I am an independent researcher, history enthusiast, and reenacter located in the United States. I am most interested in the late 12th century Norman Sicily and Outremer. The primary purpose of this blog is to consolidate research and publish projects so anyone can view them.
Crafts I currently practice are sewing, leatherworking, woodworking, painting, and occasional cold work with metal. Like most of my projects, this one began with dissatisfaction with an aspect of my reenactment portrayal.
To date, I have used a combination of a hood and half circle mantle as outer layers against the wet and cold. Rather than starting with the answer and finding research to support it, a better approach is to ask a question and to answer it through research. The question for this project is: What would a city dwelling craftsman in the late 12th century do to protect himself against the cold and rain?
If the answer involves an object, how was it made? The first part of my question can be answered with artistic and literary sources. Construction questions will be addressed by evaluating extant examples. The first possible answer is to stay indoors or get wet. The number of possessions owned by modern people would be mind-boggling to historical people of equivalent social status.
We take things like raincoats, umbrellas, wellington boots, and insulation layers for granted; most people have access to appropriate clothing for any given weather where they live.
