Images and links

Fresco by Giotto di Bondone in the Cappella Scrovegni in Padua, 1304-1306 (top)

Nursing baby in shawl - 19yh Century etching(middle)

Knotted Sling (bottom)

Slings - Medieval and Renaissance art:
http://www.larsdatter.com/slings.htm


Kindermantel - German Shawl/ carrying cloth/ coat:
http://www.stillgruppe-ml.de/kindermantel.htm

...and translation (many thanks Astrid!)

A young woman I know owns such a "hockmantel". Its very heavy because it#s al lot of cloth. There are two layers of cloth and it#s very wide.I try to translate the first text:"Not long time ago, also in Germany the children were not put away but carried on the body - as the natural development afforded. Prams were mostly unknown and not practicable an many areas - they were not suitable for bad ways and offroad.

Mothers often diddn't have the oppportunity to carry their children (wraps were unknown), so the grandmas often carried their grandchildren in this "kindermantel". My relatives called them lovingly "the old wifes (or women)". Those old women met at the corner of the street and talked about God, the world and the neighbourhood, the babys were near them and could use the soft bosom as a pillow and sleep when they were tired.

There were "Kindermäntel" for daily use out of simple cloth, some were out of woollen cloth for the winter and out of velvet and lace for the rich nannies and wealthy grannies. There were those "Kindermäntel" mostly in every household with children. They were used even without a baby as a daily garment. Especially in winter they were very warm because of the several layers of cloth.Unfortunately the survivals from former times are not found very often nowerdays. I got this "Kindermantel" which carried some children as a present from an old lady. And I'm very grateful about this.

"Short instruction:"

1. Drape around the coat and perhaps close it.

2. The child is set on the carrier's left arm without the coat.

3. The cloth from left (cloth from below) is pulled around the child and is pinned between the carrier's belly and the child.

4. The cloth from the right side (below) is given to the left side and pinned under the left arm, so that the cloth from the left is tight, too.The upper cloth from the left may be pinned under the carrying arm as support.

"I hope, you understand the translation. I borrowed such a coat, but carrying with a wrap or some other device is much more comfortable.

Troknya carrier - Greek carrier (thread from The Babywearer):
http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=205149



That's a start!