View source for Amadou

{{Short description|Spongy material derived from fungi}}
{{For|the name|Amadou (name)}}

'''Amadou''' is a spongy material derived from ''[[Fomes fomentarius]]'' and similar fungi that grow on the bark of [[pinophyta|coniferous]] and [[flowering plant|angiosperm]] trees, and have the appearance of a horse's hoof (thus the name "hoof fungus"). It is also known as the "tinder fungus" and is useful for starting slow-burning fires. The fungus must be removed from the tree, the hard outer layer scraped off, and then thin strips of the inner spongy layer cut for use as [[tinder]].<onlyinclude>

Amadou was a precious resource to ancient people, allowing them to start a fire by catching sparks from [[flint]] struck against [[iron pyrite]]. Bits of fungus preserved in peat have been discovered at the Mesolithic site of [[Star Carr]] in the UK, modified presumably for this purpose. <ref>Robson, H. K. 2018. The Star Carr Fungi. In: Milner, N., Conneller, C. and Taylor, B. (eds.) Star Carr Volume 2: Studies in Technology, Subsistence and Environment, pp. 437–445. York: White Rose University Press.  {{doi|10.22599/book2.q}}. Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0</ref> Remarkable evidence for its utility is provided by the discovery of the 5,000-year-old remains of "[[Ötzi the Iceman]]", who carried it on a cross-alpine excursion before his death and subsequent ice-entombment.<ref name="Cotter 2015">{{cite book |author=Cotter T. |title=Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation: Simple to Advanced and Experimental Techniques for Indoor and Outdoor Cultivation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cHnLCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA281 |year=2015 |publisher=Chelsea Green Publishing |isbn=978-1-60358-456-2 |page=281}}</ref>

Amadou has great water-absorbing abilities. It is used in [[fly fishing]] for drying out [[dry flies]] that have become wet.<ref>{{cite book|title=Fly Fishing Equipment & Skills|author=John Van Vliet|year=1999|publisher=Creative Publishing|isbn=978-0-86573-100-4|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/flyfishingequipm0000vanv}}</ref><ref name="reel life">{{Cite news |title=Reel life: fomes fomentarius |author=Jon Beer |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/3294222/Reel-life-fomes-fomentarius.html |work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |date=October 13, 2001}}</ref> Another use is for forming a [[felt]]-like fabric used in the making of hats and other items.<ref name="Greenberg 2014">{{cite book |author=Greenberg J. |title=Rivers of Sand: Fly Fishing Michigan and the Great Lakes Region |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rPpABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA93 |year=2014 |publisher=Lyons Press |isbn=978-1-4930-0783-7 |page=93}}</ref><ref name="Pegler 2001">{{cite journal |author=Pegler D. |title=Useful fungi of the world: Amadou and Chaga |journal=Mycologist |year=2001 |volume=15 |issue=4 |pages=153–154 |doi=10.1016/S0269-915X(01)80004-5 |quote="In Germany, this soft, pliable 'felt' has been harvested for many years for a secondary function, namely in the manufacture of hats, dress adornments and purses."}}</ref> It can be used as a kind of [[artificial leather]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Alice Klein |title=Vegan-friendly fashion is actually bad for the environment |journal=New Scientist |date=Jun 16, 2018 |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23831820-100-vegan-friendly-fashion-is-actually-bad-for-the-environment/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221006233332/https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23831820-100-vegan-friendly-fashion-is-actually-bad-for-the-environment/ |archive-date=6 October 2022}}</ref> [[Mycologist]] [[Paul Stamets]] famously wears a hat made of amadou.<ref>{{YouTube|id=mPqWstVnRjQ|title=Joe Rogan Experience #1035 - Paul Stamets}}</ref></onlyinclude>

[[Image:Fomes fomentarius.jpg|thumb|240px|left|''Fomes fomentarius'']]
Before such uses, amadou needs to be prepared by being pounded flat, and boiled or soaked in a solution of [[potassium nitrate|nitre]]{{cn|reason=potash, not nitre, I believe|date=July 2025}}. One method of preparation starts by soaking a slice in [[washing soda]] for a week, beating it gently from time to time. Following this it is left to dry. The result is initially hard and must be pounded with a blunt object to soften and flatten it.<ref name="reel life"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wiktionary|amadou}}
*[http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~5928~gid~.asp]
* {{Cite web|url=http://www.bushcraftuk.com/content/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=175 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203071356/http://www.bushcraftuk.com/content/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=175 |archive-date=2007-02-03 |title=BushcraftUK - Tinder fungus tutorial - Page 1|date=February 3, 2007}}
* [http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/content.php?r=307-Polypore-Fungi-in-Primitive-Fire-Making] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201122327/http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/content.php?r=307-Polypore-Fungi-in-Primitive-Fire-Making |date=2014-02-01 }}
* {{Cite web|url=http://www.primitiveways.com/Amadou%20substitutes.html|title=Substitutes for Tinder Fungus}}
* {{Cite web | url=http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2011/easy-way-to-use-fomes-fomentarius-as-tinder/ | title=The Easy Way to Use Fomes Fomentarius as Tinder | date=10 August 2011 }}

{{Non-timber forest products}}
{{angling topics|expanded=fly fishing}}
{{fisheries and fishing}}

[[Category:Fly fishing]]
[[Category:Fungal morphology and anatomy]]
[[Category:Firelighting materials]]
[[Category:Fire making]]
[[Category:Non-timber forest products]]
[[Category:Visual arts materials]]