Just read that some early Venetian glassblowers were forced to live on an island to keep the trade secret

Found it in a footnote of a library book on Murano. They couldn't leave without permission, which is wild to think about. Anyone know other crazy historical rules for the craft?

3 comments

3 Comments

sandra20310d ago

Yeah the forced isolation on Murano is nuts. That kind of secrecy was everywhere. In medieval Persia, carpet makers could have their hands cut off for trying to leave the royal workshops. Some Japanese sword smiths were basically kept as prisoners by their daimyo lords, their families held hostage to make sure they didn't take their methods somewhere else. It was less about art and more about keeping a military or trade advantage locked down.

corad849d ago

Makes you appreciate just being able to quit a bad job.

corad842h ago

Guess we should be glad our bosses just threaten to fire us and not cut off our hands.