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Mike wrote, directed and presented this 9 minute video, which introduces the new Medieval Technology Park at the Middeladlercentret, Nykøbing, Denmark. The park showcases working models of large scale medieval machines. These have been recreated from designs depicted in medieval manuscripts and show a remarkable degree of engineering ingenuity.
The first two images are from details of the Meister der Lyversberg passion, an altarpiece painted around 1464-1466. It is in Walraff-Richartz Museum, Köln (Cologne). The third image is from Albrecht Dürer’s, Study of a rider, painted in1498.
Of particular interest is the nature of the tan-coloured armour in the first two images. There are various possibilities: 1. it is an artistic fantasy (unlikely in an image with so much realism) 2. It represents ‘cuir bouilli’ – a type of hardened leather armour that was popular in the previous centuries but has really gone out of use by this date. However this idea would explain the apparent thickness of the armour. 3. The armour has been heat-treated to give a russet finish – this doesn’t explain the thickness 4. It is regular armour that has been covered with tan leather. This would explain the thickness and be consistent with the 15th century practice of covering armour with either linen, velvet or leather. I am pretty sure that it is no 4 but would welcome other suggestions.
The Dürer image certainly shows a sallet covered with tan-coloured leather. It has long been one of my favourite images from the period. Many years ago, in the early 1980s, I was involved in some television film (I can’t now remember what for) that required me to ride at a man on the ground and break a lance on his shield. I decided that I wanted to recreate the Dürer image. I didn’t own a sallet at the time and funds were tight. I had someone make just the visor in steel and fabricated the dome of the sallet with a mouldable plastic, which I then covered with leather.
The problem, of course (hindsight is a great teacher) was that it was far too front heavy. In the very limited time I had, I tried to wedge it as tightly as possible with a foam lining but it was not up to the job. I rode a wonderful rocket of a horse called Bella (one of my all time favourite steeds). On ‘action’ she reared up and sprang forward, hurtling me towards my target and, at the same time, dislodging the sallet on my head, so that I could no longer see. I knew I had a good line and still delivered the strike. My dear friend, now long since sadly departed, Tony Harris, stood firm and ready to receive. Tony was big and brave as well as being superbly talented at a wide range of things. Regrettably that talent didn’t extend to moving his shield in front of his face. At the last minute he did turn his head, so the rubber-tipped balsa lance caught him on the cheek. I knew I had the line right. Happily he was only bruised. He was a tough man.
There is a very encouraging development in Finland that suggests that well-trained ‘sniffer dogs’ are both able and accurate at detecting humans carrying coronavirus. It is yet more evidence, if ever there were any doubt, that dogs really are man’s best friend.
Why is this news, wonderful though it is, on a history page, you might ask? Well, in the first instance, it has probably not escaped your notice that I have a book coming out about dogs in a few weeks time😊
My book, “DOGS: Working Origins and Traditional Tasks” deals with the development of different types according to geography and occupation. In simple terms, we have the range of types we do today, all descended from the wolf, because of thousands of years of selective breeding according to the jobs man required his best friend to assist him with. The book contains a great deal of social history that I hope will also be of interest to the followers of this page. In many ways looking at the history of dogs is just another way of holding a mirror to the history of humans. Our histories are inextricably interconnected.
In my book, I only deal with historical tasks – Herding and Droving; Livestock Guardians; Sled Dogs; Cart Dogs; Carriage Dogs; Water Dogs; Game Finders; Sighthounds; Scenthounds; Mastiffs; Terriers; Companions. Today, of course, dogs serve so many more functions – guide dogs, hearing dogs, all manner of support dogs, sniffer dogs for explosives, drugs and disease among other duties. All these modern jobs, however use dogs from the pre-existing types. My book deals with how those types evolved and includes a lot of adventures with the dogs themselves.
The use of dogs to detect covid is just the latest example of how dogs help humans and as this video shows, several different types are capable of the work. The more I learn about dogs, their capabilities and their history, the more I appreciate the massive debt we owe them.
www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/24/close-to-100-accuracy-airport-enlists-sniffer-dogs-to-test-...
'Close to 100% accuracy': Helsinki airport uses sniffer dogs to detect Covid
www.theguardian.com
Researchers running Helsinki pilot scheme say dogs can identify virus in seconds
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