The History of What Instrument's Strings Are Made Out Of

Throughout time, instruments have used many different kinds of materials for their strings. Many of us are used to the steel strings that are common on instruments today, and we don’t always stop to think about when that became the standard or what may have come before. So here we’ll delve a little deeper into the subject and learn about what different materials have been used for string making through history. 

   In Asia they used silk strings, horse hair could be used in Scandinavia, and strings made of plant fibers were used in tropical areas.[1] But in Europe the popular choice was animal gut. Specifically, the intestines. These strings are also sometimes referred to as catgut, though it isn't because cat’s guts were a common choice for string makers. It’s thought that catgut is an abbreviation of cattle gut.[2] Sheep or goat intestines were preferred, but pigs and cows could also be used.[3] 

Gut string making from Etwas für alle, Würzburg, Germany, 1699

   We’ll now take a closer look at the history of gut strings with some examples from the ancient world. There is an Ancient Greek myth that the god Hermes made the first lyre by using a tortoise shell for the body and cow guts for the strings.[4] In terms of extant examples, an archaeologist named Harry Burton found harps that still had their gut strings intact inside the ancient Egyptian tombs of Thebes in 1823.[5] The harp strings were said to still be playable when they were discovered.

Apollo playing a lyre from the Cylix of Apollo, around 480–470 BC

  Gut strings continued to be used into the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Stringed instruments of the period such as the lute, the gittern, and the vielle were all generally strung with gut.[6] There is some evidence for gitterns and related instruments using metal strings, but gut strings were more common.[7] There is a quote from the Shakespeare play, Much Ado About Nothing, that goes “Is it not strange that sheep's guts could hail souls out of men's bodies?”[8] Later on, the bass strings of the lute could be wound with copper or silver wire, while silk and metal wire were used for the core of the string.[9]

Lute Player, Flemish, 1620

   Classical guitars continued to use gut strings until fairly recently. Nylon strings (which are now the standard for classical guitars) weren’t invented until the early 1930s. But they didn’t become popular until 1948, as there was a shortage of gut strings caused by World War II.[10] Outside of the classical world, steel strings were being used on guitars as early as the late 19th century. A Gibson catalog from 1903 instructs you to say whether you wanted the guitar you ordered with steel or gut strings.[11] In the 1910s and 20s, the increased volume of steel strings allowed the guitar to replace the banjo as the primary instrument in folk and blues music.[12]

Martin 2-17, the first Martin “Spanish Style” guitar braced for steel strings, 1922

  Starting in the 1970s, researchers who study historical performance and instruments brought attention to how historical gut strings were made.[13] Nowadays, Early Musicians seek to play on accurate replicas of historical instruments and study historical performance through text and visual sources where available.[14] And reproducing authentic strings to play this music on is part of recreating the historical sound. There are now string makers who make gut strings for this use. Though we also have more alternatives nowadays, there are many who have played gut strings who still swear by their sound, and it's hard to beat the real thing when studying historical music.

Reproduction of a 7-course Lute made by Dodd Lutherie

Listening examples-

Introducing: Gut Strings- This first video is by Early Musician Brandon Acker, where he compares the sound of Nylgut (nylon strings that attempt to sound more like gut) to real gut strings so you can hear some of the sound difference for yourself. Visit http://brandonackerguitar.com/ for more on Brandon Acker.

Demonstrating Authentic Unpolished Gut Lyre Strings on an Ancient Greek Kithara- In this next video, you can hear a reproduction of an Ancient Greek Kithara (a seven-stringed lyre). It’s strung with gut strings, and is played by Michael Levy, a composer for the lyre who seeks to recreate the sounds of the ancient world. Visit https://ancientlyre.com/ for more on Michael Levy.

Lute | Mrs. Winter's Jump Renaissance Lute Matthew Weinman- This video features the lutenist Matthew Weinman playing a 7-course (courses are pairs of strings) Renaissance lute, again strung with gut strings. The piece featured in this video is by John Dowland, an English Renaissance composer and lutenist. Visit https://www.mwlutemusic.com/ for more on Matthew Weinman.

Sarabande from Partita No. 1 in B minor J.S. Bach - Greg Ewer (gut strings)- Finally, this video presents a piece by Bach played on a violin strung with gut strings. This one is performed by the violinist Greg Ewer.  Visit https://www.orsymphony.org/discover/orchestra/strings/gregory-ewer/ for more on Greg Ewer.

  

 Work Cited

References for information in text-

  1. Larson, Daniel. “Making Gut Strings.” Gamut Strings, https://www.gamutmusic.com/new-page. 

  2. Gersten, Jennifer. “Are Catgut Instrument Strings Really Made From Cat Guts? The Answer Might Surprise You.” WQXR, 17 July 2017, https://www.wqxr.org/story/are-catgut-instrument-strings-ever-made-cat-guts-answer-might-surprise-you/. 

  3. Hiskey, Daven. “Violin Strings Were Never Made Out of Actual Cat Guts.” Today I Found Out, 11 November 2010, https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/11/violin-strings-were-never-made-out-of-actual-cat-guts/. 

  4. Penkett, Rebecca. “The Story of the Lyre – Blog.” Harp Alignment, 1 June 2011, http://www.harpalignment.net/blog/?p=91. 

  5. Pittaway, Ian. “The medieval harp (1/3): origins and development.” Early Music Muse, 21 September 2022, https://earlymusicmuse.com/medieval-harp-development/. 

  6. Nepilova, Hannah. “Medieval musical instruments.” Classical-Music.com, 11 October 2022, https://www.classical-music.com/features/instruments/medieval-musical-instruments/. 

  7. Duffin, Dr. Ross W. “Gittern (Medieval).” Early Music Instrument Database, https://caslabs.case.edu/medren/medieval-instruments/gittern-medieval/. 

  8. “Quote by William Shakespeare: “Is it not strange that sheep's guts could hail ...”” Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/16973-is-it-not-strange-that-sheep-s-guts-could-hail-souls. 

  9. “The stringing of historical lutes.” Liuto Forte, https://liuto-forte.de/en/welcome/lute-and-guitar-a-dilemma/the-stringing-of-historical-lutes/. 

  10. Eric. “The History Of Nylon Guitar Strings.” FuelRocks, 1 January 2023, https://www.fuelrocks.com/the-history-of-nylon-guitar-strings/. 

  11. Sissors, Dan. “Guitar Strings – History, Technology.” Dan Loves Guitars, 19 October 2013, https://danlovesguitars.com/2013/10/guitar-strings-history-technology/. 

  12. “Steel Strings: The Sound of the Great Depression.” The Local Pickup, 12 February 2022, https://thelocalpickup.com/collections/steel-strings/. 

  13. Peruffo, Mimmo. “The Italian method of making strings from whole unsplit lamb gut: story of a rediscovery.” Aquila Corde Armoniche, https://aquilacorde.com/en/blog-en/early-music-blog/the-italian-unsplit-lamb-gut-string-making-method-story-of-a-rediscovery/. 

  14. McComb, Todd M. “What is Early Music?” Medieval Music & Arts Foundation, 2 July 1999, http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/misc/whatis.htm. 

Original sources/more information for images used here- 

  1. Etwas für Alle- https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/de/view/bsb10861266?page=1

  2. Attic white-ground kylix- http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/4/eh430.jsp?obj_id=4678

  3. Lute player- https://philamuseum.org/collection/object/102484

  4. Martin 2-17- https://www.guitarbench.com/2011/06/08/1925-martin-2-17-sn-guitar-database/

Dodd Lutherie- http://www.lutherie.uk/

Medieval Halloween

 As Halloween approaches, many of us have our traditional ways of celebrating the holiday with our families and our communities. Some of the traditions we have today are fairly modern developments, but many of them have relationships to historical beliefs. In this article, we’ll explore some of the historical beliefs surrounding Halloween-time and hopefully learn something new about where our modern traditions come from.

Halloween postcard, early 20th century

  We’ll start off with the basic history of the holiday itself, and then get more specific with the origins of some of our current traditions. Our modern Halloween is influenced by 2 separate historical traditions.[1] One of these is the Christian Allhallowtide, which is made up of 3 days. It begins with All Hallow’s Eve on October 31st, which is followed by All Saint’s Day (or All Hallow’s Day) on November 1st and lastly comes All Soul’s Day on November 2nd.[2] All Hallow’s Eve (which can also be shortened to Hallowe’en) begins it all with a nighttime vigil, All Saint’s day continues with a celebration of all the saints, and All Soul’s Day is a day of prayer and remembrance for the dead.

The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs, Fiesole, Italy about 1423-24

The other tradition is the pagan Samhain. This was a festival held between the fall equinox and the winter solstice to “welcome the harvest and usher in “the dark half of the year.””[3] They believed that at this time of the year, the borders between the worlds of the living and the dead became thinner, which allowed spirits to move between our worlds.[4] Bonfires were often lit to provide protection from the supernatural.[5] Over time, these 2 originally separate traditions seem to have blended, and they ultimately influenced the development of our modern Halloween. 

From Luttrell Psalter, Northern England 1325-40

Some of our modern traditions for the holiday also have their origins in historical practices. For instance, during Samhain they would sometimes dress up in costumes to either scare away the malevolent spirits, or to blend in with them.[6]

From Romance of Alexander, Bruges, Belgium 1400

 The well known tradition of carving pumpkins also has its origins in historical beliefs, though not in the exact form we know today. In the 19th century (as with many folk traditions, it’s hard to say how much further this tradition goes back) people in the British Isles were carving faces into root vegetables; mainly turnips, though sometimes they also used potatoes, radishes and beets. They placed lit candles inside the carved turnip, much like the modern pumpkin jack-o’-lanterns. They believed that by having these carvings outside their homes or by carrying them as lanterns they offered protection.[7] 

Jack O Lantern, Donegal, Ireland 1903

   Work Cited

References for information in text-

  1. Steward, Medieval. “What is Samhain? Discover the Old History of Halloween Celebration.” Discover Middle Ages, 28 October 2015, https://www.discovermiddleages.co.uk/medieval-life/the-history-of-halloween. 

  2. McDonald, Thomas L. “The Season of the Dead: The origins and practice of Allhallowtide.” Catholic World Report, 24 October 2018, https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2018/10/24/the-season-of-the-dead-the-origins-and-practice-of-allhallowtide/. 

  3. “Samhain - Traditions, Halloween, Wicca.” HISTORY, 5 October 2022, https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/samhain. 

  4. “Was Halloween Celebrated in the Middle Ages?” Medieval Britain, 7 October 2020, https://medievalbritain.com/type/medieval-life/activities/halloween-middle-ages-celebrations/. 

  5. Campsie, Alison. “Samhain: Bonfires, neeps and guising in sheep skulls during the festival that became Halloween.” The Scotsman, 29 October 2021, https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/samhain-bonfires-neeps-and-guising-in-sheep-skulls-during-the-festival-that-became-halloween-3437842. 

  6. Fields, Kitty. “A Brief History of Mummers and Guising.” HubPages, 19 May 2015, https://discover.hubpages.com/education/The-History-of-Mummers. 

  7. Nalewicki, Jennifer. “When People Carved Turnips Instead of Pumpkins for Halloween.” Smithsonian Magazine, 22 October 2021, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-people-carved-turnips-instead-of-pumpkins-for-halloween-180978922/. 

Original sources for images used here- 

  1. Halloween postcard, early 20th century, found on-  https://www.history.com/news/halloween-trick-or-treating-origins 

  2. Fiesole San Domenico Altarpiece, Fiesole, Italy about 1423-24- https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/fra-angelico-the-forerunners-of-christ-with-saints-and-martyrs 

  3. Luttrell Psalter, Northern England 1325-40- https://www.bl.uk/turning-the-pages/?id=a0f935d0-a678-11db-83e4-0050c2490048&type=book 

  4. Bodleian Library MS. Bodl. 264, Bruges, Belgium 1400- https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/60834383-7146-41ab-bfe1-48ee97bc04be/surfaces/90701d49-5e0c-4fb5-9c7d-45af96565468/ 

  5. Jack O Lantern, Donegal, Ireland 1903- https://pilgrimagemedievalireland.com/tag/turnip-carvings/ 

The Medieval Origins of Pizza

The Medieval Origins of Pizza

   While the pizza we know today with tomato sauce is relatively modern, pizza has its origins in the Middle Ages. The earliest use of the word pizza is in 997, from a contract with a bishop to rent a water mill and the lands around it. The contract says that on every Christmas and Easter, the tenant must give twelve pizze to the bishop.[1]

From Tractatus de herbis, France 1458

This 10th-century reference doesn’t give us a recipe, but we can find more information in a later source. Platina’s De Honesta Voluptate et Valetudine,[2] which was written in the 15th century, tells us more about Medieval pizza. He says “There are some who place the little birds in the bread dough with fresh cheese and the fat collected from the [previously roasted] birds; and they bake them together [the author intends “this dough”] in the oven.”[3]


 The modern pizza with tomato sauce didn’t gain popularity until the 19th century.[4] Prior to the 16th century, tomatoes were not available in Europe. Tomatoes were originally native to the Americas,[5] and even after the discovery of the New World it took some time for them to catch  on. This is thought to be because tomato plants are a member of the Nightshade family, so they were thought to be poisonous.



Work Cited

References for information in text-

  1. Caldwell, Zelda. “Catholic origins of pizza.” Aleteia, 28 June 2017, https://aleteia.org/2017/06/28/the-medieval-and-catholic-origins-of-your-pizza/.

  2. “Introduction To Medieval Recipes.” BigOven, https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/introduction-to-medieval-recipes/100745. 

  3. “Medieval Pizza – The Origin of Pizza – Historical Italian Cooking.” Historical Italian Cooking, https://historicalitaliancooking.home.blog/english/recipes/medieval-pizza/. 

  4. “The Origin of Pizza: Is it Authentic Italian Food?” Spizzico Italian Kitchen, 24 March 2020, http://spizzicorestaurant.com/the-origin-of-pizza/. 

  5. “The Tomato Had To Go Abroad To Make Good.” Aggie Horticulture, https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/vegetabletravelers/tomato.html. 


Original manuscripts for images used here- 

  1. Tractatus de Herbis, 1458-  

https://edl.beniculturali.it/beu/850010835

The Evolution of Medieval Men’s Tights

In the Middle Ages, tights were the common legwear for men to wear. Around the 13th century, men were wearing split hosen, also called braies and chausses.[1] These are a kind of hose (chauses) that go over baggy underwear (braies). At that time, men were wearing long tunics (around knee length for peasants and floor length for the nobility)[2], so the gap between the hose isn’t always visible. While these longer tunics were in style, the hose could also sometimes not be worn at all.[3]

From Morgan Bible, Paris, France mid-1240s

By the early 15th century, shorter upper body garments had come into fashion, and the gap between the separate hose became visible.[4] There is a mention by an English bishop of men who sit “splay-legged, exposing themselves;” suggesting there may have been some who took issue with the underwear being visible.[7] However, while there were attempts to address this gap, there are still examples in artwork of separate hose with a visible gap into the 15th century.

From Tacuinum Sanitatis, Rhineland region, Germany around 1400

Further into the 15th century, we start to see the hose coming further up the body to cover the hips as well as more of the underwear.[5] The braies underneath the hose also shortened and became more fitted to the body. [6] These changes made the gap less obvious, but didn’t completely eliminate it.

From Battle between Heraclius and Chosroes, Arezzo, Italy 1452-66

Finally, they started joining the hose together in the back and closed them at the front with a codpiece. These are known as joined hose. Though it was now possible to get rid of the visible gap, they still didn’t completely replace separate hose for some time; you can still see examples of separate hose as late as 1460.[7] 

From the St John Altarpiece, Bruges, Belgium around 1479

Work Cited

References for information in text-

  1. Dennis, Kathrynn. “The Trouble With Braies.” History Hoydens, 16 March 2007, http://historyhoydens.blogspot.com/2007/03/trouble-with-braies.html.

  2. “What Did People Wear in the Middle Ages: Part One.” Maille is Riveting, https://mailleisriveting.weebly.com/what-did-people-wear-in-the-middle-ages-part-one.html. 

  3. mechtild. “Wonderbras for Men, Pt. II ~ More on Codpiece Look and peep at history of men's underwear.” LiveJournal, 2 April 2007, https://mechtild.livejournal.com/63614.html. 

WARNING: Some adult images in this article.

  1. LaSpina, Ian. “Joined Hose At the Turn of the 14th/15th Centuries.” Knyght Errant, 7 August 2020, https://knyghterrant.com/index.php/2020/08/07/joined-hose-at-the-turn-of-the-14th-15th-centuries/. 

  2. “Hose – To Split or not to Split.” Sir William Harrington's Companye, 12 March 2017, https://harringtoncompanye.wordpress.com/2017/03/12/hose-to-split-or-not-to-split/. 

  3. “15th Century Fashion Overview.” Linen & Needle: Specialist Historical Garments & Heraldry, https://www.linenandneedle.co.uk/15th-century. 

  4. Morgan, Baron, and Brenda Brisbane. “Medieval Underwear III: Chosen Hosen.” House Greydragon, 1 August 2009, https://www.greydragon.org/library/underwear3.html. 

Original manuscripts for images used here- 

  1. The Morgan Bible, mid 1240s-  https://www.themorgan.org/collection/Crusader-Bible/thumbs 

  2. Tacuinum Sanitatis, around 1400- https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b105072169/f87.image 

  3. Legend of the True Cross, 1452-66- https://www.wga.hu/html_m/p/piero/2/8/index.html

  4. St. John Altarpiece, around 1479- https://www.wga.hu/html_m/m/memling/2middle2/13john.html