Leather Of The Nile ｜ Unveiling Ancient Egypt’s Craft Secrets

Welcome in great peace to Egypt. I am Nunib, the foreman of the leather cutters during the 19th dynasty. I have crossed the time barrier to talk to you about leather work in ancient Egypt. The leather cutters were very skillful in their craft. Leather work in ancient Egypt was a highly valued craft that played an important role in the economy and culture of our civilization. There are few representations which tackle tanning in ancient Egypt. However, a lot of information can be concluded about this topic from these few illustrations. We used leather for a variety of purposes, including clothing, footwear, armor, and furniture. Ancient Egypt was exceedingly rich in skins, the result of the stock breeding so extensively carried on in our country. Our people were all aware of their value. We considered the skin indeed to be such an important part of the animal, that in our writing, the sign of the skin indicated all mammiferous animals like this cow's skin with a tail, and this water skin. The skins of the panther of the south were valued very highly. The high rank priests were dressed in panther skin. This and other animal hides such as the fox skin were also delivered to Egypt as part of the tributes presented to Egypt, especially during the new empire period. They were brought from the upper Nile and from the incense countries. Less valuable skins such as those of oxen, gazelles, etc. were manufactured into leather. The leather objects which have been found in the tombs prove what a degree of excellence this industry attained, especially under the new empire. We possess examples of every kind of leather, coarse leather, and fine leather. The former is manufactured into sandals, the latter into aprons and straps. White leather made into a kind of parchment and used like papyrus for writing material. The process of leather making in our country begins with the removal of the animal's skin. Then the skin is beaten with stone to be smooth. The skin is then soaked in water to soften it and remove any remaining flesh. Next, the skin is treated with a mixture of water, salt, lime, and tannins from plants such as acacia or mimosa. This process helps to preserve the hides and make them more durable and resistant to decay. This also removes any remaining hair. And finally, the hide is stretched and pulled with their hands over a three-legged wooden frame until it has attained the necessary suppleness. Once the skin is prepared, it is stretched and dried in the sun. This process helps to make the leather more durable and resistant to water. After tanning and drying, the leather is often dyed using natural materials such as plants and minerals. The leather is then decorated with intricate designs and patterns using techniques such as stamping, embossing, and painting. This scene explains in detail the next steps. A skin is hanging up in the shop, indicating the trade of leather cutters. A leather worker is cutting thongs out of a circular piece of skin. With the usual semicircular knife, he cuts the skin into strips as he turns it round. This is known as the circular cut, which we knew 3,300 years ago, and accordingly, we could obtain the longest thongs from a single piece of leather. Here, the leather worker cuts this piece of skin into straight straps. Another worker arranges the separate thongs. He sits on the ground or on a low three-legged stool, lets out the separate thongs, and keeps them from becoming entangled. The ends of four thongs are inserted and fastened into a tube from the side of which a bar projects, surmounted by a heavy metal ball. The man who twists them holds the tube in his right hand, whirling it around as he walks backward by means of the impetus given by the ball. A band attached to a ring at the other end of the tube goes around his body in order to support it and give it a free action, and the ring turns upon a nut to prevent the band itself from twisting. The thongs are twisted by this leather worker. When this is finished, the twisted thongs are bound together around a hollow center through which the end is passed and repeatedly bound over the concentric coils and then hung up in the shop. This is a weight, which gives a better impetus to the tube when thrown around. A shoemaker perforates the sole of a sandal to receive the thong. These are pieces of leather ready to be cut into saws, and these are thongs ready for fixing to the sole. This is an awl, and that is a sloping table. In this scene, the shoemaker now takes the prepared leather and puts it on his sloping table for this purpose. He uses the same kind of knife with a curved blade and short handle and cuts the leather into saws or straps. The necessary holes are then bored with an awl, and the straps are drawn through. The workman was accustomed to doing this with his teeth. This became a customary practice. After being fastened with knots, the simplest form of sandal is complete. A learned poet wrote of the shoemaker, he is very wretched, he is always begging, and what he bites is, only, leather. One of the most important uses of leather in ancient Egypt was for clothing. We wore simple garments made from linen and wool, but leather was used for more specialized clothing such as footwear and armor. The Egyptians crafted leather shields and body armor using layers of treated hide, providing protection to soldiers during warfare. This leather worker is making a quiver. The next is cutting leather into straps. The third is covering the wooden wheel with the This is part of a chariot that shows a quiver, a spear case, and a bow case. All are made of ornamented leather. Leather was also used to make furniture such as chairs and stools. Here is an example of a folded chair. These pieces are often decorated with intricate designs and patterns, reflecting the high level of skill possessed by ancient Egyptian leather workers. Leather played a crucial role in Egyptian fashion, particularly in the realm of accessories. Notably, depictions in ancient Egyptian art frequently portray figures wearing finely crafted leather belts, shoes, and bracelets. These accessories not only served a functional purpose, but also reflected the wearer's status and social standing. Additionally, the use of leather for including bags and sacks allowed for the safe transport of various goods and provisions. Overall, leather work in ancient Egypt was an important craft that played a significant role in the civilization's economy and culture. Leather working artisans thrived in their ability to create intricate designs and incorporate symbolism into their pieces, further emphasizing the Egyptians' profound understanding of aesthetics. The integration of leather in fashion, utility, religious ceremonies, and art highlights its profound impact on various aspects of Egyptian life. Make sure to tune in to my next videos. If you have any thoughts or questions, add them to your comments. Kindly press the like, share, and subscribe buttons. See you in the next episodes. Thank you.