Bead Drill,

Recently we saw an illustration (late medieval) of a bead drill on the cover of a Museum of London publication  With trial and error we found the correct shape of the cutting tool, the appropriate type of wood and the correct depth of wood for this particular tool. This worked fine in a 21stC electric drill but would it work using a medieval technique? We then added a large bobbin to the shaft of the tool and made a bow which then turned it into a specialist bow drill. Drilling first on one side of the wood half way through. The wood is then reversed and, using the central hole as a guide, the second hemisphere is drilled. After several prototypes we came up with the perfect spherical bead. A fellow trader then came up with a piece of waste wood from the 15thC found in the Thames mud (London UK). This wood had lots of holes drilled in it which were identical in shape (if not size) to the waste wood from our project.

Cast wax arm

Whilst doing the reserch for my Barber-Surgeon presentation. I discovered that rural/small town surgeons had secondary occupations. They could be glovers, fine net makers (for catching birds), slay makers (part of a loom) and wax chandlers. Most of these occupations used fine needlework with thread and thus were a natural spinoff or precurser of being a Barber Surgeon. What I could not understand was the connection with Wax Chandlery. Further research showed me that the well off could have their body preserved by using wax which might be done by specialists. However this could not explain why the common or garden Barber Surgeon could be involved. Later research into pilgrimages revealed that supplicant at shrines would offer a beeswax body part to apply for a miricle cure to the effected limb. Then it became clear. If the Barber Surgeon could not cure the malady he made a wax image and packed them off the to local shrine where they would receive a cure if they were godly enough. He however got his fee either way! Again with the work of a generous fellow Living Historian we perfected a mould for making wax arms.