The Water/Leather Relationship

摘要

Tanning-the process in which ani-mal skins become leather and are no longer subject to rotting - is not a new process. Tanned skins were likely the first clothing worn by early humans, and even clothe Adam and Eve in the Bible's creation stories.rnAfter learning to hunt, prehistoric man devised ways to soften and preserve animals' skins. At first, they dried the skins in the sun. Then, they soakedrnthe skins in water and driedrnthem over a fire; the smokernemitted by burning leaves and green twigs contains elements called aldehydes that help preserve hides.