You may be interested to see that the reference Alan mentioned can be
accessed on line if you are lucky enough to have an academic login. I did
a search through the UCL library to find it. It looks like a very useful
text for all sorts of topics. The reference is as follows:
Washburn, E.W. (1926 - 1930;2003). International Critical Tables of
Numerical Data, Physics, Chemistry and Technology (1st Electronic
Edition). (pp. 239-250). Knovel.
(Wilson J.A. & Thomas A.W. Tannins and Vegetable Tanning materials.
'International Critical Tables of Numerical Data, Physics, Chemistry and
Technology' pp. 239-250)
Regards
Lucy
> Dear Lucy
>
> A few thoughts
>
> (i) Do you have bark, or just wood? What's the actual context from which
> the
> remains are coming? The wood may only be secondary evidence - by this
> period
> I would have thought tanneries would be receiving processed bark. In my
> experience, tannery sites often yield rather little clear evidence for
> tanning per se - botanical material often seems to be related to the
> period
> after the process has finished.
>
> (ii) According to figures published in vol. II of the 'International
> Critical Tables of Numerical Data, Physics, Chemistry and Technology' (my
> ed. is 1927), *Pinus sylvestris* bark has 4-5% tannin, which is on the low
> side compared with *Quercus robur* (9-12%) (and with the other spp. of
> *Pinus
> *listed)... indeed, it's also very low in comparison with most of the taxa
> listed over the 6 pp. (244 et seq. of my copy). It's not impossible that
> WOOD was used - it DOES have some tannin - but bark is much more likely as
> the raw material, I think.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Allan
>
>
>
> 2009/4/9 Lucy F Allott <[log in to unmask]>
>
>> Dear All
>>
>> I am currently working on a wood and charcoal assemblage from a 19th
>> century tannery site in london. To my surprise the assemblage is
>> dominated
>> by pine and there is very little oak wood. I have been looking for
>> references to the use of pine bark in tanneries and have not found much
>> for the UK. Does anyone have suggestions for literature?
>>
>> Many thanks
>>
>> Lucy
>>
>> Dr. L .F. Allott
>> Senior Archaeologist (Archaeobotanist)
>>
>> Archaeology South-East
>> Units 1 & 2
>> 2 Chapel Place
>> Portslade
>> BN41 1DR
>> 01273 426830
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Dr Allan Hall, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Archaeology,
> University
> of York, The King's Manor, York YO1 7EP, UK
> +44 1904 434950 (fax 433902)
> http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/arch/staff/Hall.htm
>
> Consider the environment. Please don't print this e-mail unless you really
> need to.
>
Dr. L .F. Allott
Senior Archaeologist (Archaeobotanist)
Archaeology South-East
Units 1 & 2
2 Chapel Place
Portslade
BN41 1DR
01273 426830
[log in to unmask]
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