ANST - Merkin?

[Cadwynn MacDonald]

Greetings, Sir Lyonel!

Perhaps this will help explain:

-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Grace <amazing at mail.utexas.edu>
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG <ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG>
Date: Wednesday, April 15, 1998 10:02 PM
Subject: Re: ANST - Merkin?


>Pug responded to my:
>>>> >Okay, recently we found out what a merkin is. I'd like to know
*why*.
>>>> >Anyone know? Gio? (Since you seemed to know the most about
them.)
>>>> That depends.  What do you mean by "why?"  Do you mean "why do we
have a
>>>> heraldic term for the female pubic patch?" or just "why is it
called that?"
>
>with
>
>>>That's odd. The dictionary we checked had it listed as a wig for
the
>>>female pubic area.
>
>And Jerry responds:
>
>>Webster's Dictionary has that as the original meaning, but
"afterwards"
>>merkin is defined as the mop used to clean a cannon.
>
>Webster's is woefully inadequate to the task of etymological
research.  The
>use of *merkin* to describe a pubic wig doesn't appear until the 17th
>century.  The use of merkin to describe the female pudendum appears
>slightly earlier (1535, according to the OED).  Heraldically, I
believe the
>term post-dates the SCA 1600 cutoff date.
>
>Now, if Pug was asking why 17th century needed a pubic wig, I have no
idea.
>Of course, I don't understand why everybody seems to need those Nike
>swooshes on every article of clothing.
>
>lo vostre por vos servir
>Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace


At the time, body lice (both head and groin types) were very common.
The most accepted and successful 'treatment' available at the time was
SHAVING the afflicted areas. Thus, a woman was identified as 'loose'
or 'wanton' if her groin was shaved, indicating that she had
contracted lice/crabs.  Even if she WAS 'loose' or 'wanton', she
surely didn't want her prospective lover(s) to think so - female
vanity being what it was then.  So, she employed her 'little wig'
below, and her 'big wig' above.
  Now before anyone debunks this theory, let us also realize that many
'virgins' also employed a small vial of animal blood to 'mark' the
bridal sheets, thereby 'proving' her virginal entrance into the bridal
bed...

"Sometimes common sense is the only Reference Source one needs"

Cadwynn MacDonald



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