Medieval stave-built wooden vessels in Ireland and Russia
The overall aim of this thesis is an investigation of the practice of cooperage in the Middle Ages from the evidence of preserved stave-built wooden vessel components in Ireland and Russia. Two large urban assemblages from broadly contemporary contexts in Dublin and Novgorod are used for assessment of functionally and culturally determined attributes of stave-built wooden vessels, in terms of species selection, conversion and morphology. Attributes that are the result of deliberate human actions or were deliberately selected for specific reasons are identified and considered from a methodological perspective. The archaeological implications of preserved vessel components are analysed, with the objective of understanding what can and cannot be learned from partial vessel remains. The major question of what criteria were applied in selection of raw materials in medieval cooperage is central to this thesis and it is concluded that selection was strongly influenced by cultural factors and that deliberate functional compromise in the interest of aesthetics was commonplace. Despite a wide range of suitable wood in both regions, a comparatively narrow range of materials was selected by coopers.
Comey, Martin Gerard
Medieval stave-built wooden vessels in Ireland and Russia. The overall aim of this thesis is an investigation of the practice of cooperage in the Middle Ages from the evidence of preserved stave-built wooden vessel components in Ireland and Russia. Two large urban assemblages from broadly contemporary contexts in Dublin and Novgorod are used for assessment of functionally and culturally determined attributes of stave-built wooden vessels, in terms of species selection, conversion and morphology. Attributes that are the result of deliberate human actions or were deliberately selected for specific reasons are identified and considered from a methodological perspective. The archaeological implications of preserved vessel components are analysed, with the objective of understanding what can and cannot be learned from partial vessel remains. The major question of what criteria were applied in selection of raw materials in medieval cooperage is central to this thesis and it is concluded that selection was strongly influenced by cultural factors and that deliberate functional compromise in the interest of aesthetics was commonplace. Despite a wide range of suitable wood in both regions, a comparatively narrow range of materials was selected by coopers.
medieval built wooden vessel ireland russia overall_aim investigation practice middle_ages evidence preserve built wooden vessel component ireland russia large_urban assemblage broadly contemporary context dublin use assessment functionally culturally determine attribute built wooden vessel term specie selection conversion morphology attributes deliberate human_action deliberately select specific reason identify consider methodological perspective archaeological implication preserve vessel component analyse objective learn partial vessel remain major question criterion apply selection raw_material medieval central conclude selection strongly influenced cultural_factor deliberate functional compromise interest aesthetic commonplace despite wide_range suitable wood region comparatively narrow range material select