out the eye and ear slots, based on measurements on my target horse.  It was difficult to fold the material back inside on the circle, and where there were slight gaps in the coverage, I reinforced the edges with extra whip stitching to prevent the cloth from fraying.  After stitching this down, I turned the fabric over again, to make a double fold. I felt this was necessary to make a strong edge around the eyes and ears. Additionally, I needed to enlarge the holes slightly which I determined from preliminary fitting on the horse. Once the outer layer was constructed, I painted the eagles on the front piece, as was done on the back section.

When it came to the stage to attach the lining, I discovered a problem.  I determined that I didn't have enough yellow linen left to line the entire piece. Calculating the correct yardage requirements was difficult as I didn't have a pattern or guide since this was all an original design. The red and white amounts were sufficient as both were used, but the yellow had to cover all areas. I attempted to contact several local stores to get more yellow, but none had it in stock, or available online. So I was faced with a dilemma. I decided to stitch together as much of the yellow as I could and ended up with a small section to line in another color. I choose to line the remaining area, in the head section, with white. I reasoned that white is a light color like the yellow, which makes the barding cooler, and it has an aesthetic appearance.  

Head piece,
showing lining, ear and eye holes;
ears not yet attached.

I laid out the largest piece of yellow cloth I had and then attached four sections of other pieces to make the bottom half lining. Because I had a limited amount of white left as well, I had to piece together several pieces of this also. Once these pieces were constructed and sewn together, I laid them out as I had for the rear piece and attached them with pins, folding the edges inside. I did not pin the areas that include the head piece as I would need to complete the ear and eye holes on the lining, but was not ready to do so yet. I sewed the edges as pinned. Once this was completed, I was able to better determine the location of the eye and ear holes on the lining. These I cut out and folded back to match the outer layer. Once pined, I sewed these edges.  I had yet to sew the seam which extends down the length of the horse's face. This was done from the inside by turning the seams inward and whipstitching the edges. Once this was completed, I could pin down the jawline pieces and sew these seams, completing the front piece.

 

Head piece, ears attached.

The next part of constructing the front piece was the attachment of the ear pieces. Firstly, I cut out and sewed together the two pieces. I took measurements of my horse and compared it with commercial fly masks I have which fit Rex. (These masks cover the top of the horse's head and ears, protecting them from flies. Some extend down over the horse's face as well.) Once completed, I attached them to the head piece. This was not a simple task. They were difficult to pin and keep in position, and when I initially pinned them, I whip stitched them loosely on, uncertain of their final placement. I considered keeping it that way in case I found my horse would not tolerate the ears; they could be more easily removed at an event. But the white from the lining showed, presenting an unaesthetic appearance. Using the initial stitching as a basting stitch, I re-pinned the ears and, once more securely attached, re-stitched the ears with strong whipstitches attaching red to red. Thus, no white showed and the ears were securely attached. It took careful planning and a little luck to match the size of the ear bases to the size of the opening as both are irregular.  I did not line the ears because I felt this would add too much bulk and the added weight would prove irritating to the horse. 

 

The last phase in construction concerned the seam along the horse's jaw and chest area. As indicated, in period artwork, it appears these seams were tacked loosely at intervals. I replicated this technique along the jaw, down the throat and neck area to the chest. This kept the edges together, and the piece on the horse's head, without restricting movement or breathing.   

 

Eye slots are definitely too small
and needed enlargement

[Note: After writing this documentation, I have had occasion to use the caparison several times at equestrian events. I found I needed to make a few adjustments. The tacked areas were too snug so I released them. I have used the barding with these flaps loose, tucked into the bridle. This worked fairly well but allows the barding to shift. I intend to add ties to secure if more firmly. And the eye slots needed to be enlarged as they were entirely too small. If you make one of these pieces for your horse, I recommend that you cut the eyes out larger than you think they need to be sized.]

CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMARY

 

For some years I have been wanting to make a set of barding which was both period in construction and aesthetic in appearance. I also wanted something that displayed my own heraldry as was commonly done during the Middle Ages in battle and for the Tournament. This dream started over thirty years ago, with my first attempt at barding, a blanket barding and strapping that I created out of a recycled old red velvet tablecloth. In the tradition of the early days of the SCA, I used something cast out and worn to create a piece of medieval pageantry. During that time, horses weren't used much in the SCA, there being no formal activities or rules permitting their use. So I used that first barding in costume classes at mundane horse shows. It later made an appearance at an SCA event, again resurrected, with a few changes, as a Japanese set of barding for the 2008 Æthelmearc King's Equestrian Championship competition. My next attempt at barding was sequined blanket barding and bridle set, Arabian style, which I used on my Arabian horses in parades. It made an appearance as well at a later SCA event, on loan for a student.  Clearly not constructed of period materials, it was the farthest thing from authentic, but added to the pageantry of the moment.
 

My first heraldic barding

My next barding was during a time when SCA equestrian activities had really taken off, and I wanted a more period looking set of barding to use on my horses. While heraldically correct, and correct in design, it was not made utilizing period techniques. Additionally, it was constructed of cotton which I learned from other SCA artisans, was not superior to linen for coolness and wicking moisture. I entered it in my first Ice Dragon Pent, and learned a lot from that experience. That set of barding provided me with a proto-type, and was used for years during SCA activities. With the completion of this current project, my dream has been realized. This barding, I believe, is aesthetically pleasing and it is period in construction, proudly displaying my heraldry in a period manner. With this and the other pieces that I have created, including a period bridle and saddle, saddle pad and period clothing for myself, I hope to take to the tournament lists this coming year in period style!

The barding in use at an SCA event,
the Siege of Sylvan Glen

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1. The following sources were consulted for period stitches: Website: Archaeological Sewing techniques, 5 Feb 2010, <http://heatherrosejones.com/archaeologicalsewing/index.html>;      Website: Period stitches and extant examples, March 2010,  <http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc‑carlson/cloth/stitches.htm>; and  

Website: Period stitches, Jan 2009, March 2010,  <http://jauncourt.i8.com/stitches.htm>

2. Cennini, Cennino d'Andrea. The Craftsman's Handbook: "Il Libro dell=Arte," trans. by Daniel V. Thompson, Jr., (New York: 1960). Chapter XXIII.  This source can be viewed online at http://www.noteaccess.com/Texts/Cennini/.