Man has long been engaged in the production of items that are needed for daily needs and a more comfortable life.In this article we will try to understand what the craftsmen.What were the first profession.Let's talk briefly about the features of materials and technologies for different directions.
Meaning
Under this concept hides small-scale production of various items manually.That is, without the use of production facilities.Often, the results created by the masters, are highly artistic and exclusive products, unlike stamped consumer goods.
Craftsman - a person who is engaged in the manual production of things.It can be different qualifications (journeyman, foreman, head of the department), making products to order or for sale.The first option refers to more professionals, while the second began before training for beginners.
The craftsmen engaged in different periods of history, we will talk further, and now list the main types of jobs related to this industry.
Everything is included in the scope of the necessary things for a comfortable life, it has long been produced by artisans.This variety of products from metals (blacksmithing), clay (potters), leather and skin (Kozhumyaki), precious stones and non-ferrous metals (jewelers, engravers, cutters and many other professions).
Let's see what the craftsmen did in the ancient world and the Middle Ages.
Metal
very first metal that humanity has learned to handle, has been copper.In the tombs of the pharaohs are the drawings of the method of smelting this material.Small boat and a flat stone instead of a hammer.However, the apparent primitiveness, products far exceeded the time.Especially we will focus on this when we get to the jewelers.
Later came the bronze, when we have learned to fuse copper and tin.Statuettes and vessels, weapons and jewelry, furniture legs and alloy ornaments.That's what the craftsmen engaged in ancient Egypt.
the end of the reign of the pharaohs are the first findings of iron, but then it was still a very expensive and exclusive.Greater development of this material was in the Middle Ages.
Europe, Russia, Middle East, famous artists, who in this era created such masterpieces that even today they can not be repeated.For example, Damascus steel.Very durable and flexible blade.As while Smiths achieved such a precise relation and bonding metal layers are still not clear.
Working with wood
most famous carpenter, must be considered to be the Christ.However, before it masters produced unique items.Generally, in the ancient world and medieval states, it was the most common material.
Shipbuilding, architecture and many other professions have used wood for their needs.For example, in Russia, in the cities of the sidewalks were made of planks and logs.Furniture and household utensils, toys, barrels, carts, and later machines - all created from wood.
Jewelcrafting
following professions in particular reflects the value of the word "artisan".Here master painstaking and hard work to create jewelry from very small parts.
more experts in Egypt granulated gold and fastened it to finish the sarcophagus lid so that modern professionals are only marvel.They managed to connect the balls without any visible traces of adhesions.Sheets of the finest gold, which covers statuettes, amazingly clear lines of miniature men and animals, mechanical dolls.All of this is surprising, and affects people so far, although it was already more than one thousand years.
So what the craftsmen in ancient Egypt, vividly illustrated on the walls of the tombs of the pharaohs.Stone carvers were masters of their craft.After all, scientists are now almost easily restore production cycle on such instructions.
In Russia, the jewelers was a special honor.Princes have supported and encouraged the experts of this industry.Raw materials imported from other countries, because, as such, production of non-ferrous metals were not in the Principality.The most developed technique was cast, and the artisans were called "Zlatar" and "a silversmith," depending on the material.
Leatherworking
The first material for the production of clothing.How could I tell him?
If people in the Stone Age were used to cover roughly sewn skins, then, starting with Egypt, they have already started doing, and thinner, painted and decorated.
This material was used saddlers and furriers, saddlers and tulniki (did quiver), shoemakers and craftsmen for the production of morocco and parchment.
Bronnikov created from skin grafts various types of light and medium armor.Along with the blacksmiths, subsequently, made riveted types of armor, and later there were only straps to fasten the metal parts of the costume.
It also fully reflects the meaning of the word "artisan".After all, if you carefully examine the methodology of currying, we can see that for a long time it was exclusively hand.
beginning purified material from the wool.To do this, the skins were thrown into vats or wooden boxes with lime.The next step - tanning.She was treated by various means, and kneaded his hands for maximum softness.If the elasticity is low, then soon there will be cracks.
further processed material comes in various workshops of artisans.
Gun case
Until now, this product is in high demand, and it earned billions.How it all began?
Sometimes it seems that blacksmithing - only what the craftsmen of old.The amount of military items that are archaeologists, seems simply unrealistic in the level of production in those years.
swords and daggers, spears and a peak of arrows and bolts, darts, rivets for leather armor and solid metal costumes.All these items are exactly matched the physical characteristics of the owner.
If we talk about weapons, the better it will create or adjust.But Bronnikov worked just masterpieces.Pour or forge a breastplate right on the figure of the future of its owner, decorate various ornaments and perfectly seal all joints.So not every master can do in our day.
Damascus steel swords and perfectly sharp katana Japanese samurai, who cut silk on the fly.All these examples indicate a fairly high level of production with minimal resource usage.That is a real professionalism.That's what a craftsman if to grasp the essence of the term.
Construction
Do not even talk about the pyramids and other colossal monuments of ancient architects.Today, we all admired and admire.
In this area, the production combines several crafts.Masons and painters, artists and glaziers, joiners and carpenters, blacksmiths.All of them, one way or another, have made a hand to build not only palaces, but also the most common shacks.
If we talk about Russia, the houses stand for a few centuries, and keep working condition for life.
frescoes on the walls of castles and temples illustrate what the craftsmen in the era of Babylon, Egypt, ancient states and later medieval kingdoms and empires.Art painters strikes.Not only them, but all the masters of the time seems to have done all the ages, with the soul.Unfortunately, such an attitude to his profession today is rare.
Weaving and spinning
true feminine type of craft.First, it no longer applied as a pastime.When there was nothing to do in the evening, going for sewing, weaving, spinning.Talk, discuss pressing issues.
But the level of skill does not suffer.Most families produced such items for household use, but with the growth and expansion of trade relations began to produce and export.
example, Phoenician fabric is famous all over the world due to its coloring.Such purple wanted to see a new thing to all the rulers.Actually, the price for such luxury was high.
Oriental rugs and today amaze with its uniqueness.Each clan or tribe had its own traditions, patterns, shapes.All of the mats to luxurious carpets with long pile, you could buy from the merchants.
Archaeological findings in this area also illustrate what the craftsmen in Russia.Here, the most widely used materials such as flax, hemp and wool.Weavers were able to create objects of plain, twill weave and complex.
also produces cloth from wool of different thicknesses, fine linen cloth.Colour was varied.It applies the red, green, black, yellow and blue paint.
Pottery
Probably the most common archaeological finds in the number of trade.And the easiest thing than can do a craftsman.All you need to work - clay and water.
ancient way of production vessels - a simple molding and drying in the sun.The second option - the creation of the framework of sticks, which is subsequently coated with clay.Next
began to burn the vessels near the fire.The findings of this technology is determined very easily.These pots look mottled like the skin of a jaguar.
If you look at the masterpieces of the art of pottery in a Greek amphora, difficult to call such a profession craft.However, she is still a.
Subsequently, there was a transition from manual modeling to manufacture products on a potter's wheel.It is at this stage of changing the composition of the masters according to gender.Previously, this involved more than women, but now pottery becomes male profession.
Glassmaking
the youngest of these crafts.First, the material used to create the decorations in the form of beads or pendants of different shapes.Apparently, the first samples were obtained as a result of a lightning strike in the sand.From the high temperature it melted and turned into glass pellets.
is believed that the first such technology, mastered the ancient Egyptian craftsmen, but today such a thesis is being questioned.
But it is known that in the early Middle Ages, Byzantium and the Middle East have exported these products worldwide.These included jewelry (beads, beads, bracelets occasionally), toys, figurines.Later - dishes.
Thus, we have examined what kinds of crafts were common in ancient times, learned the meaning of the word "artisan" and talked about the specifics of certain professions.
