History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c37.s1.3

v1.c37.s1.3

Evidences are there to indicate the animals and others whose skins were used during the ancient time in India, Asia, Europe and other places were oxen, calf, sheep, goat, lion, panther, gazelle, cheetah, antelope, leopard, camel, hippopotamus, dog, ibex, deer, cat, rabbit, hyena, wolf, bison, ass, pig, donkey, bear, jackal, seal, otter, horse, snake, lizard etc. The tanning materials used are Gall nuts, Acacia Arabica, pomegranate, oak, spruce, pine, sumac, amla, asan, myrab, alum, vinegar, etc. and also other materials like, the insect kermes, flour, fermented vegetable matter, wine, beer, milk, salt, curd, cow dung, fermented fleshing, urine etc were also used in the ancient tanning processes. The usual mechanical operations are handling, beating, beaming, pulling, staking, stretching on wooden frame for drying, polishing by stone etc.