Page 8 - Lindsey Philpott "The Ultimate Book of Decorative Knots"

2 the ultimate book of decorative knots

Illustrations taken from: Fox Davies, A.C. 1993. A
Complete Guide to Heraldry: Gramercy Books.
Decorative knotting has progressed a long way
from the use of coarse construction-based lines knots that, if sent back with the overlapping knots,
used for hauling, binding, and tying, such as the representing their overlapping and separate lives
manila and hemp lines shown here. drawn together, were deemed by that sailor to be a
sign of true love. Sailors’ practical and decorative
have been ritualistic, but it seems likely that the knotting may also have been lost to antiquity if it
holes in the beads were made so that they could be were not for the efforts of a few early 18th-century
suspended from string made of grass, bark, animal captains, commodores, and admirals who thought it
sinew, or leather. A discovery in September 2009 of fit and proper to write books of instruction for the
flax fibres in a cave in South Georgia that were dyed young midshipmen in their charge.
and probably used for woven fabrics 32,000 years Decorative knotting also has many mysterious
ago also suggests that fibres and cords in decorative roots in ritual, superstition and the realms of
use, although none have been found preserved, have the occult. To this day much anecdotal mystery
been with us for a very long time. surrounds the art of creating these knots.
One accurately recorded historic use of
decorative knots has been to identify a person,
family, or membership in an organisation – here I
am speaking of armorial crests and heraldic badges
where knots were used to establish the credentials of
the bearer.
In Chinese mythology and history, decorative
knots, such as the Pan Chang, tell stories of love,
power, money, and long life. The art of Chinese
Knotting was brought back from the brink of
extinction by some very dedicated and resourceful
authors, artists, and practitioners, such as Lydia
Chen and Fay Wang, learning from living treasures
such as Eunyoung Kim.
During the Great Age of Sail, from
approximately 1760 to 1830 when steam power
took precedence, European sailors would send
home knots to their wives and mistresses to find out
if they were still true. Most sailors lacked education Knot design as a Mandala by Leonardo Da Vinci,
enough to write; instead, they would tie special recreated in cord by Colin Grundy, IGKT.