As mentioned above, medieval Europe, from our point of view, seems unpopulated and 'wild,' but forests were very controlled commodities, including the lumber and hunted animals, not just meat, but feathers, leather, and furs.
As to sleds and sleighs, even though not explicitly mentioned, frankly, the only way to move horse-powered vehicles through snowy regions.
Part of the almost-extinction of the American bison wasn't just to deprive Native populations of independence via slaughtering their main food source. Up until automobiles fully replaced sleighs in rural North America, bison hide blankets were a very common item to keep people warm while traveling in the winter in open carts that had had rails placed on them for passage on snowy roads.
Sleighs and other winter transport? And fur jackets
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- Haeropada
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Re: Sleighs and other winter transport? And fur jackets
Vápnum sÃnum skala maðr velli á
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
- Darnokthemage
- Silent Watcher over the Peaceful Lands
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- Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2018 9:02 pm
Re: Sleighs and other winter transport? And fur jackets
'Good gracious heavens ... NO!' said Gandalf. '... don't mention the word furrier again as long as you are within a hundred miles of his house, nor, rug, cape, tippet, muff, nor any other such unfortunate word!' ...
Other interesting mention of fur, Capes, Tippets and Muffs.
Other interesting mention of fur, Capes, Tippets and Muffs.
Artist, larper and history lover.