Yatate
Yatate ( Japanese 矢 立 , literally: quiver of arrows ) is a Japanese travel writing set that has mainly been in use since the Middle Ages. At first glance it resembles a pipe and consists of a case with a brush and a small container for ink ( 墨 壷 , sumi tsubo ), in which there is silk or cotton to hold the ink.
overview
In the Middle Ages, writing required time-consuming preparations. By adding water to a rubbing stone was Inkstick abraded. The resulting ink ( sumi ) could then be applied with a brush and used. Since Japanese warriors often carried writing utensils with them in the quiver of arrows, the name of the original storage location was probably borrowed as a name for the travel writing set. These first yatate were called "Hiōgi" ( 檜 扇 ), because they were not yet pipe-shaped, but worked with a straight shape like a fan.
In the Kamakura period , cotton and silk began to be used in the ink containers. On the one hand, the liquid ink could be transported well in this way, on the other hand, the brush could be moistened more appropriately with ink and ink blobs from dripping brushes could be avoided.
In the Edo period , red copper ( Shakudō ), an alloy of copper and gold, was also used for the production of yatate, which was given a natural patina over time .
Individual evidence
Web links
- Russ Stuttler: What is a yatate? Tokyo Fountain Pen scene, July 2010, accessed October 14, 2012 (English, with a variety of images).