Elsie Park: Medieval Clothing and Musical Instruments

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Medieval Clothing and Musical Instruments

MORE MEDIEVAL TERMS USED IN MY NOVEL, SHADOWS OF VALOR

CLOTHING

McCall's Sewing Pattern #3653

BLIAUT / BLIAUD (above in purple/blue) – an outfit of French influence worn by both men and women in the 12^th-early 14^th centuries. For woman it was a long flowing dress (with or without a belt) that fit snugly at the torso, and then flowed freely from the waist down. The sleeves were tight around the upper arm before opening up into large flags above or below the elbow and reaching to knee or floor length. The neck line could be round, square or keyhole shaped. For men the outfit length was typically to the knee and the sleeves tight all the way to the wrist, but they could also flag out and reach the knee as well.

SIDELESS SURCOAT (above in red) = An over garment popular in the 14^th century (1300s) for men and women. It lacked sleeves and remained open at the sides all the way down or came together at the waist, attaching to the skirt. Women’s were typically longer than the knee and worn over a kirtle, while men’s were typically to the knee or shorter and worn over under garments as well. A surcoat was also worn over a guard’s or knight’s armor with distinguishing colors or an insignia printed on the front.

BRAIES (below in white) = Men's under trousers, often covered with leggings called chausses.

Squidoo.com - http://www.squidoo.com/look_more_medieval

CHAUSSES (above in black) = leg coverings that extended to the knee or covered the entire leg. They were made of different materials depending on the circumstance. As armor they were made from chain mail or padded material worn under the mail. These offered flexible protection against slashing weapons. Woolen chausses were worn by male civilians as outer trousers.

KIRTLE = A simple long dress for women, could be worn alone or under a surcoat (over garment). The sleeves could be tight around the arm or billow out at the elbows.

TUNIC (below) = A simple slip-on garment (shirt) with or without sleeves, most often cinched with a belt. In early centuries, the length extending below the waist reached to the knee or longer, but it shortened to just above the knee, to the thigh and finally the hips as history progressed.

www.mysticum.de/Medieval-Garbs/Garb-male/Tunics/Tunic-green-Larp%20Shop.html

WIMPLE (below) = A cloth covering for a woman’s head. A full wimple covered the head and neck, and sometimes the chin. A half wimple covered the head only and was kept in place by a snug circlet (usually of soft material) worn like a crown over the head.

http://maniacalmedievalist.wordpress.com/tag/coif-and-veils/

INSTRUMENTS

DRUM / PERCUSSION (below) = An instrument made of a round body, usually wood, covered with animal skin (leather) and beat upon with a stick. It could accompany music or be played on its own during battle.

https://dalymusic.com/store/index.php?p=catalog&mode=search&search_str=Drums+Percussion

LUTE (below) = A stringed instrument with a pear-shaped body, vaulted back, fretted fingerboard and a head (often angled backward from the neck ) with tuning pegs.

Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/89.2.157

PSALTERY (below) = A musical stringed instrument with 30-40 strings stretched over a horizontal board and played with the fingers or a pick.

Squidoo.com: http://www.squidoo.com/psaltery

RECORDER / PIPE / FIFE (below) = Wind instrument made of a tube (wooden or bone) with a mouthpiece and finger holes.

Philippe Bolton, Recorder Maker: http://www.flute-a-bec.com/medievgb.html

TABOR (below) = A small drum of soft calfskin, often hung from the neck to rest on the chest and used to accompany a pipe or fife played by the same person.