The History Of Leather Since the beginning of time, humans have dressed in leather, a material derived from tanned animal hides. For warmth and to absorb the magical qualities they thought the animal skins bestowed upon them, prehistoric people wrapped the skins around their bodies. To the nations they traveled to, Phoenician sailors frequently brought richly embroidered leather clothing from Babylonia. The tombs of Egyptian pharaohs included leather shoes. When Roman soldiers entered northern Europe, they came upon Teutonic nomads who were dressed in leather to stave off the elements. The toga-clad city officials tried to outlaw the usage of leather pants when these warriors returned to Rome with them, but they were unsuccessful. Leather was quickly used by the Romans for shoes, tunics, breastplates, and shields. In actuality, the Roman Empire saw the formation of the first known tanning guild. The Moors introduced the softer Cordovan leather, which they produced from goatskin to...