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History of Tanning
In ancient history,
tanning was considered a noxious trade and
relegated to the outskirts of town, amongst the
poor. The ancients used leather for water skins,
bags, harnesses, boats, armor, quivers, scabbards,
boots, and sandals. Around 2500 BC, the Sumerians
began using leather, affixed by copper studs, on
chariot wheels. Tanners would take an animal skin
and soak it in water. Then they would pound and
scour the skin to remove flesh and fat. Next,
either they soaked the skin in urine to loosen
hair fibers or they let the skin putrefy for
several months, after which they dipped the skin
in a salt solution. After the hair fibers were
loosened, the tanners would scrape them off with a
knife. Once the hair was removed, tanners would
bate the material by pounding dung into the skin
or soaking the skin in a solution of animal
brains. They would also take cedar oil, alum, or
tannin and stretch the skin as it lost moisture
and absorbed the tanning agent. Leftover leather
would be turned into glue. Tanners would place
scraps of hides in a vat of water and let them
deteriorate for months. The mixture would then be
placed over a fire to boil off the water to
produce hide glue.
My
Personal Story
I was
not born into a nudist family and therefore I was
taught that one should not go around without their
clothes on. Being nude in front of others was
acceptable only in certain situations (Doctor's
office, locker rooms, school showers, or other
places where changing clothing was acceptable) and
only for the short time it was required. One just
did not walk around nude in mixed company.
As a youngster I went to a summer camp that
was run by my Father and once a week we had
"Scrub". Normally we wore out bathing suits when
we swam in the lake, but on "Scrub Day" we took
soap to the lake and left our suits in the cabins.
As this is the only way we could really wash, and
because it was an all boys' camp, the required
nudity was acceptable. Because I could not swim I
did not like going to the lake at all. As far as I
was concerned being being nude with the other boys
was not the problem being at the lake was.
A number of years later I finally learned how to
swim and found swimming was much more enjoyable
without wet clothing. Before the YMCA went co-ed I
frequently swam nude there. I was sorry, at the
time, when the Y changed its policy and required
suits.
I wanted to go SKINNY-DIPPING and I doing so in
alone in a remote area was unsafe
As there are not a lot of clothing optional
beaches in Eastern Massachusetts (maybe some but
they were hard to get to) I felt that my
skinny-dips would be very few and very far
between.
One day I found out about a resort near me where
one could swim suit free without hassle. I sent
for the information.
While I had never been uncomfortable being nude
for short periods of time in places where it was
expected, I had never gone around nude for an
extended period of time and certainly not in mixed
company.
My first project, therefore, was to be comfortable
with myself nude for no particular reason. I
practiced doing that by going around my apartment
nude. Nudity was required when washing dishes,
watching TV, paying bills, and doing many other
household tasks.
I wasn't sure what my first visit to
Solair
would be like, but I definitely wanted to give it
a try. I could always go home. I checked into the
office, completed some paperwork, showed
identification, and then drove to another parking
area where I would be met by someone from the
membership committee
As I drove past the lake I saw a beach populated
by nude of men, women, and children. They seemed
quite comfortable and unashamed. Nice tans. As the
brochure stated, clothing obviously was out of
place in this setting. Well, even though no one
knew me, I was not going to embarrass myself in
public by looking out of place. I undressed
I did not have to wait long before I was greeted
by a nude man who gave me and another couple the
tour of the campground. The tour ended at the lake
and I was on my own. Well, I was here to go
skinny-dipping and there was the lake. I swam for
a while and then decided to just sit and sun on
the beach. Without wet clothing I was warm and
comfortable. Sure I was nude, but so was everyone
else and, again, clothing was definitely out of
place here.
Later I took a short walk on my own. As I passed
other people a smile and "Hello" was in order, the
lack of clothing was of no significance.
I returned to the lake for more swimming and
sunning.
Before going home I took a warm shower in the
round building that housed the showers. As the
shower and adjoining hot tub made the drying area
humid, I went outside. That did it for me. I was
dried by the gentle breeze and the warm sun. That
convinced me that this was how we were meant to
be. There was nothing disgraceful about being
nude. I completed the remaining visits and
interviews as soon as I could and became a member.
That was my first real nudist experience. I have
given up the textile life and now am clothed only
when required. Since that time I have joined a
number of naturist organizations and participated
in a number of nudist activities. I have attended
a lot of the
TNS
Gatherings & Festivals. I also have been on nude
cruises.
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