Next, to loosen the hair follicles, they would either coat the hides with an alkaline lime mixture, leave the hides out to putrefy for months, or soak them in vats of urine before removal with a dull knife (scudding). Once cleaned, the tanners still had to pound the hides to remove excess fat and flesh. The work of an ancient tanner was unglamorous to say the least.It started with an arduous preparatory stage that could take several weeks.įirst, the animals skins were cleaned and softened with water. This process evolved into the craft known as tanning.īetween 12,000 and 6,000 years ago, tanneries began cropping up in towns in Sumeria, Mehrgarh, and other ancient cultures. This allowed our ancient ancestors to develop a process that made hides more durable and less susceptible to decomposition. When formerly nomadic tribes established agricultural settlements, animal husbandry provided a steady and easily accessible source of food and rawhide. This seemingly simple advancement gave humankind a major leg up in long-distance travel and marked the beginning of leather-making.
In the Paleolithic period, around 40,000 years ago, people started making moccasin-like wraparound footwear out of softened animal skins, or rawhide. Whether used for playing sport or playing musical instruments, animal hides or skins have played a key role in our cultural rituals.įrom the Discovery Of Leather To The Birth Of Tanning In the past, it has also allowed us to bottle water, protect our bodies and homes from the elements, communicate, and even conduct business. This incredibly versatile resource has helped men and women to travel great distances on foot and then harness horses. Leather belts and straps have been incorporated into everything from human attire, to luggage cases, to saddlery, to machinery. It can form soft, delicate gloves as well as impenetrable armour. Leather can be made into a light and fabric-like vellum or a hard book cover. Since prehistoric times, leather has been an essential tool in almost every aspect of life. The history of the leather tanning industry dates further back than you can imagine, and it’s unlikely we’d be where we are today without leather.
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