Leather sheath fitting

Sheath fittings made of various non-ferrous metal alloys, decorated more or less sophistically, were used to strengthen the edges of leather sheaths of knives or other small handy utensils, e.g. scissors. Adding a metal ferrule had practical, aesthetic and prestigious meaning. Fittings placed in the lower parts of sheaths strengthened the edge and prevented the knife or other object placed inside from slipping out. Fittings in the middle parts usually had only a decorative function. The shape and size of fittings depended on many factors. One of them was undoubtedly the social status and probably also the user’s wealth. Carefully decorated fittings often contained symbolic content, not always possible to read today. Nevertheless, such decorated sheaths should be considered above average. Over the centuries, the basic construction of the sheath remained unchanged, while the ways of stitching and decorating the sheath changed, depending on the general progress in the development of leatherwork and other areas of early medieval production. As for metal ornaments, local aesthetic trends and external influences are not without significance.

Anna Bogumiła Kowalska