Category Archives: picture quiz

Summer picture quiz 2022 – getting to grips with heraldry

Posted on by
4

Many apologies to those of you who are very comfortable with your heraldry – I’m having a bit of a refresh and am starting with canting arms which isn’t necessarily a logical place to begin but never mind. Essentially the image depicted on the arms is a pun or rebus playing on their owner’s name. The French call them armes parlantes or talking arms.

Simply say what you see! One belongs to a family and the second belongs to a kingdom – which is a bit mean of me as the kingdom tends to be described without it’s second smaller component. Not all canting arms are obvious as language and imagery has changed across the centuries. The third arms is another family name.

Canting arms 1 and 2.
Canting arms 3

Picture quiz 11 answers

Posted on by
1

It’s a tenterhook! – the devices by which cloth was attached to the drying frame or tenter. As the cloth dries the tenterhooks prevent the cloth from shrinking. Hence – on tenterhooks…and if you look at the map you may find tenterfields near wool producing mills.

So there you have it.

Picture Quiz 11

Posted on by
Reply

I know it looks like a bit of lumpy metal – but its rather important to the development of the medieval economy.

My other challenge of the week is for my class, but I don’t see why everyone can’t have a go if they wish, is to look at a local map and see how many place names near them are associated with the wool or cloth trade – obviously that will depend where you’re reading this from. But in addition to sheep, there’s wool – an no Wool in Dorset is not associated with the wool trade somewhat bizarrely, cloth manufacture and dyeing. Happy hunting.

Picture Quiz 10 – answers

Posted on by
Reply

Its a watering can – or a thumb pot. There’re plenty of Roman examples in existence. Place the pot holed side down in a bowl of water and the water enters the chamber. Cover the hole on the top of the pot with your thumb and hey presto – the water stays in the ceramic pot until you remove your thumb and the water cascades out. The one in the image is a reproduction – I shall be asking Father Christmas for one this year – assuming he’s not staying at home and maintaining social distancing…

Picture quiz 10

Posted on by
7

Once again I’ve opted to provide you with the whole item – what is it? Nothing medical on this occasion.

Picture quiz 9 answer

Posted on by
Reply

This matula, or urine sample bottle, can be found in the Museum of London. Ancient civilisations including the Sumerians used urine to diagnose illness and by the medieval period it had evolved into a branch of medicine called uroscopy – or put another way doctors reckoned they could tell which of your four humours was out of balance simply by studying your urine. All they needed to do was look at the colour, the smell and, horror of horror, the taste of the medicine. They even had a handy chart to help them.

http://www.doctorsreview.com/history/sep05_history/

Picture Quiz 9

Posted on by
7

This week, there was no quiz last week, I’m giving you a picture of the whole thing. What is it’s purpose – and it’s not for that bunch of flowers you’ve picked from the garden!

The Museum of London

Picture quiz 8 – answer

Posted on by
Reply
The Museum of London – Charles I’s undershirt

Charles I wore this shirt on the 30th January 1649. It is made from knitted silk and he asked for it to prevent him from shivering. He did not want people to think that he was afraid to go to his execution.

Picture Quiz 8

Posted on by
2

I think this one might be quite straight forward but I would like to know what it is? Who’s is it? And when it was last used?

Picture Quiz 7 – Queen Elizabeth’s ring

Posted on by
Reply
The Chequers Ring

This very personal item once belonged to Elizabeth I – hence the E. There is a hinge and a portrait inside the ring. No one knows who the woman is but given the head dress it is not unreasonable to suppose that it’s Elizabeth’s mother, Anne Boleyn.

I’ve posted about the ring before https://thehistoryjar.com/tag/the-chequers-ring/ So if you would like to read more follow the link.