Gloves have played an important role in history, from prehistoric times to the present. Gloves have always been a part of the history of flourishing and exciting people, from the evidentiary glove in Herodotus’ History to the discriminating gloves seen on today’s catwalks. In some translations of Homer’s The Odyssey, Laertes is seen wearing gloves in his garden to avoid the thorns. The main character in Herdotus’ History describes how Leotychides was perjured by a gauntlet glove filled with silver as a bribe. Pliny the Younger wrote that the shorthand writer for his uncle wore gloves in the winter to avoid interfering with the elder Pliny’s work. Prehistoric people wore hand coverings to keep the elements at bay.
Religion and Ceremonies
Bishops established the practice of wearing gloves for Holy Sacrament, which has since become a religious ritual. Gloves have been worn by popes, cardinals, and bishops since the 10th century to keep their hands clean for holy mysteries. Another historical theory holds that gloves were used for pomp and circumstance in the Frankish kingdom. Gloves were then introduced to Rome, where sacramental gloves were first used in the early half of the 11th century. Gloves were first worn by kings for ceremonial purposes, and then as ornamental accessories to represent luxury. In 1189, Henry II of England was laid to rest with gloves on his hands, according to Matthew of Paris. When King John’s burial chamber was opened in 1797, he was discovered wearing gloves, as was King Edward I’s tomb after it was opened in 1774.
Early Fashion
Gloves became a symbol of gracefulness and status for queens in the 13th century, and they were frequently made of silk or linen that reached the elbows. By the 1600s, Queen Elizabeth had established a new fashion for bejewelled and embroidered gloves. While weather-proofing mittens predate mediaeval Europe, gloves came to the forefront of fashion in Europe and the British Isles between the 12th and 16th centuries. Early gloves came in two varieties: three-fingered and five-fingered. Working-class men wore three-fingered gloves, and women never did. A man and woman are shown weeding in the early 14th century Luttrell Psalter, with only the man wearing gloves. A fur-lined version of a similar version is shown 100 years later in Robert Campin’s painting “The Nativity.” Three-fingered gloves are known as “country man’s gloves” in Fairhold’s Costume in England.
Furniture stockpiles and builders’ accounting records confirm that lambswool gloves were worn by masons and other workers using dangerous tools or corrosive materials,” according to the book Dress in the Middle Ages. Working-class men wore five-fingered gloves on occasion, but never women. There are few depictions of people wearing five-fingered gloves before the 15th century. According to Dress in Ireland, “hose, pointed shoes, and gloves were worn by all who could afford them.” Earlier hunting scenes depict a protective glove made of heavy leather which blaze through the wrist and comes with a tassel. Early hunting gloves resemble modern-day gloves. Gloves became a fashionable adornment for both men and women in the 15th century.
Glove designs were simpler in the 1400s and 1500s, as evidenced by the painting “The Family of Uberto deSecrate,” which depicts the woman wearing gloves with the fingertips cut off but the gentlemen wearing a single glove. Gloves became a highly decorated accessory by the 16th century, with slashing, gems, pearls, lace, embroidery, tabs, ribbons, and elaborate cuffs.
Gloves and Royalty
High-ranking clergy are also shown wearing slender, white leather gloves with pom-poms, cuffs, and occasionally a bell. Most representations show a liturgical glove with a cuff, but a shorter glove was also worn. Gloves became a signifier of rank for kings after they were discovered by workers, hunters, and clergy. The tomb sculpture of Henry II in Fontevrault Abbey, France, depicts the king wearing wrist-length embroidered gloves. A glove from 1220 Palermo is on display at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, and it is embellished with gold, pearls, cloisonne, gems, and embroidery. Queen Elizabeth had many pairs of gloves, some crocheted and some perfumed, in her wardrobe. King Henry VII’s wardrobe also included elaborately decorated sets of gloves. Gloves have a long history and have been an integrated component of changing times.
Uses of Gloves nowadays
Gloves these days are used in the medical line or for medical use. Latex gloves are gloves that are used once and then discarded. They can help shield your health as well as the health of the person for whom you are caring. They aid in the prevention of germs and diseases from trying to spread to you and the other person. Wear gloves whenever you may come into contact with your loved one’s bodily fluids, such as secretions, blood, urine, or stool. When touching areas near a doctor’s cut (incision), use a new pair of gloves. When bathing a loved one, some people wear gloves. Gloves can also be used when applying medications to the skin or administering injections. Gloves can help protect against infection caused by bodily fluids. However, if you choose not to use gloves or do not have any, keep your hands hygienic. Wash your hands as soon as possible after emerging into contact with bodily fluids. Also, keep hand sanitiser on hand. Medrux.com provides the best gloves for industrial, medical or surgical use.
As the times have changed, so has the use of gloves changed. People tend to use it more for medical use than for fashion use.
