Before the advent of modern tanning agents, humans were turning raw skin into usable leather products using very basic techniques and materials. Learn to produce incredibly soft, strong and durable leather from raw animal skin using one of human kind’s earliest tanning technologies! Utilising materials readily available in the surrounding environment we will walk through the steps of this transformation. Come learn the progression of this process from raw skin to beautiful, usable, finished leather! 

Over 3 full days this course will focus on tanning deer skins with a variety of fat tanning which uses Lecithin and oil as the dressing agent. Whilst not for the squeamish the end product is worth the work! The class will cover removing the meat and fat (de-fleshing), removing the outer grain layer (de-graining), alkalining for ground substance removal, applying the tanning agents (dressing), softening and smoking the skins. 

The workshop is being taught by Dr Theresa Emmerich Kamper, expert in experimental archeology, hide tanning and paleo Archeologist. It’s the first time she will come to Ireland.