Q. Before tampons were invented, what method did women of ancient times use to control the menstrual cycles? There isn't much writing on the subject that I can find.
A. There is very little information about what was used for a woman's monthly period written. Trotula mentions wads of cotton being used for the cleansing of the inner canals of the woman's vulva prior to sexual intercourse with her husband, but it is unlikely that a similar cotton wadding may have been used for a kind of medieval tampon as the belief in letting the menses flow and drain from the body prevailed. To plug up the flow of menstrual blood would be seen as both dangerous and injurious to the woman. Obviously, some device was necessary, so this leaves the alternate as a stuffed sanitary pad or napkin of some kind as a logical conclusion.
A pad of linen fabric seems possible, but when filled with linen wadding would make a pad which would be unlikely to launder well for reuse. The filling would probably not wash well and dry badly in the winters. Since the lower classes also menstruate, it seems that when considering a reusable, washable pad, this was not the answer. It seems that due to wools water-dispelling qualities, it is also an unlikely stuffing for a sanitary pad.
In the middle ages, sphagnum moss sphagnum cymbifolium, shown at right, was used for toilet paper and was also believed by surgeons to have antiseptic properties. It was also known by the name Blood Moss and was used during the crusades by physicians to stem blood flow in battle wounds. It was reknown for its sponge-like absorbent qualities and ability to be rinsed out and reused. A Gaelic Chronicle of 1014 relates that the wounded in the battle of Clontarf stuffed their wounds with moss, and the Highlanders after Flodden tended to their bleeding wounds by filling them with bog moss.
Although there is no concrete proof, it is entirely possible that medieval women used moss-stuffed napkins as sanitary pads. We know that moss is very like a very fine sponge. It easily and quickly absorbs liquid and retains it. Water can be squeezed out and the moss does not collapse and is ready for reuse. A pad of sphagnum moss would absorb the blood in lateral directions well as above and retain it until fully saturated.
In a forum discussion in January, 2006, Robin Netherton discusses an interesting find from a burial at Herjofsnes. It concerns a pad, possibly used for incontinence. It is made of sealskin, wool and has traces of moss in the filling. Her conclusions are:
When the body was laid in the grave there must have been lying on the back of os coccygis ... a strip of sealskin to which was fastened a redbrown woollen cord to keep the sealskin in place, while in front on mons pubis it was also kept in place by a couple of woollen cords which probably passed up to a cord or belt about the hip-region, thus representing a kind of bandage passing from mons pubis between femora down before pudenda and anus and up between nates in the sacral region.
It shows that the possible use of a pad for both incontinence and other bodily fluids was known.
A pad of linen fabric seems possible, but when filled with linen wadding would make a pad which would be unlikely to launder well for reuse. The filling would probably not wash well and dry badly in the winters. Since the lower classes also menstruate, it seems that when considering a reusable, washable pad, this was not the answer. It seems that due to wools water-dispelling qualities, it is also an unlikely stuffing for a sanitary pad.
In the middle ages, sphagnum moss sphagnum cymbifolium, shown at right, was used for toilet paper and was also believed by surgeons to have antiseptic properties. It was also known by the name Blood Moss and was used during the crusades by physicians to stem blood flow in battle wounds. It was reknown for its sponge-like absorbent qualities and ability to be rinsed out and reused. A Gaelic Chronicle of 1014 relates that the wounded in the battle of Clontarf stuffed their wounds with moss, and the Highlanders after Flodden tended to their bleeding wounds by filling them with bog moss.
Although there is no concrete proof, it is entirely possible that medieval women used moss-stuffed napkins as sanitary pads. We know that moss is very like a very fine sponge. It easily and quickly absorbs liquid and retains it. Water can be squeezed out and the moss does not collapse and is ready for reuse. A pad of sphagnum moss would absorb the blood in lateral directions well as above and retain it until fully saturated.
In a forum discussion in January, 2006, Robin Netherton discusses an interesting find from a burial at Herjofsnes. It concerns a pad, possibly used for incontinence. It is made of sealskin, wool and has traces of moss in the filling. Her conclusions are:
When the body was laid in the grave there must have been lying on the back of os coccygis ... a strip of sealskin to which was fastened a redbrown woollen cord to keep the sealskin in place, while in front on mons pubis it was also kept in place by a couple of woollen cords which probably passed up to a cord or belt about the hip-region, thus representing a kind of bandage passing from mons pubis between femora down before pudenda and anus and up between nates in the sacral region.
It shows that the possible use of a pad for both incontinence and other bodily fluids was known.
What are some types of clothing or jobs that woman wore and did during the reniassance (1400's - mid 1500's)?
Q. I need to know what a woman/teenager girl did and wore (for what she did) during this time in europe. It should be accurate as possible!
thank you so much! :DDDDDDDD
thank you so much! :DDDDDDDD
A. Duties of women were varied and arduous. Tasks which included making clothes from scratch and administrating most of the food production. After the 13th century, women were no longer responsibly for as much of the production of basic supplies because each of these productions became individual male trades.
In the Renaissance, women remained active only in carding and spinning wool. Small shops in master craftsman's home were moved to larger shops in a different location, removing the wife from participation in the business while keeping the house. Historians believe women filled a greater variety of professional roles, had more responsibilities, and had more economic contribution during the Middle Ages rather than the Renaissance.
Check out this link for Renaissance clothing
http://www.pearsonsrenaissanceshoppe.com/http://www.pearsonsrenaissanceshoppe.com/
In the Renaissance, women remained active only in carding and spinning wool. Small shops in master craftsman's home were moved to larger shops in a different location, removing the wife from participation in the business while keeping the house. Historians believe women filled a greater variety of professional roles, had more responsibilities, and had more economic contribution during the Middle Ages rather than the Renaissance.
Check out this link for Renaissance clothing
http://www.pearsonsrenaissanceshoppe.com/http://www.pearsonsrenaissanceshoppe.com/
Would you buy wool products such as hats sweaters, scarves & gloves?
Q. I eat vegan and do not buy products in which animals were killed, such as leather. But this winter however I bought a fairly traded wool hat from Nepal. An animal was not killed so I could wear its hair.
Should I or any body else be concerned about using wool products? I feel like I supported people who would normally have little other means of making a living. What are your thoughts on this matter?
Should I or any body else be concerned about using wool products? I feel like I supported people who would normally have little other means of making a living. What are your thoughts on this matter?
A. Oh boy. Do I feel you pain on this one.
I was given a set of fair trade alpaca gloves and a berette for Christmas. It was purchased from a place that supports women. The tags explained it all. It sounded very good.
Normally a vegan would not use anything that cause the exploitation of an animal. Wool from Australia is horrible. But I don't imagine they butcher animals in Nepal to make smoother wool.
I've learned a lot of compassion for the struggle each vegan must face from reading Sarah Kramer's cook books. She is so full of humor and love.
Basically each vegan must write their own code of conduct based on what their consciousness dictates. Don't give in to the fanatics who spout freedom for all while trying to tell you how to live.
Pax et bonum.
I was given a set of fair trade alpaca gloves and a berette for Christmas. It was purchased from a place that supports women. The tags explained it all. It sounded very good.
Normally a vegan would not use anything that cause the exploitation of an animal. Wool from Australia is horrible. But I don't imagine they butcher animals in Nepal to make smoother wool.
I've learned a lot of compassion for the struggle each vegan must face from reading Sarah Kramer's cook books. She is so full of humor and love.
Basically each vegan must write their own code of conduct based on what their consciousness dictates. Don't give in to the fanatics who spout freedom for all while trying to tell you how to live.
Pax et bonum.
Powered By Y! Answer
No comments:
Post a Comment