History of Leather - Bronze Age (3000-1200BC)

Humans have been using leather from the beginning, making it one of the oldest and most beneficial discoveries. To defend oneself from the weather, our forefathers used leather clothing. Primitive man hunted wild animals for sustenance and used the skins to fashion clothes, footwear, and primitive tents. 

Today's hides are also a by-product, just as they were previously. In Lerida, Spain, prehistoric cave paintings portray leather garments. Wearing bear and deer skin shoes, a Bronze Age hunter was unearthed in the Alps. Humans have been utilizing animal skins since they first butchered animals for their meal.

Everyday living grew a lot more comfortable as time went on thanks to leather. Many leather goods, including shoes, gloves, jackets, and bags, became widely available. Leatherwork is now a full-fledged company. A huge worldwide customer base willing to buy and use leather products was available, as was a global raw material supply network for the industry.

Development of leather has a rich history

There has been a rise in the popularity of "fake" leathers, which include synthetic leathers made from plastic and other synthetic materials. Additionally, they may be utilized to get leather at a reduced cost and with a smaller impact on the environment.

In the globe, leather is one of the oldest and most widely used materials. It's amazing to think about how far the craft has come since its origins.

To learn more about the Stone Age's usage of leather, click here.

Even throughout the Bronze Age, stone tools, including those for dealing with leather, were still quite popular. There has been a shift toward specialization and commerce as technology and tools have improved, allowing groups to manufacture products and then exchange them for items from other groups that have the resources, knowledge, and skill to produce something else.

Bronze Age style house

The process of tanning animal skins into leather evolved as a result of greater international commerce. As tanning progressed, leather craft progressed as well. When it comes to clothing and accessories, leather would be utilized for anything from shoes to caps to arm protection when bow-shooting, to shields and even shelters.

There was a leather shoe found from approximately 1300 BC as an illustration of the period's leather craftwork. With holes for lacing, it was crafted from a single piece of leather. Back of the shoe was laced up with a few knots (forming the curve around the back of the ankle). The hair from the leather was removed using tools, resulting in a smooth surface. Further refinement of the leather's surface was accomplished using delicate combs, which were most likely made of bone. These are significant developments in the field of leatherworking.

For centuries before domestication, people used deer and wild animal hides, as well as hides from sheep and goats, to make their clothing. Archaeological investigations at caves where Paleolithic cave paintings portray people in skins and furs have revealed a flourishing leather industry. 

Leather of Bronze Age

In addition to wooden poles and beams used for pounding and hanging skins, archaeologists have discovered flint devices like knives, scrapers, and awls for extracting flesh. It has been discovered that leatherworking was already well-established at Neolithic and Bronze Age sites, as seen by the sophisticated dagger sheaths, armor, footwear, and jerkins found at these sites.

Are you interested in learning more about leather's journey from the Bronze Age to the present day? Be sure to check back often for more posts on the fascinating topic of leather's history.