Jewish Craftspeople in the Middle Ages: Objects, Sources and Materials

The significant participation of Jews in medieval European daily life culture and economy is common knowledge in modern Jewish Studies. We know that Jews used the same objects as Christians did. Scholars therefore are speaking of the shared or entangled culture of both groups. But in general it is assumed that most of these objects were made by Christian craftspeople, organized in guilds. However, Jewish craftspeople existed as well and are testified by manifold different sources. Yet, this field to date has not been studied adequately. Sources providing evidence of medieval Jewish craftspeople are rather scarce at first glance, especially in Northern Europe. In the Mediterranean, most regions with Jewish populations have a much broader base of sources. We can find Jews in medieval Europe working as turners, dyers, window makers, weavers, goldsmiths, armorers, dicers, belt makers, glaziers, playing card makers, bricklayers, tailors, watchmakers and mouse trap makers - to mention only a few. A number of questions arise from these references, for example regarding the most common professions, the customers or the relationship with Christian craftspeople. In order to answer these questions, an interdisciplinary approach is necessary.