As with their ancestors before them, belts were an integral part of 14th Century men's clothing. They were used to suspend pouches, daggers, swords, and other weaponry, as well as hold a man's tunic in place, or even to allow him to hitch his tunic up over it so it doesn't bind his legs while fighting or working.
It is widely regarded that these belts varied greatly in style and fashion, depending largely on the wearer's social standing. Belts like this ranged from very narrow "everyday" belts, to quite wide sword belts, meant for more martial purposes, as the name implies. Color also seems to have been a major variation, and while most contemporary artwork from the 14th Century details belts as almost always been black in color (something that was, in fact, achievable at this period in time), it can be assumed other shades existed as well. Fittings were also added to these belts by those who could afford them, and ranged from simple bars spanning the height of the belt in certain intervals to ornate conchas of floral designs or other motifs. The belt pictured here is of black leather and is of the narrow variety. It has a brass buckle, strap-end, and decorative bars, as well as tooling in the leather itself - all of which are copied off extant finds from London and dated to the 14th Century. The belt itself is a custom piece courtesy Lorifactor. |
AboutThis page will focus on the lifestyles of those living in Medieval Europe from approximately the 11th Century through the 14th. Archives
April 2021
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