thongs
1. Narrow strips of leather, alum-tawed skin,
etc., used to attach vellum covers in limp
bindings, as well as to hold the covers of books
closed. Thongs were used before the invention of
CLASPS and were,
in fact, used on COPTIC BINDINGS . 2.
The narrow strips of vellum, leather, or
alum-tawed skin used in the early days of FLEXIBLE SEWING .
Thongs had begun to be replaced by cords in this
use by the latter part of the 16th century. (236 )