Conserving a medieval leather book cover

This is one of the rarest objects found on the Thames foreshore, which is now on display at the Secrets of the Thames exhibition at London Museum Docklands.

A mudlark spotted this leather scrap on the foreshore. Upon cleaning at home, a small book binding was revealed. It was decorated with a man in armour with a dog at his feet at the front and on the back, St George and the dragon.

Research indicates this came from a prayer book dating to the 1500s. These books were affordable and common in London homes. They’re sometimes known as primers because families used them to teach children to read.

This is a rare find. Most surviving examples from this era are from large, expensive books. People would often re-cover such valuable volumes to suit contemporary tastes. Ordinary books like this weren’t usually preserved in libraries or collections, so few tend to survive.

When leather is degraded like this, it needs immediate attention. Archaeological Conservator Luisa Duarte used a freeze-dryer to dry it out. The main worry is that it might rip apart, so Luisa needed to strengthen the object by applying a backing.

“We’re using imaging technology that’s used on teeth, creating a topographical map to look at the texture of the binding,” explains Eyal Poleg, Prof of Material History, Queen Mary University of London.

During analysis, some sparkling yellow elements were found. Could it be gold? Only more detailed research can tell.

For now, the above video shows you more about the conservation process. You can also see the cover on display, alongside the full recreated illustration by artist Charlie Dixon, at our ongoing exhibition.