History Barrels for everything
Medieval people stored and shipped many goods in wooden barrels: ale, wine, salted herring, butter, flour, even nails. A barrel is strong, keeps things dry, and can be rolled by one person, even when it is heavy.
Barrels were made by coopers. They shaped wooden staves, bent them into a curve and held them tight with hoops of wood or iron. A good barrel did not leak a drop.
History Small carts
Donkeys and ponies pulled small carts through narrow town streets and lanes where big wagons could not fit. Donkeys are patient, strong for their size and need less food than horses.
Art In this artwork
The illustration shows a grey donkey pulling a little wooden cart loaded with barrels.
Look closer
- Count the barrels.
- Find the hoops on each barrel.
Think about it
- Why is a barrel easier to move than a box of the same weight?
- What do we pack goods in today?
- Why would a donkey suit narrow streets?
Key words
- Cooper
- A person who makes barrels.
- Stave
- One of the curved wooden boards of a barrel.
- Hoop
- A ring that holds a barrel together.
Sources
The history on this page is a short summary based on these sources:
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Cooperage"
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Wagon" and the history of land transportation
