Coriaria, a Tanner’s and Dyer’s Plant: Collection, Trade, and Uses of a Native Mediterranean Plant (13th–15th Centuries)
- By Dominique Cardon
- and Anthony Pinto
Page 5
Cite this article
- CARDON, Dominique
- and PINTO, Anthony,
- Cardon, Dominique.
- et al.
- Cardon, D.
- and Pinto, A.
https://doi.org/10.4000/medievales.3443
Cite this article
- Cardon, D.
- and Pinto, A.
- Cardon, Dominique.
- et al.
- CARDON, Dominique
- and PINTO, Anthony,
https://doi.org/10.4000/medievales.3443
Coriaria myrtifolia L., a wild bush indigenous to the forests and scrublands of northwestern Mediterranean countries, is very rich in tannins but is also toxic. It is discussed here as an example of the management of natural resources in the Middle Ages. Its botanical and chemical characteristics are described as they explain its applications to tanning and dying for several centuries in that part of the world. The medieval documents, mainly from Catalonia, mention the places where it was collected, and the methods used are discussed, as are texts describing the trade that was gradually set up on a regional and even international scale to fully exploit this vegetable resource. Finally, we explain the technical aspects of its use in tanning and dyeing processes as they can be inferred from the medieval as well as later documentation.
Keywords
- environment management
- history of techniques
- ethnobotany
- tannins
- natural dyes
Publisher keywords: environment management, ethnobotany, history of techniques, natural dyes, tannins